William Emerson, grandfather of the great poet, in a soliloquy on the strange turn events had taken, said “Who would have thought, twelve months past, that all Cambridge and Charleston would be covered over with American camps and cut up into forts and entrenchments, and all the lands, fields and orchards laid common, with horses and cattle feeding on the choicest mowing land, and large parks of well-regulated locusts cut down for firewood.  This, I must say, looks a little melancholy.  It is very diverting to walk among the camps.  They are as different in their look as the owners are in their dress, and every tent is a portraiture of the temper and tastes of the persons who encamp in it.  Some are made of boards and some of sailcloth; some partly of one and some partly of the other; again, others are made of stone and turf, brick or brush.  Some are thrown up in a hurry, others curiously wrought with doors and windows, done with wreaths and withes, in the manner of a basket.  Some are proper tents, looking like the regular camp of the enemy.  In these are the Rhode Islanders, who are furnished with tent equipages and everything in the most exact English style.  However, I think this great variety is rather a beauty than a blemish in the army.”

As was to be expected, there was more or less of a lack of harmony and unity among the companies of men collected together to form an army to fight for liberty.  History tells us that there was even a little jealousy between the four New England colonies.  There was also a good deal of distrust of Washington.  It was argued that at least one-third of the class from which he came had Tory and Royalist inclinations, and what guarantee had they that Washington was not one of their number?  Washington himself found that those who styled themselves in old country parlance “The Gentry,” were loyal to King George rather than to the colonies, and while his own men were inclined, at times, to doubt the sincerity of the Father of his Country, the very men with whom he was suspected of being in sympathy were denouncing him with vigor.

Washington, to his lasting credit be it said, was indifferent both to praise and censure.  Seeing that discipline was the one thing needful, he commenced to enforce it with an iron hand.  He declined any remuneration, and gave his services freely to the cause.  He found himself short of ammunition, and several times he lost a number of his men.  In the spring of 1776, Washington went to New York with his Continental army.  Here he found new difficulties, and met with a series of mishaps.  The failure of the advance into Canada during the winter had hurt materially, but the bravery of the troops in the Carolinas came as a grand encouragement.

We need not trace further the progress of the war, or note how, through many discouragements and difficulties, the cause of right was made to triumph over the cause of might.  We will pass on to note a few of the interesting facts in connection with the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  To-day, our Senators and Congressmen travel to the National Capital in Pullman cars, surrounded by every luxury that wealth and influence can bring them.