A brief Fourth of July message
Over at American Thinker, Matt Fitzgibbons has written a bit of American history which contains a quote that ol’ Poe had not heard before and thinks quite appropriate for this forum of commonly cynical, cantankerous and curmudgeonly commenters.
“At George Washington’s inauguration in April of 1789, New York was our new Republic’s capital. Less than a year later, a deal was struck by Jefferson, Madison, and Hamilton to move the capital to the mouth of the Potomac. The North would benefit by having Congress assume the States’ debts, and the South would have a capital closer to home.
The only problem was, this new capital would be built on a parasite-infested swamp. It still is. Five years earlier in a letter, George Washington had applauded the region for farming as it ‘contains an inexhaustible supply of manure.’ It still does.”
Category: Politics
Here’s hoping that each and every one of you has a wonderful Independence Day.
Happy Independence Day, Poe! Since we’re tossing quotes around, here’s one of my favorites:
“Government is like a baby. An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other.”
Ronald Reagan
My good ‘ol Pa’s favorite was Politicians are like diapers, they should be changed often and for the same reason!
Ha! That’s a good one. 😛
Here’s my 4th of July contribution. Many people mistake Independence Day as a celebration of our independence from England. But we wouldn’t be free of her and an independent nation just because we said so. It took much bloodshed and hardship before that hard-sought independence was gained on September 3, 1783. Well prior to that date, an American commission had been formed to negotiate the war’s end. The small group was comprised of extraordinary men, including one whose name most Americans today would not recognize: Henry Laurens. In the 1770s, however, he was well known. In fact, he was the president of the Continental Congress in 1777 and, later, as our Ambassador to Holland, sought to secure Dutch financial support for the war effort. He never made it there. His ship was intercepted and too late he threw his trunk containing key papers overboard. The bobbing trunk was retrieved by the British. Laurens was arrested for treason and was imprisoned in the Tower of London, the only American ever an involuntary guest there. (Another, a fellow named Sayre who was a resident of London was reported jailed there for plotting to kidnap the king in 1775, but the report is dubious. Sayre was released, if he ever was in the tower at all, something unlikely for one ‘charged’ with such a crime.) As for Laurens, over time, friends and family visited him in the tower and wrote to him, always urging him to seek his own release. To the last such written plea he replied: “I will not wittingly My dear friend be Guilty of an Act which would make you ashamed of me … Imprisonment & even Death by the hand of power, Justice & equity will never give their assent, shall not shake me … Were I to do what your kindness insinuates as a wish, I should incur, after a little time, your Contempt … My Conscience acquits me, is serene & undisturbed; if I die, let me die in my integrity.” Independent of Laurens, efforts were made to have him released. They were successful only after… Read more »
Interesting you should mention Yorktown.
Just watched a PBS show about the Marquis de Lafayette and his role in all of this which we find ourselfs celebratiing.
He gained freedom for a slave that secured his battle victories by spying on Cornwallis. I did not know that.
Happy Independence Day or whatever one wishes to call it. It feels especially good this year.
I learned that watching Liberty’s Kids some years ago!
Like I remember from the lyrics of a song in 1976 “…and although perfect it’s not, it’s the best thing this world’s got…”
Happy Anniversary of Brexit 1776 when we got our DD214 from British rule!
To quote George Washington like that shows that he had quite a sense of humor.
The place is still infested with parasites, as Poe observes, but we have remedies for that.
Happy July 4th, everyone.
A most Happy Independence Day to all of you TAH folks out there. Any a Hearty Fuck You to all you phony pony posers out there!
Comment stolen from Jonn from last year’s 4th of July WOT. It’s a classic:
“Please be considerate this weekend (today) with your fireworks. Remember to invite a Veteran to help you blow shit up.”
https://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=73142#comment-3008576
Happy Birthday to our wonderful country! If you don’t like it here, then by golly, just LEAVE!
Enjoy the 4th with family and friends!
🗣🎵
“I’m Proud to Be An American”
“America the Beautiful”
“The Star-Spangled Banner”
“America”🎵
🇺🇸🎉🎈🎆✨🎇🎂
“Please be considerate this weekend (today) with your fireworks. Remember to invite a Veteran to help you blow shit up.”
Don’t have to invite, seems there’s one where ever I stand.
Interesting facts about the 4th of July:
On every Fourth of July, at 2pm Eastern time, children who are descendants of Declaration signers symbolically tap the Liberty Bell 13 times while bells across the nation also ring 13 times in honor of the patriots from the original 13 states.
Even the Revolutionary War troops celebrated the big day. On July 4, 1778, George Washington gave his troops a double ration of rum and ordered a cannon salute to mark the occasion.
Three Presidents who signed the Declaration of Independence died on July 4.
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826 — on the 50th anniversary of the country’s independence. James Monroe died five years later on July 4, 1831.
Calvin Coolidge was the only President born on the 4th of July.
The 4th of July didn’t become a federal holiday until 1870.
It took nearly 100 years for it to be recognized as such, but when it finally happened it was up in the ranks with Christmas and a few other holidays.
The very first 4th of July fireworks show took place in Philadelphia in 1777.
Americans spend over $1 billion on fireworks every year.
🇺🇸😎
“Let’s all ring the Liberty Bell”
Merle Haggard: “Are the good times really over”
🗣🎵
“Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)”
“Where The Stars & Stripes & The Eagle Fly”
“Made In America”
“God Bless America”
“This Is My Country”
“I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy”
🎵🎵🇺🇸
And Kids, DON’T PLAY with the fireworks, leave that to the Adults who have been drinking all day!!!
Wish I had an 81mm with parachute flare rounds. Well ok, maybe a few HE for the finalle.
Why come ye hither, Redcoats, your mind what madness fills?
In our valleys there is danger, and there’s danger on our hills.
Oh, hear ye not the singing of the bugle wild and free?
And soon you’ll know the ringing of the rifle from the tree.
Oh, the rifle, oh, the rifle
In our hands will prove no trifle.
Ye ride a goodly steed, ye may know another master;
Ye forward came with speed, but you’ll learn to back much faster.
Then you’ll meet our Mountain Boys and their leader Johnny Stark,
Lads who make but little noise, but who always hit the mark.
Tell he who stays at home, or cross the briny waters
That thither ye must come like bullocks to the slaughter.
If we the work must do, why, the sooner ’tis begun,
If flint and trigger hold but true, the sooner ’twill be done.
Thank you for the article Poe. Happy 4th of July to each of you and above all, God bless and keep America!
“Give ’em Watts!”
If you don’t know what that meant, check out about 4:10 of this 5:30 video for the answer.
Ahhh … the Black Robes. Not many know of them, even many Christians.
Speaking strictly for myself, I have been, and will continue, laying my Petition before the Most High, that He would raise up again, the Black Robes.
For such a time as this.
For those who do not and would like to learn. The revolution didn’t just one day happen. It was cultivated by men of the cloth.
http://nationalblackroberegiment.com/history-of-the-black-robe-regiment/
Thanks for the link 2/17. Had to bookmark that one.
One of my favorites for the 4th of July:
“My Country Tis of Thee (Let Freedom Ring) sung by Abby Anderson:
Just got back into my station after spending most of Independence Day on the road from central California. Anywhere that has a population along the whole route was proudly flying the Stars & Stripes (most of them keep it up for the other 364 days as well).
Mrs. Whitey sent me a video of our oldest daughter singing “Happy Birthday” to America.
So it always has been, so it always will be. 😅💩
242 years of freedom, and not one single dictator or military regime.
Take that, Europe!
And that’s how you do that.
Long live the Republic!!
This is the two volume set from Christopher Ward that I read in the last year between the two Independence Day Celebrations.
This is a very good read filled with stories about America as a country and the people that pledged their lives, their families lives, their fortunes, property and livelihoods to bring us the freedom that we take for granted every day.
If you get a chance to read it, please do, I found it very enlightening.
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/christopher-ward/the-war-of-the-revolution/