The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1934-06-28

those sc mmortals" who signed
the document In which they held certain truths
to be sef-evIdent" In which they did ''solemnly
publish and declare that these united colonies
are and of right ought to be. free and indie
pendent states and In which "for the support OF
this declaration, with a firm reliance on the
protection OF Divine Providence" they did "mu-
tually pledge to each other our lives. our for
tunes and our sacred honor"
We know the names of most OF them-the men
who took the first decisive step toward winning
independence and forming nation. But
how many Americans know the names Of other
men who many years before. had Bowed the
seeds of that liberty and of that new nation?
How many OF US know OF Robert Livingston
who, early es 17Ol, was proposing colonial
cooperation and a colonial uni0na And to how
many OF us does the name OF Teonahagarawe,
or King Hendrck. a chief of the Mohawk In
dians have any Significance In the struggle for
liberty? 1t Is with these two men, but more
particularly with King Hendrlck, and with the
events which foreshadowed the Declaration that
this article deals.
Although the British Crown encouraged the
Idea of colonial union to aid In Its struggle
with France for mastery of North America. the
colonies paid little heed to such an Idea coming
from the Mother country and either disregarded
tribute to the conduct OF the wars SO 1t seemed
that the only possibility for cooperative effort
lay In voluntary action the part of the colo
MES Sensing this fact Robert Livingston,
leading merchant of New York who was much
interested In opening up the rich resources OF
the back country, came forward with plan of
colonial union In 170l.
Livingston realized that the colony Of New
York alone could not carry out his ambitious
scheme of development so inya long letter. dated
May Is, 1T01, he laid before the British Council
OF Trade and Plantations his scheme for uniting
the colonies In zone form Of government
divided Into three groups, southern, central
and northern. Each year there was to be
raised from this government a certain sum OF
money which would be administered from Albany
by a board of commissioners selected from eacn
of the groups.
The Grown was to send troops and equipment
and the three groups were to supply labor,
under quota arrangement, for building and
garrisonlng forts which we're to be built In the
wilderness to protect settlers who were to be
encouraged to take up lands In the West. Every
two years the British government was to send
out two hundred youths requirements for
200 OF the soldiers who we're to be mustered out
OF service but who. IL they would remain In
the country, were to receive free land.
1t was an excellent scheme and the British
Crown was quick to realize Its advantages. But
as usual, lack of cooperation among the colo
MES prevailed and nothing came OF Livngston's
plan. For another half century they went their
separate ways. BY the middle of the Eighteenth
century the menace Of French expansion In the
West and the tightening Of their alliance with
the Indians began to alarm the colonies seri-
ously In 1853 young George Washington, sent
BY Virginia to the Ohio country to warn the
French away from this region claimed by the
British, returned with their fiat refusal to 60.
Then Governor Dinwiddie Of Virginia sent
Captain Trent and his backwoodsmen to build
a fort at the forks OF the Monongahela, but
before they could finish their work the French
drove Trent away
On May Q, 1854, the Pennsylvania Gazette OF
Philadelphia contained an account OF Trents
surrender OF the fort and predicted that unless
something were done, the French would kill
seize and lmprison Traders and confscate
their Effects at Pleasure (as they have done for
several Years past}. murder and scalp our
Farmers with their Wives and Children, and
take an easy Possession OF such parts OF the
British Territory as they find most convenient
for them: which If they are permitted to do
must end In the Destruction OF the British In
terest Trade and Plantations In America
Along with this appeal for concerted actor
there appeared In the Gazette the first rea
cartoon, drawn by the publisher Of the Gazette
BENJAMIN Franklin. 1t showed disjointed snake
each part labeled with the Initials Of one Of TIN
colonies, and under 1t the motto "Jon or Die.
Later Franklin's graphic portrayal OF TN
urgent necessity for colonial union was reprinted