Evening star., 1953-07-04
July 4, 1875, and July 4, 1853

The Declaration of Independence was
gamble and a hazard. On July 4, 1776, there
was no certainty, no assurance, that the revo-
luttonary struggle with England could be won
by the Colonial forces. Relatively few Ameri-
cans agreed with Samuel Adams and Richard
Henry Lee that the united colonies" should
be "free and Independent states i. absolved
from all allegiance to the British crown"
Many citizens were opposed to the severance
of political connection" with the mother coun-
try Still more were stolidly neutral, refusing
to join either party. The issue came before
Congress on June T. and "a long and exciting
debate enSued." Meanwhile, the patriot cause
was going badly. A major disappointment was
the failure of the expedition to Canada The
army commanded by George Washington was
only transient army. Congress had accom-
plished merely a theoretical confederation; it
had no treasury and no stockpile of materials
of war. The British were planning campaign
which would give them victories in Long Island,
New York, New Jersey and Rhode Island. While
Thomas Jefferson was writing the Declaration,
a considerable group of his colleagues were
frankly doubtful that any such document could
be justified by events. The immediate practical
reason for acceptance Of the responsibilities of
final break with England was that of satisfy
ing France, prospective ally willing to fight
to disrupt but not to consolidate the British
Empire" -,
When the affirmation of 'life, liberty and
the pursuit Of happiness" at last was ready,
Jefferson himself took no part in the discussion
Of it. He subsequently insisted that "oppres-
Sively warm weather" and swarms of flies from
a nearby stable hastened the decision. The
debate ended at o'clock in the afternoon of
July 4, and the verdict of Congress was pro-
claimed to the people by the ringing of the
Liberty Bell in the tower of the State House on
July 8. Coincidentally, the Declaration was
read to the troops and from various pulpits
and public platforms. The actual signing took
place on August 2. So adventurous was the
entire proceeding that Benjamin Franklin
solemnly assured John Hancock: 1--WE must all
hang together or assuredly we shall all hang
separately" Not until CORVALLIS surrendered
at Yorktown on August 10, 1881, was authentic
national independence a reality; and it was
not until the Federal Constitution went into
effect on March 4, 1889, that the United States
actually became an integrated Nation.
Even then the threat of foreign opposition
to American freedom did not disappear.
Neither was there complete unanimity of opin-
ion within the new republican union. Thou
sands of disaffected citizens went abroad never
to return. Still larger numbers remained in
the erstwhile colonies without sharing in the
first organized government of the people, by
the people and for the people" More than a
century passed before traditional sectionalsms
and partisanisms began to cease to be problems
for the whole national community. During
that period also there were repeated conflicts
with other countries, other regimes. Such
difficulties unfortunately still persist-just now
in poignantly aggravated form. July 4, 1858,
sees our principles of liberty "for all the earth
md al fIn iYno FONTS nI1o1l
by tyranny infinitely more oppressive and
more dangerous than that Of George III, 1T
years ago. We need today the patriotism and
profound devotion, the loyalty and confidence
in ourselves that gave strength and victory to
our forefathers. President Eisenhower is we'll
advised to summon us to penance and prayer.