tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post6749898945694836493..comments2024-03-29T07:51:11.714-07:00Comments on Chant du Départ: When In the Course of Human Events...OldAFSargehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-9700637956093356132013-07-05T10:01:57.955-07:002013-07-05T10:01:57.955-07:00My brother has a number of letters from our great ...My brother has a number of letters from our great great uncle Pliny who was in a NH regiment during the war. Sometimes making out what Uncle had to say can be difficult. But worth the effort.<br /><br />That next great document will no doubt be laser-printed on high quality paper. If it gets printed at all.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-12759956281060288702013-07-05T01:53:02.862-07:002013-07-05T01:53:02.862-07:00I translate old Civil War letters to modern. I sca...I translate old Civil War letters to modern. I scan the letters and blow them up to read them because they are so faded (some are in pencil). Most of the time the flow is consistent and easy to follow but sometimes there is a blot or crosshatch or something I cannot recognize at all. I literally cannot read a word or two. I think it sad that probably fewer than 1 in 4 Americans today could read the Declaration in the original and yet it is beautifully written and nary a blot. Tonight's letter was ended with the words that he had to close now since his candle was burning out. Imagine that. Writing so beautifully by the light of a candle and I can't write elegantly to this day despite the nuns and various and sundry torturers.<br />I was so disappointed with the National Archives. The documents are there for any to see but it is just about impossible to read them since they keep the lights very low to avoid further damage to the ink and paper.<br /><br />I would like to see the next great document in their vein. I don't know what it would be but surely someone will come along with an elegant proposition that can be committed to a single page and signed by men who mean what they signed. HMS Defianthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10024721130102173694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-68035305679763559902013-07-04T16:13:44.697-07:002013-07-04T16:13:44.697-07:00It is a superb document. Of course, those men were...It is a superb document. Of course, those men weren't career politicians like the clowns we have now. They were men who had a stake in the success of the Revolution. Men. Not the trash we have now.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-16462692392880724612013-07-04T16:11:30.775-07:002013-07-04T16:11:30.775-07:00These were men who believed in something. Who stoo...These were men who believed in something. Who stood for something. They wanted George III to know who was standing up to him. My favorite line from the document:<br /><br />"we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."<br /><br />Honor is something that is also in short supply these days.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-62402485211548884992013-07-04T12:58:37.938-07:002013-07-04T12:58:37.938-07:00 The depth of aggravation the Colonists is very we... The depth of aggravation the Colonists is very well expressed. It certainly took, as IT said, a lot of intestinal fortitude to put down on paper their intentions. Comparing to today, it would be impossible to get 56 politicians to agree on such an impactful (is that a word?) piece of legislation...and then to sign it and publicly back it? There is no one in DC presently who has the courage of their convictions like these 56 men! Have we all become too tolerant?Greg Peaveyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00983526350040615801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-89798017823945333172013-07-04T11:19:14.027-07:002013-07-04T11:19:14.027-07:00The document is a masterpiece in so many ways. On...The document is a masterpiece in so many ways. One of the things that stands out... for me... is the beautiful penmanship of the signers, in that you can actually READ their names. These days illegible signatures seem to be the norm and I don't know how or when that happened. The current phenomenon is something I'm NOT in favor of.Buckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-20733062383996163482013-07-04T10:35:42.943-07:002013-07-04T10:35:42.943-07:00It is a beautiful thing. And I echo your wish that...It is a beautiful thing. And I echo your wish that today's so-called "leaders" would at least glance at it from time to time. And yes, take it to heart.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-78115767122038904312013-07-04T10:34:38.218-07:002013-07-04T10:34:38.218-07:00I have a somewhat distant relation as a signer, Sa...I have a somewhat distant relation as a signer, Samuel Huntington of Connecticut.<br /><br />And you're right about the fortitude, John Hancock made a point of signing large enough so that King George the Third would have no trouble reading it!OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-26004590473481779752013-07-04T10:33:06.391-07:002013-07-04T10:33:06.391-07:00Seems to me Joe that the "probably not" ...Seems to me Joe that the "probably not" portion of the research doesn't rule out the family paper mill.<br /><br />It's a great story to have in the family.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-24492515808149518692013-07-04T07:49:42.384-07:002013-07-04T07:49:42.384-07:00A beautiful piece of literature. As I've opine...A beautiful piece of literature. As I've opined elsewhere, I wish today's federal government officials would put aside some time to read it (and then, maybe, take it to heart.)Suldoghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07778845367184916684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-25612619154468162062013-07-04T06:42:01.774-07:002013-07-04T06:42:01.774-07:00GS has a relative among the signers, John Hart.
I...GS has a relative among the signers, John Hart.<br /><br />It really took a lot of intestinal fortitude to put their names on the Declaration of Independence.IT (aka Ivan Toblog)https://www.blogger.com/profile/07484236901066944983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-89413436505043614702013-07-04T06:41:13.349-07:002013-07-04T06:41:13.349-07:00My family had a paper mill on Hagy's Ford Road...My family had a paper mill on Hagy's Ford Road in Philadelphia and it was long rumored that this document was written on our paper, "The Declaration of Independence bares the Hagy watermark!" Was proudly proclaimed by family members for years.<br /><br />Then after someone did some research it turns out many of the copies which were handed out to all were on our paper...the actual document...probably not.<br /><br />Why do people research stuff and ruin a perfectly good story?joehhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08520161706680568508noreply@blogger.com