Posted on 06/20/2009 1:58:17 PM PDT by jessduntno
Excerpt from John Adams' famous letter of July 3, 1776, in which he wrote to his wife Abigail what his thoughts were about celebrating the Fourth of July:
"I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.
You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not."
(The Book of Abigail and John: Selected Letters of the Adams Family, 1762-1784, Harvard University Press, 1975, 142).
Writing that letter was an act of celebration.
(Excerpt) Read more at 1.american.edu ...
Celebrate with guns! Oh the horror! /sarc
Celebrate with guns! Oh the horror! /sarc
Yeah...it was back in the days when everyone could have one...and carry one...and defend themselves and their property...quaint, wasn’t it?
I know, I know, it's properly Independence Day, but I like the usage "Fourth of July" just so some bureaucratic moron doesn't decide to move it to a Monday so that we get a three-day weekend. Not that there's anything wrong with three-day weekends...
As far as shooting off fireworks and guns, judging from the sounds outside it's a month-long holiday. ;-)
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