My Native Land: The United States: its Wonders, its Beauties, and its People; with Descriptive Notes, Character Sketches, Folk Lore, Traditions, Legends and History, for the Amusement of the Old and the Instruction of the YoungCox, James
History
My Native Land: The United States: its Wonders, its Beauties, and its People; with Descriptive Notes, Character Sketches, Folk Lore, Traditions, Legends and History, for the Amusement of the Old and the Instruction of the Young
Cox, James
Indians of North America; United States -- Description and travel; United States -- Social life and customs -- 1865-1918
We need not trace further the progress of the war, or note how, through
many discouragements and difficulties, the cause of right was made to
triumph over the cause of might. We will pass on to note a few of the
interesting facts in connection with the signing of the Declaration of
Independence. To-day, our Senators and Congressmen travel to the
National Capital in Pullman cars, surrounded by every luxury that wealth
and influence can bring them.
In the days of the Continental Congress it required a good deal more
nerve to fulfill one's duty. The delegate had to journey to Congress on
horseback. Sometimes he could find a little country inn at which he
could sleep at night, but at others he had to camp in the open as best
he could. Frequently a friendly warning would cause him to make a detour
of several miles in order to escape some threatened danger, and,
altogether, his march to the capital was far from being triumphant.
At this particular period the difficulties were more than usually great.
The delegates arrived at Philadelphia jaded and tired. They found stable
room for their horses, made the best toilet possible, and found their
way at once to Independence Hall, where opinions were exchanged. On the
7th of June, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia submitted a series of
resolutions, under the instructions of the Virginia Assembly--resolutions
which, it may be stated, pledged the colonies to carry on the war until
the English were entirely driven out of the country. Congress declared
deliberately that the United States was absolved from all allegiance to
the British Crown, and it then proceeded to burn its bridges, by
declaring the expediency of taking effectual measures for forming foreign
alliances. John Adams seconded the resolutions, which were not passed
without debate.
Delegates from New York, Pennsylvania and South Carolina opposed the
proposition very vigorously, one member stating that it required the
impudence of a New Englander for them, in their disjointed state, to
propose a treaty to a nation now at peace; that no reason could be
assigned for pressing this measure but the reason of every madman--a
show of spirit. John Adams defended the resolutions, claiming that they
proclaimed objects of the most stupendous magnitude, in which the lives
and liberties of millions yet unborn were infinitely interested.
Finally, the consideration was postponed, to be passed almost
unanimously on July 2d. John Adams was most enthusiastic over this
result, and, writing to his wife on the subject, he said:
"The 2d day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the
history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by
succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be
commemorated as a day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God
Almighty, from one end of the continent to the other, from this time
forward, forevermore."
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