Fifty Years after the Declaration of Independence!

"May it be to the world, what I believe it will be, (to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all,) the signal of arousing men to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves, and to assume the blessings and security of self-government. That form which we have substituted, restores the free right to the unbounded exercise of reason and freedom of opinion. All eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man. The general spread of the light of science has already laid open to every view the palpable truth, that the mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately, by the grace of God. These are grounds of hope for others. For ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them."

Letter from Thomas Jefferson, Monticello, June 24, 1826

The letter excerpted above is considered one of the most sublime exaltations of individual and national liberty ever written. Jefferson’s personal vision of the Declaration of Independence he helped to write, and his vision of the American nation are vivid examples to the world of the blessings of self-government.  Jefferson soon died on July 4, 1826!

I hope you will make a good use of it.

Founding Father, and second president of the United States, John Adams also gave us words to consider today: “You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope you will make a good use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in heaven that I ever took half the pains to preserve it.”

John Adams