Evening star., 1912-07-04
The Declaration Of independence.

This Is the day We celebrate, but DUR
ing the past few years we have been SO
much concerned in the redemption OF the
day from harbarism and the establish
ment of safe and sane method of observ-
ance that we as a people have to some
extent forgotten just why We pause in
our activities to express our national
qualification and patriotic pride. The
Declaration of Independence. adopted on
this day 136 years ago. is occasionally
read aloud on the Fourth of July in a
manner to reach the public understanding.
but, like many other supposedly familiar
things it is more or less taken for
granted.
The Philadelphia Declaration was pri-
marily an announcement of the inten-
tion Of the people Of the American col
onles to set up a government OF their
own and to assume, among the powers
of the earth. the separate and equal sta
ton to which the laws Of nature and of
natures God entitle them" But in exact
terms this Declaration OF Independence,
this announcement of the purpose to es-
tablish a separate nation. was in the
form OF an explanation to the world. a
recital of grievances, statement Of the
causes animating the colonists. The peo-
pie of the colonies had been suffering
under heavy burden OF impositions and
exactions. had been given small protec-
tion and poor government in return for
onerous taxation, had been treated as a
subject population without rights and
denied the privileges usual even In the
case Of the colony of crown.
In order to set forth the charge of op-
preston brought against the King Of
Great Britain, to recite the history Of
repeated s:injuries and usurpations, all
having. IN direct object, the establish
.ment of an absolute tyranny over these
states" it was necessary to particularize
in detail. and thus the greater portion Of
the Declaration is a review of his acts or
those of his ministers. 1t is this portion
OF the Declaration with which the people
of this country today are unfortunately
unfamiliar. They are generally ac-
quainted. in a somewhat mimetic man.
ner. with the preamble. beginning with
its sonorous phrase, when. in the
course of human events" They know,
too. that the conclusion, which Is the
formal declaration itself, states that
These united colonies are and of right
ought to be. Free and Independent
0tAtes, elC. Out the T6dSOQS why tnaI
momentous decision was taken, certain
to lead to prolonged and bitter and pos
stbly fruitless warfare, against a. power
far better prepared than the scattered
and ill-provisioned colonists, have become
blurred into a general concept of troubles
all Of which have passed away. and
which are Of no present concern.
There is much to learn from the Decla-
ration as a matter of present day study,
and it should be read from time to time
as carefully and thoughtfully as the
news Of the day, in desire to under
stand the basic reasons for this national
establishment and the broad principles
upon which it was founded. The second
paragraph Of the Declaration is particu-
larry to be commended for frequent
study. Let 1t be here repeated. in part,
az an appropriate text for this day:
I'VE hold these truths 10 be seIf-evi-
dent that all men are created equal; that
they are endowed by their Creator with
certain inalienabie rights that among
these are life. liberty and the pursuit of
happiness. That to secure these rights,
governments are instituted among men,
deriving their just powers from the con-
any form of government becomes de-
structive Of these ends, 1t is the right of
the people TO alter or abolish 1t, and to
institute a new government, laying its
foundat ton upon such principles. and or
ganiZing its powers in such form, as to
them shall seem most likely to effect
| their safety and happiness"