CHRIS PEDOTA/Staff photographer
Larry Stephan of Oakland, center, on the porch of the Ringwood manor reading the Declaration of Independence to visitors who braved the rain Friday.
Posted on 12/04/2014 7:11:44 PM PST by Coleus
When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to celebrate the Fourth of July in the pouring rain, they huddle under trees at the Ringwood Manor, pop up umbrellas and make the best of a soggy situation with a spirited reading of the Declaration of Independence. On a Fourth of July that offered more soak than sizzle, hundreds gathered for the traditional reading of our nation’s founding creed, signed 238 years ago in Philadelphia. Larry Stephan of Oakland stood atop the steps and read the statement aloud, flanked by his fellow patriots in the New Jersey Militia-Heard’s Brigade, an American Revolution reenactment group.
Photos: Fourth of July festivities in North Jersey
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness …” Stephan said, declaring the break with England that was backed by ideals of personal freedom that were truly revolutionary. This was the 15th annual reading of the Declaration of Independence on July Fourth, but dry weather had prevailed for all the previous celebrations, said Sue Shutte, the Ringwood Manor historian. The weather held the size of the crowd down somewhat, Shutte said, but it didn’t dampen their enthusiasm.
The crowd was encouraged to participate in the reading and responded with cheers and jeers. The Declaration of Independence, Shutte explained, was not popular with everyone; New Jersey, one of the 13 original states, was deeply divided between revolution and loyalty to the crown, she said. Shutte noted that the man who built Ringwood Manor, Robert Erskine, owned an iron forge in the area that supplied armament during the war — to both sides. Erskine was clearly on the side of the revolution, Shutte said, but he covered his sympathies by also selling cannonballs to the British.
But 238 years later, it seemed just about everyone had gotten on the right side of history. The crowd jeered every time Stephan criticized the king of England; some of the loudest boos were reserved for the section that talks about taxation without representation. King George also took some flak for sending “swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance” — a depiction of a lecherous and oppressive government.
“This is tyranny!” one man shouted as Stephan read the Declaration of Independence. After he finished, Stephan unfurled the new American flag — 13 stars and stripes — which was sent up the flagpole as members of Heard’s Brigade pointed their muskets and crackled a salute. Hoisting the flag was Paul Doll of Wayne, who has been doing Revolutionary War reenactments since 1981. He’s marched on all the key battlefields — Trenton, Monmouth, Princeton, New Bridge Landing in River Edge, and Ticonderoga, N.Y. — and was a veteran of numerous readings of the Declaration of Independence.
“I do it because I love history,” Doll said. “I think it’s so important to keep the legacy alive. Let’s not forget our American history.” Paul Gauthier and Beth Schnall drove over from Paramus, got stuck in traffic on Route 17 and arrived just in time to see the flag raised. Gauthier is a member of a Civil War reenactment troop, and showed up wearing a grey poncho, which made him look more like Stonewall Jackson than George Washington. But he came to lend his support.
To give the moment an extra dose of authenticity, Gauthier jumped into the role of a Tory, and yelled out “Burn that rag!” as Old Glory with its 13 stars was marched up the flagpole. Of course, Gauthier didn’t really feel that way. He acknowledged afterward that he gets choked up whenever he sees the American flag raised. “Sad but true, it’s the Fourth of July and I didn’t see all that many flags flying on the street today,” Gauthier said.
Reading and dressing up is fine...As long as they remain compliant, they should be safe.
When my daughter was younger, she and I would celebrate by taking turns reading out loud from the DofI and the Bill of Rights. Good stuff.
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