The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-07-03

- a patriotic duty to muse upon the
imaginative picture entitled THE First Fourth
of July" which some historical writer has painted
upon his vision.
In fancy he sees independence hall in Phila-
delphia and the Continental congress with its
rufied shirts, long cloth coats, knee pants, silk
stockings and low shoes sitting with dignity, but
listening spellbound to a wonderfully strange and
entirely new document called THE Declaration of
Independence
In fancy he even hears the popular acclaim
of That is Just what we all say!" and ut is
well worded, Mr.. Jefferson" Then the mind pic
lures the various delegates to congress hasten
ing forward, eager for the honor of fixing their
signatures to a sheepskin document.
The scene changes to the ringing of the great
liberty bell, to the assembling of the people at
Philadelphia who applauded the reading of this
bill of rights and to the final closing of the day
with every man, woman and child in Philadel.
phia happy because he is no longer a British
subject, having become a free American in a
single day.
Such a vision pictures a heroic scene: but the
true record of events does not affirm that these
so-called happenings took place on that me-
morable day. By plotting out the imperfect de.
tails of the picture the Fourth of July is in no
way robbed of any of its glory.
An authentic account of what transpired at
that time changes the meaning of the Fourth NJ
July from one day to about sixty in which the
NhOl ilolOAy VI u udllDudl IDGIIY is told and
the heroic heartthrobs of the sorely tried colo.
nists are keenly felt.
The day itself properly symbolizes the liberty
for which the patriots of that time stood ready
to sacrifice their lives in order to launch tbe
United States as a national craft which should
be anchored by no weight of foreign despotism.
1t was a time of danger when brother, friend
and neighbor became estranged by reason of
political opinion. Some colonists still loved the
mother country with true English pride, while
others we're so embittered by the injustice of the
sovereign across the seas that they willingly
gave their all to the cause of the people of the
new land.
During the latter part of 1774 George Wash.
ington himself wrote that no thinking man
among the colonists wanted to separate from
England, and Franklin ridiculed the idea.
During the early days of the revolution the
bluecoats never dreamed of separating from the
beloved land of their ancestors. In fact, such a
course would have been condemned by Ameri.
cans themselves as treason. jefferson declared
that prior to April 10, 1775, he had heard no whis-
per of the disposition of anyone to stand from
under the governmental power of Great Britain.
The inevitable, however, came with the spring
of 1776, when local assemblies began formal dis
cussion regarding the liberty of colonists. These
legislative bodies possessed but little power, but
they did a great part in crystallizing the senti-
ment for independence in many quarters and
forcing those opposed to the idea to declare their
lllLulCdl dlllluuS.
The good work of these small legislative bodies
was reflected and magnifed as soon as the dele
gates were sent to the Continental congress.
Then the spirit of liberty permeated the very at
mosphere of the national assembly and many an
individual received the courage to align himself
with the new cause.
If, June I, 1875, there had been an extra
paper to have informed the public of the latest
political news one might have read the faring
headlines Richard Henry Lee of Virginia the
Man of the Hour" for it was he who on that day
started the Fourth of July. 1t was this south
erner who introduced the first declaration of in
dependence in congress declaring the American
people free.
Good judgment dictated the caution of omit
ting John Adams name from the minutes, as
the second to that motion, yet the fact is known
today, when there is no army Of redcoats wait
ing to seize patriots as rebels.
Too much praise cannot be given to the in
PRODUCTION of Lees resolution, yet it was to the
credit of the Continental congress that action
was not forced upon such an important measure
at that time. 1t could not have succeeded until
all objections had been silenced, all fears OF
England's success allayed, until all were con
scientiously convinced that the cause of liberty
was just. 1t was imperative that all should looA
the Goddess OF Liberty squarely in the face with
a devotion to follow where she should lead.
AS no agreement could be reached on June
the resolution was laid over until the next day
when it was again postponed for consideration un
til July l.
In order that the cause of liberty should no
be retarded during this wait. congress at tina