“Anyone looking for the cornerstone of our nation’s history eventually arrives at the Declaration of Independence.  That document, which describes the real meaning we celebrate Independence Day, stands up today as a reasoned, sophisticated defense of why the American Colonies sought their freedom from British rule.

Consider these eloquent, famous words from the Declaration: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

This sentence has echoed throughout American history, and as long as we continue to hearken back to the wisdom of our Founders our nation will hold true to the values and ideals on which our freedom was premised. 

Our Founders suffered no illusions about what they were getting into, and they took care in the Declaration to make a solid case for independence.  Their mission was to be persuasive toward King George III, but also to convince their fellow colonists to support their endeavor.  Without widespread backing in the Colonies, our nation’s founders would have been hanged, not heroes.

So the major challenge of the day was to communicate this important message from Philadelphia to the rest of the newly-declared independent colonies.  The Declaration of Independence moved into print remarkably fast.

The first pressing of the document took place on the evening of July 4th, 1776, when it was also first read to the public.  The first newspaper to announce that the Declaration had been signed, the Pennsylvanischer Staatsbote, would do so on July 5th.  That same day, riders on horseback left Philadelphia to distribute copies of the Declaration of Independence throughout all 13 colonies.

The first printing of the full text of the Declaration took place on July 6th in the Philadelphia Evening Post.  By July 26th, the Declaration had reached Halifax, North Carolina.  Soon after, news of our nation’s birth reached from Georgia to New Hampshire.

In each township, the news of independence was hailed by celebrations and musket fire into the air, an occasion we recall on July 4th of each year with impressive displays of fireworks.

Still today we are working to advance and promote the ideals of freedom and liberty.  The news of these efforts is carried every day throughout the nation on wires and airwaves, and still by newspapers.  It is just as important today as it was then that we perform the daily civic duty of being informed about the news of our nation and of the world.

On this Fourth of July, remember those men and women who risked their lives and lost their property to raise a free flag on American shores.  They are our heritage, and we are their legacy. Also remember those who are wearing the uniform of our great nation today all over the world.  We all bear this great responsibility to ensure that our nation continues on the path our Founders set for us those many years ago when they bravely declared the news of their freedom.”