The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-07-03

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
Tuff1ed shirts, long cloth coats, knee pants SILK
stockings and low shoes sitting with dignity, but
listening spelIbound to wonderfully strange and
entirely document called 1.-THE Declaration Of
Independence
In fancy he even hears the popular acclaim
of THAT is just what all sayi" and ct 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 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 PhiladeI-
phia happy because he is longer British
subject, having become a free American in
single day.
Such vision pictures a heroic scene: but the
true record of events does not affirm that these
socalled happenings took place on that me-
morable day. By blotting 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 OF
July from one day to about sixty in which the
whole history of national liberty is told and
the heroic heart-throbs of the soreIy tried colo
nists are keenly felt
The day itself properly symbo1izes the liberty
for which the patriots of that time stood ready
to sacrifice their lives in order to launch tbo
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 were embittered by the injustice of the
sovereign across the seas that they willingly
gave their all to the cause of the people of the
land
During the latter part of IVA 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
course would have been condemned by Ameri-
cans themselves as treason. Jefferson declared
that prior to April 10, 1775 he had heard whis-
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
cusson regarding the liberty Of colonists. These
legislative bodies possessed but little power but
they did a great part in crystallizing the sentf-
ment for independence in many quarters and
forcing those opposed to the idea to declare their
inimical attitude.
The good work of these small legislative bodies
was reflected and magnif1ed 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
with the cause.
If, June z 1875, there had been an extra
paper' to have informed the public of the latest
political might have read the farfng
headlines Richard Henry Lee of Virginia the
Man of the Hour for it he who that day
started the Fourth of July. It this south
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 army of redcoats wait
ing to seize patriots rebels.
Too much praise cannot be given to the in
PRODUCTION of Lees resolution, yet it to the
credit of the Continental congress that action
was not forced upon such 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 It imperative that all should look
the Goddess Of Liberty squarely in the face with
devotion to follow where she should lead.
AS no agreement could be reached June
the resolution was laid until the next day
when it again postponed for consideration IN
til July l.
In order that the of liberty should not
be retarded during this wait. congress at that
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