| Show thomas jefferson wrote the beclar aaion of independence at his lodgings in philadelphia in the house of a mrs clymer who lived on the southwest corner of seventh and high streets the house was torn down some years ago and the handsome building of the penn national bank now stands on the site of jefferson s old boarding place the first fourth of july celebration in boston appears to have been a very loyous affair judging from a report of it in the independent and chronicle of the date of july 10 1777 in this account we are told that friday be ing the anniversary of american inde ren dence when the thirteen united states publicly and gloriously threw off the hackles forged by george the third the british tyrant and nobly reassumed those rights which god and nature bestowed on man the day was noticed by every mark of joy in the forenoon the rev dr gordon of rox bury at the desire of the assembly setting here preached an excellent discourse from I 1 kings all 15 wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people after which the gen eral court having given previous or ders for making every preparation for drinking success to the thirteen states sent an invitation to gen heath and the officers of the continental army and navy col crafts and the officers of the train col hichborn and the independent company col hatch the officers of the militia and many other gentlemen while the congress and other toasts were drunk the guns at fort hill castle island hull and the vessels of war in the harbor fired a grand salute also a detachment of col craft s regiment of artillery in congress street gave thirteen dis charges from brass cannon and with powder both manufactured in this state the independent company and the militia of this town in conjunct alon with the train of artillery made a very martial appearance maneu vered and performed their firings in view of the general court to their full acceptance and the approbation ot the spectators at large in the evening col crafts bated his park on the common threw several shells and exhibited a num ber of fireworks the cheerful appear ance of the gentlemen and ladies in the park and the pleasantness of the eve closed with universal satisfaction the joys of the day which so cons bously appeared in the countenance ot every true friend to america thus was begun the celebration of independence day in boston and the gentlemen and ladies of 1905 pres ent the same cheerful appearance the people of 1777 presented riad to this day every true friend to amer lea does honor to independence day |
