The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1915-07-03


loiHSA5t51l American considers 1t part of
| a patriotic duty muse upon the
imaginative picture entitled The First Fourth
OF July" which historical writer has painted
upon his vision.
In fancy he sees Independence hall in Phila-
delphia and the Continental congress with It's
RULED 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 hears the popular acclaim
OF THAT is just what all say" and TT 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 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, and child in Phadel
phia happy because he is no longer a British
subject having become a free American in ii
single day
Such vision pictures heroic scene but the
true record of events does not affirm that these
socased happenings took place 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 O,
July from day to about sixty in which the
whole history OF national liberty is told and
the heroic heartthrObS OF the SOrely tried
nists 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 the
United States national craft which should
be anchored by no weight of foreign despotism
II time of danger when brother, friend
and neighbor became estranged by of
political opinion Some colonists still loved the
mother country with true English pride while
others embittered by the Injustice of the
gave their all to the 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 a
would have been condemned by Ameri-
cans themselves treason Jefferson declared
that prior April 10, ITS he had heard no wills
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
cusson regarding the liberty of coonists. These
legislative bodies possessed but little power but
they did a great part in crystazing the senti-
ment for independence in many quarters and
forcing those opposed to the idea declare their
inimical attitude.
The good work of these small legislative bodies
was reflected and magnifed as soon as the dele
gates were 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
IT, June Z l776. there had been extra
paper to have informed the public of the latest
political might have read the harine
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 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 army OF redcoats wait
ing to seize patriots rebels
Too much praise cannot be given to the IN
PRODUCTION of Lees resolution. yet II 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
En- glands success allayed until all we're con
scientiously convinced that the cause of liberty
was Just. 1t was imperative that all should look
the Goddess of Liberty squarely in tho face with
a devotion follow where she should lead.
As no agreement could be reached June I
when it was again postponed for consideration IN
til July l.
In order that the cause of liberty should not
be retarded during this wait, congress at that