The Cost of Your Freedom

[Redrob]

Have you ever wondered...

what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War. They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated. But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart. Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.

Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more. Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they pledged:


"For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."


They gave you and me a free and independent America. The history books never told you a lot about what happened in the Revolutionary War. We didn't fight just the British. We were British subjects at that time and we fought our own government!

Some of us take these liberties so much for granted, but we shouldn't. So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid.

Remember: Freedom is never free! I hope you will show your support by please sending this to as many people as you can. It's time we get the word out that patriotism is NOT a sin, and the Fourth of July has more to it than beer, picnics, and baseball games.

*Jeffrey J. Douglass, Chairman of the Free Speech Coalition, received the above as an e-mail from a banker in Colorado. When we asked the banker for permission to publish it, he informed us that it had been sent to him by an ex-congressperson from Wyoming. From there we traced it back to a Navy officer who said that he had not written it, just passed it on. Since our trace it has appeared in Anne Landers column and has been quoted by a number of columnists and historians. Some claim it is accurate others say it is off the mark. Either way, it shows a spirit of commitment to freedom that may no longer exist. It is well for us to remember that spirit on this Thanksgiving, 2004.

By the way, we would still like to find the author and offer credit where it is due.

Fight the Good Fight!

Free Speech Coalition

[Mikey_219Inc]

too bad about all them pesky indians they had to get out of the way to make it to cali ...

[Redrob]

Bump as a reminder...

[Pleasurepays]

"They gave you and me a free and independent America. The history books never told you a lot about what happened in the Revolutionary War. We didn't fight just the British. We were British subjects at that time and we fought our own government!"

"the history books never told you...."

obviously they were british subjects.... who were they declaring independence from? was that somehow a hidden secret? are you posting drunk?



and before you get all pissy and patriotic, its fair to point out that it can be argued that the US is hardly the model of freedom for the world.

[blackmonsters]

Originally Posted by Redrob

Have you ever wondered...

what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War. They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated. But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart. Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.

Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more. Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they pledged:


"For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."


They gave you and me a free and independent America. The history books never told you a lot about what happened in the Revolutionary War. We didn't fight just the British. We were British subjects at that time and we fought our own government!

Some of us take these liberties so much for granted, but we shouldn't. So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid.

Remember: Freedom is never free! I hope you will show your support by please sending this to as many people as you can. It's time we get the word out that patriotism is NOT a sin, and the Fourth of July has more to it than beer, picnics, and baseball games.

*Jeffrey J. Douglass, Chairman of the Free Speech Coalition, received the above as an e-mail from a banker in Colorado. When we asked the banker for permission to publish it, he informed us that it had been sent to him by an ex-congressperson from Wyoming. From there we traced it back to a Navy officer who said that he had not written it, just passed it on. Since our trace it has appeared in Anne Landers column and has been quoted by a number of columnists and historians. Some claim it is accurate others say it is off the mark. Either way, it shows a spirit of commitment to freedom that may no longer exist. It is well for us to remember that spirit on this Thanksgiving, 2004.

By the way, we would still like to find the author and offer credit where it is due.

Fight the Good Fight!

Free Speech Coalition

You failed to mention that the primary reason independance was declared(other than taxation without representation) was because the British had begun the anti-slavery movment and it was clear that slavery would soon be abolished throughout the British colonies(which included America).

Those farmers, merchants and plantation owners you mentioned were involved in the slave trade; either buying, selling or using slaves.

The declaration of independence led to the revolutionary war that ended with the election of a president of the united states who owned up to 300 slaves. His name was George Washington.

[Redrob]

I agree the beginning was rather rocky and non-inclusive.....