Be it remembered--and as it recurs--and may it recur with every year while time shall last--first and foremost let the tribute of a devout homage ascend to the GOD of our fathers--to HIM, who imparted wisdom to their counsel and success to their arms--who, when darkness encircled them, dispelled it--when stores failed, supplied them--who was a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night--to Him be glory for a land like that which the patriarch saw from Pisgah--and whose hills are like those of Lebanon and Carmel. The day is becoming a _religious festival_. This is right. Let the sanctuary be opened, and homage be offered there. Let our Sabbath-schools assemble, and fill our groves with divine song. But never should we dispense with other innocent demonstrations of joy. Let the cannon thunder from our hills--let the bells peal through our villages and through our vallies. In every appropriate way, let the future generations celebrate that glad era in our history when British cohorts were obliged to retire, and "God save the king" on the rolling drum, died upon our shores. FOOTNOTES: [36] It has long been claimed that the first declaration of independence was made by the people in Charlotte town, Mecklenburg county, North Carolina, in May, 1775. All doubt on this subject is now dispelled, and the honor of such declaration must be accorded to them. In a letter from Mr. Bancroft, American minister at London, to Governor Swain, of North Carolina, dated London, July 4th, 1848, he says: "You may be sure that I have spared no pains to discover in the British state paper office a copy of the resolves of the committee of Mecklenburg, and _with entire success_. The first account of 'the extraordinary resolves of the people in Charlotte town, Mecklenburg county,' was sent over to England by Sir James Wright, then governor of Georgia, (to whom they had found their way) in a letter of the 20th of June, 1775. The newspaper thus transmitted is still preserved, and is the number 498 of the South Carolina Gazette and County Journal, Tuesday, June 13, 1775."--"It is identically the same with the paper which you enclosed to me."--The letter of Sir James Wright, referred to by Mr. Bancroft, closes as follows: "By the enclosed paper, your lordship will see the extraordinary resolves of the people of Charlotte town, in Mecklenburg county: I should not be surprised if the same should be done every where else" [37] Pitkin. VI. ATTACK ON SULLIVAN'S ISLAND.