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V 8 ADAIR COUNTY KEWS V, I w How Famous Declaration OF AMERICA; v CtMr-Jtcr- cj & Was Adopted day this year - INDEPENDENCE spectacle of A" fht pK1 AJiX cW tCoQxtJhi in. ; 1 e.JtcJOrn. T and the flag of Great Britain intertwined in a to fh .JLfvZD t&- bond of friendship, the United States I 7ViM4ru mo4iv? rLQjJuurtd YkoX dtcZtytC - C4C old country in Kj allied with her jnother '' fighting the world battles of democ- vfKuA intjVtC tKcmk to tPl li i JCfHsrcJtccrrx racy. In that memorable document 1NCE first our sires stood beside die stream, which was proclaimed to the inhabi- tants of the original thirteen colonies fired shot 142 years ago is a sentence which And the that echoed 'round the world, seems fitting now as an indictment of the European monarch against whom if-Ia- s come to pass the epoch of their dream America is at war. It is tins: -- VT7vmwv."i VtyAytcd jJfrrwvM ryruHr9 frWJn Our repeated petitions have been an- 4Urrvrvf IkXU When to the April breeze their flag unfurled. swered only by repeated Injury. And then follows this severe arraign- ment of George m, the last of the Eng- Draft of the First Words of the Declaration of Independence, in Thomas Jef- lish kings who maintained the divine ferson's Handwriting, Which Established Democracy in America. S?TX)DAY, where floats the Stars and Stripes, we deem right of rule: whole to A prince whose character is thus mark- the discuss the resolutions. Instructed to vote in Its favor, on ed by every act which may define a ty- The delegates from Pennsylvania, July New 4, which thenceforth became the recog- Each star defiance at the tyrant hurled; rant Is unfit to be the ruler of a free York one two ob- people. and or other colonies nized birthday of new jected on the ground the middle the nation. that The old bell ringer of Philadelphia, despots, Prior to the Revolutionary struggle colonies were not yet ready for so radi- lEach stripe a bar 'gainst too, would seem cal a step, although personally express- who had been patiently waiting for the the sentiment in all the colonies for news in the steeple of the historic ten years and more from the time of ing a friendly attitude. Delegates statehouse, was the. first to peal out To interpose for human rights imperiled. the first Stamp Act troubles was Hesitated. message Unanimous action by colonies the of American independence strongly against a severance of rela- all the on ever on so momentous a question was re- the bell since honored as the tions with the parent country. Paul Liberty Bell. No longer was there any Lexing- garded by congress as of paramount Revere's ride and the battles of doubt that public opinion was ready ! importance. Some of the delegates had flag is flung ton and Concord in April, 1775, memo- for the step, for, as the news spread, ODAY, in foreign lands, the fore- not been instructed to go so far as vot- rable as those events are as the It was everywhere received with ex- runners of the great conflict, failed to ing for independence, New York and New Jersey being among them. The ultation. arouse any widespread enthusiasm for came to George Washington Against a crimson sky across the sea, majority had been authorized to take Word Independence. It is even significant to July 9, at his headquarters in New Dec- any action might be deemed wise, note that just a year before the that York, that the Declaration was ratified, unani- Virginia having gone so as actual- battle's bane from the land has laration of Independence was far sol- Where out wrung ly to instruct her delegates to propose and It was at once read to the mously approved by all of the thirteen diers and citizens. On the same day colonies the Continental congress that p. declaration of independence to con- gress, and Richard Henry Lee was the New York asaeci'jjy, in session at Its dreadful toll. It promises to free had appointed Washington comman- White Plains, gave its formal vote for der in chief of the army, drew up, July simply obeying the legislative voice of his colony when he presented his reso- independence, and the thirteen colonies G, 1775, a declaration of the causes for were then united in their common ach nation, and to number each among taking up arms In which it was said : lutions. June 10 congress postponed final cause. We mean not to dissolve that union John Hancock, president of the con- consideration for three weeks, and on gress, peoples in worldwide liberty. which has so long and so happily sub- following appointed commit- was the only member who signed All a sisted between us and which we sincere- the day a tee of five to draw up the declaration. the declaration on July 4. An engross- ly wish to see restored. copy Henry Lee, as proposer of ed on parchment was ordered for -H- Richard the delegates to sign. ARLOWE R. HOYT. Even Thomas Jefferson, the author the plan, would surely have been on the all the This was completed August 2 signed by 54 of the Declaration of Independence, committee and, possibly, its chairman, and two months after the battle of Bunker had he not in the meantime been hur- Hill wrote that he was "looking with riedly summoned home by the illness fondness toward a reconciliation with of his wife. But for that Lee might Great Britain." have been the author of the declara- -- wvvvsfs'iasvfS3?v A few far-sight- leaders like Ben- tion instead of his younger Virginia jamin Franklin, Samuel and John colleague, Thomas Jefferson, then but m: Adams and Patrick Henry had felt at thirty-thre- e years old. a comparatively early date that Jefferson had brought to congress Si - vs38& n break was inevitable. the reputation for wielding a facile ?s&ra ss&sm &.r" .lc392 The historic declaration of the citi- pen, and in the balloting for the com- - zens of Mecklenburg county, North mittee he received a majority of votes swP Carolina, in May, 1775, was one of sev- and became its chairman. The others eral local events indicating that public were John Adams of Massachusetts, opinion was tending toward independ- Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, ence, but not until the appearance of Roger Sherman of Connecticut and Thomas Paine's stirring pamphlet, Robert R. Livingston of New York. "Common Sense," early in January, Honor Given Jefferson. 1776, was there any appreciable public How did Jefferson come to be se- sentiment in its favor. In the plain lected to write the Declaration, "the language of the day it presented the one American state paper, as has been facts so simply that all could under- said, that has reached to supreme dis- seems convention was held at Newbern in Au- a committee to prepare a civil consfl-tutio- n, stand. This "phenomenon," as John tinction in the world and that long as civi- Carolina gust, 1774. The meeting of the colonial and it was done so well that Adams styled Paine, suddenly found likely to last as American Moith legislature, which, followed, practically the document served some GO years as himself transformed from obscurity to lization lasts"? I giv- con- the organic law of the state. And so fame. The Pennsylvania legislature 'The most interesting account is ILed Colonies endorsed the radical views of the says in vention, which was proclaimed by the it was that North Carolina opened the vpted him $2,500, and a Southern legis en by John Adams, who that he governor to was road that led up to the creation of the and Thomas Jefferson were designated be anarchy. The result prepare rough Freedom'sFight legislature was dissolved and most progressive nation on the face of by the committee to the that the proper Mr. Jeffer- the governor took refuge on a ship of the earth, and the one whose influence minutes in a form. John Adams. son first proposed that Adams prepare Is popularly supposed that the , war in Cape has done most for the advancement of T Fear river. Declaration. Adams Independence of the United States In May, 1773, the people of Mecklen- mankind. the draft of the giving, says in his au- delegates. Two others signed later, J legan on a Fourth of July In Phil- - burg county convention, and Some Tory Sentiment. declined, as he had a tobiography, the following reasons: Thomas McKean of Delaware, who was . ldeinhla. but down In the Old they took occasion, nearly 14 months All of this section of North Carolina "SbxtjIi Is a community that absent with his regiment in August, State before the Declaration of Independence was not enthusiastic in the Declaration (1) That he was a Virginian and I a and Matthew Thornton of New Hamp- 'O&szr c the British yoke more than was issued at Philadelphia, to say of Independence. A portion of the set- Massachusettenslan. (2) That he was a (3) shire, who was not elected to congress iJttK'-befor- e the tlers were ardent Tories so ardent, Southern man and I a Northern one. That I had been so obnoxious for my until the fall, but was permitted to 4 Declaration. in fact, that it was not until the war rumult In the city, early and constant zeal in promoting the sign the document in November, mak- n the quaint old Quaker town "We declare ourselves a free and of 1812 that the Scotch of Cape Fear measure that every draft of mine would ing the total number of the famous finally undergo a more severe scrutiny and criti- independent people; are and of right valley turned away absolutely "signers'" 56.
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