The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-07-04
Declaration of Independence By Frank Willis Barnett

| | July has never been made as much of in the south as in the north for, on theNother side of the Mason and
 Dixon line, it's the noisiest holiday of
 the year.
 | But few of the strictly southern border cities, like St. Louis and Baltl-f
 more, never let the Independence Day
 fade away without much shooting or crackers. firing of cannons, beating or
 drums, and peals of perfervid oratory. l I got the surprise of my life when in my teens in St. Louis I was invited down to a-friend's home to participate i in the Fourth of July festivities l thought it strange that,they were vast ling firecrackers and roman candle Tn l the dog days instead of saving them for | Christmas.
 1 have written and said some harsh things about Tammany Hall, but it has
 one custom which is well worth pat l terning after by every social, business and patriotic society in the land, and that is to have a public reading or the
 Declaration of Independence. would
 contend for it in our public schools, but they are not in session during July. One hundred and fourty four years lago, on the morning of the Fourth Of l July. the members of the Continental Congress, in session at Philadelphia
 were deliberating on the proposed Dec ilaration of Independence. Thomas Jet- lferson, John Adams. Benjamin Franklin, Roger sherman and Robert Livingston, lcomposing- the committee appointed for fthe purpose, had reported the famous document.
 But in spite of the courage of the patriots, all realized that they were at
 the edge of an action by which all chance of retreat would be cut off II line Declaration as submitted was adopt
 ed. It meant the exposure of them selves, their families, and their estates to harsh reprisals if the revolution
 failed. and the vital character of the
 announcement was recognized with
 the growing hesitancy of an awed re- sponsibility.
 At this crisis of painful silence pa l triot arose, man not very old Tn years ! hut showing signs of age in his frosted locks It was John Witherspoon, presi- l dent of Princeton College. most de- ycted adherent to the cause of Ameri- } can freedom, whose energies were given freely to the service of the colonies It
 was his burning words which brought ) the Continental Congress to action. Tn vehement tones, and fiery gesture ne , poured out his impassioned soul in nov ing words.
 Here is what he said on that momen-
 tous day:
 There is "a tide in the affairs of men.
 nick in time. We perceive it now be- } fore us. That noble instrument upon vour table, which insures immortality to it's author. should be subscribed, this very morning. by every pen in the . house. He who will not respond to us accents, and strain every nerve to carry into effect it's provisions, is unworthy } the name of a freeman. Although these gray hairs must soon descend into the
 sepulcher, would infinitely rather they would descend thither by the hand ol the public executioner than desert at this crisis the sacred cause of my coun- try"
 sl Do vou wonder that when he finished
 confidence had been restored and forth , with the Declaration of Independence
 was adopted. and signed that day by . John Hancock. president of the Con- i. gress On August 2. the engrossed copy
 was signed by the fifty-thres members
 then present, and. subsequently three
 others affixed their names, and mors lthan a century after one of the proud
 est claims of any American>is to be abls
 to say that one of his forbears put hi:
 signature to the Declaration of Inde r pendence.
 Go to Independence Hall today 1T }. Philadelphia, and one of the most inter. esting relics of July 1. 177s. is the solie q silver ink we'll the {ifty-six daring mer
 dipped their pens to sign document t which they knew would precipitate q e war, but which they did not know woult e create new chapter in tho world! . history. This inkstand was purchased T for the speakers table on August 22 : 1752, of one Phillip Synds. for the sun !. of % pounds and 16 shillings.
 The original engrossed copy of th'
 Declaration as signed is now in keep
 ing of the Secretary of State. The doc - ument was in the Patent Office iron : lls41 to 1877. as that department was be Q lieved to be fireproof. It is now. sine s 1894. kept dramatically sealed in
 frame and placed in steel cabinet
 with the original signed copy of tn
 Constitution. It is no longer shown t
 any one except by express order of tn F Secretary.
 t 2 Being parchment which shows de
 Ietsnctiva signs of cracking. due nor