The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-02-08

Civil and Religious Liberty for All
Men-The Last Survivor Of Those
Who Signed that Document.
A correspondent of the New York
Sun writes about a copy of the Declar-
alton of independence being found in
a Baltimore library some twenty
years ago, signed July A, 1928, by
Charles Carroll, the last survivor of
the signers of the great document.
Another was found some twenty-five
years ago in the AstoT Library, New
York, and given publicity in the Brook
lyn Review This New York copy
antedates the Baltimore one and no
doubt gave rise to the latter.
This is the history of the Astor
Library copy, writes r, G. Cleaner, in
the Catholic Columbian. The almost
simultaneous death of John Adams
and Thos. Jefferson on the anniver-
sary of the nations birth, July 4th,
1826-just the fiftieth birthday-left
only one survivor of the signers of that
historic document, and he was the
venerable Charles Carroll of Mary
land.
The City Council of New York,
while the clouds of sadness we're still
lowering over the land, conceived the
unique idea of having placed in the
city hall a copy of the Declaration of
independence, newly attested by the
actual signature of the aged patriot.
The committee selected for that pur-
pose was more than successful in its
mission, for when it waited on him at
his quiet home not only did the dis
tinguished Marylander readily comply
with the simple request solicited OF
him, but he did more. He appended
with his own hand the following CRATE
full, patriotic and devout declaration:
Grateful to Almighty God for the
blessings which through Jesus Christ
our Lord, He has conferred on my be
loved country in her emancipation
and permitting me, under circum
stances of mercy, to live to the age
of eighty-nine years, and to survive
the fiftieth year of American inde
pendence, adopted by Congress on the
4th day of July, 1776, which l origi
nally subscribed on the End day OF
August of the same year, and of which
am now the last surviving signer,
do hereby recommend to the present
and future generations the principle:
of that important document, as the
best inheritance their ancestors coulC
bequeath them, and pray that the civi
and religious. liberties they have
secured to my country may be perpet
uated to remotest posterity and ex
tended to the whole family of man.
"Chas. Carroll of Carrollton.
August 2, 1926"
This may we'll be called Carroll:
last will and testament to the Ameri
can people, and breathes a fine spirit
of faith and hope.
In this connection it may well bt
recalled that Webster, on the very
day Carroll penned the above words
August 2, 1826-delivered in Fan
euil Hall, Boston, a great eulogy OF
Adams and Jefferson, in the course
of which he thus spoke of the Catholic
signer:
'Of the illustrious signers of thu
Declaration of independence there
now remains only Charles Carroll
He seems an aged oak, standing alone
on the plain, which time has spared ;
little longer, after all the contempt
raries have been levelled with thu
dust. Venerable object! We deligh
to gather round it's trunk, while We
it stands and to dwell beneath iti
shadow. Sole survivor of an assem-
bly, of as great men as the world ha'
witnessed, in a transaction, one of thu
most important that history records
what thoughts, what interesting re
Elections must fill his elevated ant
devout soul! If he dwell on the past
how touching it's recollections; il h
survey the present, how happy, hov
joyous, how full of the fruition of tina
hope, which his ardent patriotism in
. .dulged; if he glance at the future
how does the prospect OF his country
advancement almost bewiIder hi
weakened conception! Fortunate, dis
tinguished patriot! Interesting reli'
of the past! Let him know tina
while we honor the dead, we do no
forget the living; and that there il
not heart here which does not fer
vently pray that Heaven may keel
him yet back from the society of hi
companions"
All of the above ought to prove
quite interesting reading to the shal
low patriots who cry out agains
Catholic citizens and everlastingl!
call into question our loyalty and de
yOtion to American government.