The Fine Address (1900)
Delivered by Mr. Swayne at the Fourth of July Celebration, Opera House
(Cedartown Standard, July 5, 1900)
We are told that all over the country the Declaration of Independence was received with bonfires, the ringing of bells, the firing of guns, and torchlight processions.
Each recurrence of the day upon which that Declaration was made has been marked by similar expressions of public joy. Over time, the idea of noise has become closely associated with this holiday. For that very reason, if for no other, it is appropriate that we set aside at least a small portion of this day for thoughtful reflection on what we celebrate—and why.
What, then, was the Declaration of Independence? It was a public statement by the American colonies outlining the injustices they had suffered at the hands of the mother country, and a declaration that such treatment justified their renunciation of allegiance. It asserted that the colonies were, and of right ought to be, free and independent states. Central to this assertion were the principles that all men are endowed by their Creator with the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed; and that taxation without representation is unjust.
Glorious as these truths are, powerful as the statement of grievances may be, and convincing as the argument for independence was, these alone did not inspire the great celebrations that followed. The ideas themselves were not new. The grievances had been discussed publicly, and the right of the colonies to independence had been declared many times before.
The true cause for celebration lay not in what the Declaration said, but in what its adoption signified. It marked the moment when the thirteen colonies united—when they committed themselves to stand together as one people in pursuit of liberty. No mere statement of rights, however eloquent, could have inspired such enthusiasm. It was the announcement of unity that stirred the hearts of the people.
It is therefore reasonable to conclude that it was the Union our forefathers celebrated.
Such a union represented the successful completion of the first stage of their struggle. Individually, the colonies could not hope to prevail. Their first challenge was to find common ground upon which to unite, and the Declaration of Independence signaled that they had done so. It was not only a declaration but a promise—a vision of a government that would derive its power from the consent of the governed; one that would establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty for themselves and their descendants.
This promise gave the young states the courage, just as the Union gave them the strength, to endure the long and difficult struggle against England that ultimately led to the establishment of our present government.
How fully that promise has been realized is well known. For more than a century, justice has been established, the general welfare promoted, and the blessings of liberty secured. The Union proclaimed on that first Fourth of July remains strong and vigorous. Though it once bore a grievous wound, that wound has healed, leaving only a faint scar. Its members are once again united into a single, powerful nation.
Under one flag, this nation has recently reaffirmed its commitment to the principles upon which it was founded. Our war with Spain, I believe, was undertaken because we still hold dear the belief that all men are entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Yet in this time of reflection, we must also consider the new responsibilities that have come with our growth and expansion.
There is much to celebrate in our nation’s progress. Our influence has spread so far that our flag now flies in distant lands. These are achievements worthy of pride. But we must not allow that pride to overshadow our principles.
On the day we celebrate, this nation declared that all men possess inalienable rights, and that governments derive their authority from the consent of the governed. We must remain faithful to those ideals.
We entered into war with Spain in part to aid the Cuban people in securing their freedom. Yet the outcome of that war has brought Cuba and the Philippines under our control. While the Cubans have been granted some measure of self-government, the people of the Philippines have received far less.
We must be cautious. In our efforts to help others achieve freedom, we must not instead impose our rule upon them against their will.
Such actions would resemble the well-meaning but misguided efforts of an elephant determined to do good.
An elephant once listened attentively to a sermon on the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” Inspired, he set out to perform acts of kindness. Soon he came upon a bird sitting on her nest of eggs. Wanting to be friendly, he approached—but frightened the bird away. Concerned that the eggs would grow cold, he decided to help by sitting on them himself. In doing so, he crushed them.
We are not so different from that elephant. In our desire to do good, we must take care not to cause greater harm.
Let us not impose our rule upon newly acquired lands. Instead, let us send our best citizens to educate and support these people in learning to govern themselves. As soon as they are able, we should assist them in establishing their own independent governments.
Let us uphold the principle that governments derive their just powers only from the consent of the governed. Let our flag remain—not as a symbol of domination, but as a guarantor of independence and a declaration of our commitment to defend it.
Let our influence extend only in this manner—peacefully, responsibly, and with respect for the rights of others. Then may the day come when our nation’s reach is bounded only “on the north by the North Pole, on the south by the South Pole, on the east by the rising, and on the west by the setting sun.”
The Star-Spangled Banner
by Francis Scott Key
Oh, say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave