Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit - The Ideals of Our American Revolution

An address given to the Mecklenburg Chapter, North Carolina Society, Sons of the American Revolution on 17 July 2021 at Charlotte, North Carolina

On the 17th day of July in the Year of our Lord 2021, the Mecklenburg Chapter, North Carolina Society, Sons of the American Revolution gathered in uptown Charlotte at the base of the statue honoring Capt. James Jack.?Jack is the heroic figure who, in the early summer of 1775, rode from Charlotte Town (as it was then known) to Philadelphia with copy in hand on the recently signed (20 May 1775) MECKLENBURG DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, “The Mec-Dec.”?He then presented it to the Continental Congress then in session as they debated the national Declaration soon to come.

Capt. Jack risked life, limb, health, and safety to do so.

It was fitting on that day, and any day for that matter, to recall his legacy to pass the baton of Liberty to a new generation of compatriots who will carry the torch of freedom into the future.?As we do, we remember these stirring words of the Declaration,

"We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator certain inalienable rights among which are: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness."

These declarations were supported most solemnly by the representative signers with their “lives, fortunes, and sacred honor.”

That day we gathered to honor, not only our Patriotic Ancestors, but new compatriots who continue to pledge solidarity with the deeds and the convictions of these bravest of patriotic men who went before us.

On that day, by word of oath, the newest members of the Mecklenburg Chapter NCSSAR, became one with, as well with, a long line of late Sons of the American Revolution.?They also became one with those of us who assembled that day to celebrate the honor and patriotism of those new members, as well as those no longer with us.?We did all of this for the benefit of future generations of Americans.

As we embraced our new compatriots, we noted our mission to,

CONNECT with our revolutionary past to build a bridge to a patriotic future.

COMBINE patriotism and love of country with the tapestry of our life’s work.

COMMUNICATE the mission of the SAR to other men of character, conviction, and courage.

The SAR exists to:

1)???Remember our past.

2)???Promote our core values.

3)???Shape young minds.

As so much has changed in the last 245 years it is difficult, though not impossible, to connect with our revolutionary past to build a human bridge for a new generation of patriots to cross over to their own patriotic future.?To best accomplish this task, we must understand just what “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” meant to those brave souls who signed the Declaration that was presented and read on 4 July 1776.

First, LIBERTY is not a new concept for it dates to the very dawn of time itself.?Moses the lawgiver declared in Leviticus 10:25 these words that were much later engraved on the Liberty Bell itself:

“Proclaim LIBERTY throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.”

Second, LIBERTY was the mission statement of Christ Himself as recorded in Luke 4: “He has sent me to proclaim LIBERTY to the captives…to set at LIBERTY those who are oppressed.”

Finally, in Acts 17, the Apostle Paul articulates the very core principles of the Declaration as he boldly states, “In God we live, move and have our being.”?These words are rearticulated in the Declaration as “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”?Inalienable rights are the rights of LIFE, MOVEMENT, AND PURPOSE…in other words, “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

These rights, given by God and not by any man or group of men, are “inalienable” or “natural rights.”?No mere mortal can ever destroy, steal, or in any way lay claim to these rights.

On 11 June 1776, Congress appointed a committee of five that was charged in drafting the Declaration of Independence.?They represented the five states with the largest populations at the time, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Robert R. Livingston, Benjamin Franklin, and Roger Sherman.?As Jefferson was deemed to be, by far, the most talented writer among these five men, the task fell to him with the other four acting as “editors” if you please.?

Jefferson was charged with writing, not only a declaration, but a consensus declaration of the already declared rights of the 13 soon to be former colonies, among which were Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts:

VIRGINIA DECLARATION OF RIGHTS:

"…all men are by nature equally free and independent and have certain inherent rights, of which, when they enter a state of society, they cannot, by any compact, deprive or divest their posterity, namely, the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety."

PENNSYLVANIA DECLARATION OF RIGHTS:

"…all men are born equally free and independent, and have certain natural, inherent and inalienable rights, amongst which are, the enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety."

MASSECHUETTS DECLARATION OF RIGHTS:

"All men are born free and equal, and have certain natural, essential, and unalienable rights; among which may be reckoned the right of enjoying and defending their lives and liberties; that of acquiring, possessing, and protecting property; in fine, that of seeking and obtaining their safety and happiness."

Jefferson’s phrase in the Declaration, “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” was…and is…a summation of the natural, inalienable, and God given rights of all men quantified and stated by the various States leading up to our national Declaration of Independence of the 4th Day of July in the Year of Our Lord 1776.

Our Patriotic Ancestors, as it were, now charge us…the living…to combine these patriotic convictions and values with our present day vocation, whatever that may be to bring about in our own time, “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

But, should we connect with our Revolutionary past and combine Patriotic convictions and values with our daily vocation yet fail to communicate this legacy to a new generation of Americans, all the good we may accomplish will go to the grave with us and liberty will fade from the hearts and minds of men.

We, therefore, must commit ourselves to communicate the mission of the Sons of the American Revolution to a new generation of compatriots whose character, convictions, and courage are worthy of the mantle.

We, the SAR, must continue to:

·??????Commemorate our glorious past

·??????Proclaim the glories of Liberty

·??????Mold and shape the minds and hearts of those who follow us

Connect, Combine, Communicate SAR!

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Mint Hill, NC

17 September 2021