In 1776, America declared her independence with the stroke of a pen. But it took blood and courage to win that independence.
The 56 men who signed the Declaration paid a steep price for freedom. Five signers were captured and tortured by the British, and died as traitors. Nine fought and died in the Revolutionary War. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost sons in the Army. They signed the Declaration of Independence knowing that the penalty might be death.
Carter Braxton saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He died in rags.
At Yorktown, Thomas Nelson knew British General Cornwallis was using Nelson’s home for a headquarters. But Nelson demanded that General Washington open fire anyway and his home was destroyed. Such was the price paid by the patriots of the American Revolution.
These were not rabble-rousing ruffians, but soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more. And so they pledged their “lives, fortunes and sacred honor.”
Thomas Paine wrote, “Heaven knows how to set a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as Freedom should not be highly rated.”
Today, too many of our political leaders are more concerned with protecting their perks and power last week’s pay raise comes to mind than preserving the freedom of us all. It’s quite a contrast.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.