I am a Son of the American Revolution. Through no effort of my own, other than to be a member of the “lucky” sperm club, I have 24 Great Grandfathers (and one Great Grandmother) who fought in the American Revolution of 1776. They were all citizen soldiers.
I also have a sixth Great Uncle, Charles Thomson. His brother, William, is my sixth Great Grandfather. If you have seen the movie or play, 1776, Charles Thomson was the Secretary of the Continental Congress.
Thomson was a leader in the revolutionary crisis of the early 1770s. John Adams called him the “Samuel Adams of Philadelphia”. Thomson served as the secretary of the Continental Congress through its entirety. Through those 15 years, the Congress saw many delegates come and go, but Thomson’s dedication to recording the debates and decisions provided continuity. Along with John Hancock, president of the Congress, Thomson’s name (as secretary) appeared on the first published version of the Declaration of Independence in July 1776.
Thomson’s role as secretary to Congress was not limited to clerical duties. According to biographer Boyd Schlenther, Thomson “took a direct role in the conduct of foreign affairs.” Fred S. Rolater has suggested that Charles Thomson was essentially the “Prime Minister of the United States”.[2] Thomson is also noted for designing, with William Barton, the Great Seal of the United States. The Great Seal played a prominent role in the January 14, 1784, (Ratification Day) ratification of the Treaty of Paris.[3] Britain’s representatives in Paris initially disputed the placement of the Great Seal and Congressional President Thomas Mifflin’s signature, until mollified by Benjamin Franklin.[4]
Charles, along with his brothers and father, left Ireland in 1739. His father died on board the ship. When he and his brothers reached America they had no money and were separated. Not certain if they ever saw each other again. I am descended from sufferers.
When I reflect on the celebration of the 4th of July, I try to remember that my ancestors fought against a distant Sovereign who insisted that he had rights over their property and their lives. We fought not just to free ourselves from the tyranny of Great Britain and a King, but to establish the principle that the rights of the individual stood superior to the rights of the community. In fact, the only way to ensure that the rights of the community were protected was to ensure that the individual had protections from the tyranny of government.
That principle, at least in my mind, still stands and is still relevant. Unfortunately, the Spirit of Revolution, at least that embodied by those who fought and died to throw off the shackles of a foreign tyrant, is largely dead in this nation. We find that both ends of the political spectrum–Conservatives and Liberals–embrace giving the Federal Government unencumbered power to violate the privacy of the citizens of the United states, to hold prisoners in permanent jails without recourse to the court or Habeus Corpus and to use the threat of fear to cower a population into accepting gross violations of their liberty.
I toast my ancestors and what they fought for. I recommit myself to be willing to make the sacrifices that they did that we might have a country genuinely dedicated to the ideal that all persons are endowed by their Creator with rights that cannot be taken away–that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Happy Fourth of July.
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