Fourth of July Celebration 1999:
Independence Day Luncheon
11:00 a.m. at the Sheraton Society Hill and the
National Bell Ringing Ceremony
2:00 p.m. on Independence Square

INDEPENDENCE DAY LUNCHEON

"LET FREEDOM RING"

ADDRESS OF ALBERT E. ("TED") WOLF

ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT MARK FRAZIER LLOYD

INDEPENDENCE DAY LUNCHEON

The Society's Independence Day celebration convened at the Sheraton Society Hill, at 11 a.m. and began with a half-hour reception, followed by a sit-down luncheon. President Mark Frazier Lloyd presided at the event and was joined at the head table by his wife, Sandy; the guest of honor and principal speaker, Albert E. ("Ted") Wolf, Member, Board of Directors and Chairman Emeritus, National Constitution Center, and his wife, "Stevie;" Christopher Schillizzi, Chief of Interpretation and Visitor Services, Independence National Historical Park; Philip Schuyler Pyne, Governor General of the Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, and his wife, "Jamie;" Society Vice-president Benjamin Charles Frick (whose wife, Stephanie, was at home with their newborn child, Charles Andrew Frick, who was born late Monday evening, 14 June 1999); the Pennsylvania Society Chaplain, Reverend William Preston Proctor; and the Chairman of the Pennsylvania Society's Independence Day Committee, Joseph Charles Byrne. Mr. Byrne was a member of the Society's Board of Managers and 1999 was his second year as chairman of the Independence Day Committee.

Among the many distinguished guests of the Pennsylvania Society were the Honorable Ed Rendell, Mayor of the City of Philadelphia; James Thorington, II, General President Emeritus of the General Society of Sons of the Revolution and his wife, "Frankie"; Mrs. William G. Kalbfleisch, Past Governor General of the Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence; Lynn S. Nicklas, State Regent, Pennsylvania State Society, Daughters of the American Revolution; Winchell Smith Carroll, President, Philadelphia-Continental Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution; Warren F. Williams, President, Warwick Township Historical Society; and Walter and Kate Roshon, daughter and son-in-law of the guest speaker. The Society received regrets from Mark H. Biddle, President of the Independence Hall Association and Susan Shuttlesworth Phillips, Head Bell Ringer of the Independence Hall Bell Ringers Society.

A total of 211 members and guests attended the Independence Day luncheon.

Philip Schuyler Pyne, President-General of the Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence (DSDI), presented four young members of the DSDI to President Lloyd as Liberty Bell tappers for the year 1999. The first two were Amanda Jo ("Amanda" or "Mandi") Larsen, 13, and Kara Elise ("Kara") Larsen, 9, descendants of Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania. Amanda and Kara had traveled to Philadelphia with their parents, Alan and Tanya Larsen, all the way from Brigham City, Utah. The third Bell tapper was Lara ("Laura") Jesselyn Murray, 10, a descendant of John Morton of Pennsylvania. Lara came to Philadelphia with her mother, Deborah Stromberg of Locust Grove, Virginia. The fourth Bell tapper, Brittany ("Brittany") Nicole Wicks, 11, was also a descendant of John Morton. Brittany was with her parents, Randy and Cindy Wicks of Williamsburg, Virginia.

Following the luncheon, the Society's Color Guard -- its members handsomely uniformed in blue blazer and new cream-colored slacks -- assembled at Independence Square. Other members and the guests followed at 1 p.m., marching three blocks from the Sheraton, at 2nd and Walnut Streets, to reserved seating on the Square, entering from the 5th and Walnut Street corner of the Square.

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"LET FREEDOM RING"

The 31st Annual "Let Freedom Ring" and National Bell Ringing Ceremony began at 1:25 p.m., sharp, with the arrival of the Second Pennsylvania Regiment of the Continental Line, a unit of re-enactors commanded by Major C. Paul Loane. At 1:30, the Color Guard of the Pennsylvania Society, led by its Captain, Andrew Jackson Salisbury, II, carried 35 Revolutionary War flags into the Square and presented them to President Lloyd. Vice President Frick, who served as Master of Ceremonies, welcomed an audience of over 1,500 people (this was a very conservative estimate and included the 211 members of the Society and their guests). Chaplain Proctor gave the Invocation and President Lloyd led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.

The one-hour program was well planned and Master of Ceremonies Frick directed it flawlessly. He began by introducing himself and the Sons of the Revolution to the crowd. He described the Society’s purpose in conducting the program, the role of the Color Guard, and the Society’s partnership with Welcome America. He thanked the other organizations who were participating in the program: the Mount Hermon Baptist Church Youth Choir of Danville, Virginia, Susan Deal, Minister of Music; The American Originals of Washington, D.C., Georgia Graves, Drum Major; the Second Pennsylvania Regiment of the Continental Line, Commanded by Major C. Paul Loane; and, the Colonial Philadelphia Fifes and Drums led by Ralph Archbold acting as Benjamin Franklin.

Mr. Frick then introduced the keynote speaker, Mr. Wolf, who addressed the crowd on the United States Constitution and its extraordinary contribution to the success of the American democratic experiment. Mayor Rendell, who succeeded Mr. Wolf as Chairman of the Board of the National Constitution Center, congratulated him for his untiring efforts on behalf of the Constitution Center and informed the audience that the $120 million Center was on schedule to open in the fall of 2002. President Lloyd introduced the Liberty Bell tappers to the audience and described the ceremony they were about to lead. Mr. Lloyd and Mayor Rendell then left the platform and joined the Bell tappers in walking from Independence Square to the Liberty Bell Pavilion.

Mr. Frick returned to the podium and read the Concurrent Congressional Resolution of 26 June 1963. This Resolution, which was adopted less than two weeks before President John F. Kennedy visited Independence Hall on 4 July 1963, declared that the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence should be observed each year at 2 p.m. in the afternoon of the 4^th of July, by the ringing of bells throughout the United States. It called upon civic and other community leaders to take appropriate steps to encourage public participation in the observance. The Concurrent Congressional Resolution inspired the Sons of the Revolution to inaugurate the "Let Freedom Ring" celebration in 1969.

At 2 p.m. the great bell in Independence Hall slowly tolled thirteen times. The Bell tappers simultaneously struck the Liberty Bell with white-gloved hands, as television cameras from all the national networks recorded the event for that evening's newscast and bells rang in unison all across the city and the nation. The Bell tappers then took questions from the media, describing the historical significance of the Signers of the Declaration and giving their own definitions of liberty. Back at Independence Square, the the Mount Hermon Baptist Church Youth Choir sand the National Anthem and James Thorington, II read the Declaration of Independence.

Following the return of the Bell Pavilion party, President Lloyd delivered remarks on the historical significance of the Fourth of July and the charter purpose of the Sons of the Revolution to sponsor dignified, public celebrations of the event. The program concluded with a musical selection by The American Originals; a moving rendition of "Amazing Grace," performed on bagpipes by Pipe Major Emeritus Dennis L. Hangey, of the Pipes and Drums of the Delaware Valley; an artillery salute by the Second Pennsylvania Regiment; taps by the Mirandola Consort; and a benediction by Chaplain Proctor.

Let Freedom Ring concluded at 2:30 p.m.

"Let Freedom Ring" was sponsored by the Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution and its Color Guard in partnership with Sunoco Welcome America!, the City of Philadelphia's "ten-day extravaganza celebrating America's Birthday in America's birthplace."

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ADDRESS OF ALBERT E. ("TED") WOLF

"Independence"

These beautiful, brilliant, and inspiring words are the preamble, the introduction, the first paragraph of the Constitution of the United States. They were first written at the Constitutional Convention which was held during the summer of 1787 in what was then called the State House. We know it as Independence Hall, the building directly behind where I am standing right now. 1787 was eleven years after the Declaration of Independence was signed in the very same building. The Declaration and the Constitution are very closely related — inextricably intertwined one might say. And it has been said that "the Declaration of Independence was the promise; the Constitution was the fulfillment." One could not have happened without the other.

Many Americans know about the Constitution, perhaps to a rather limited degree. We hear people say, "It ain’t constitutional!" or "I got my rights!" They may refer to specific articles or amendments, when it suits their immediate needs. But at a recent gathering of the National Constitution Center’s Senior Advisors Panel, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer emphasized what he described as two essential points in understanding the Constitution. First, "the Constitution is not about rights. It creates a structure of government that enables others to make decisions" and second, "people solve problems through the law, not the will of a person. We govern through law and use law to solve the most fundamental issues of society."

This is interesting in the light of historical events connected with the creation and subsequent ratification (by the colonies, not the states) of the Constitution. On September 17, 1787, when the Constitutional Convention came forth with the Constitution, for the first time, after convening in secret during the summer, it had no Bill of Rights. In fact, the Bill of Rights are the first ten amendments to the Constitution and are generally considered as "bargaining chips" in exchange for ratification. The colony / states had, in effect, said "make these changes, add these protections for the individual and we’ll approve your Constitution!" This has always fascinated me since the first three word of the Constitution are "we the People," which, in 1787, was an absolutely unheard of radical notion for a structure of government. "I, the King," was the preferred and common form in those days!

But the important truth is that these first ten amendments, and all the subsequent ones (we now have twenty-seven), are the manifestations of that most important three word concept, "We the People." And folks, "We the People" is you. "We the People" is us — all of us — every one. We hear a lot about diversity these days. We seem to revel and rejoice in cultural, racial, ethnic, gender, religious, age, socio-economic, political, and national origin differences. And it is true that they give us a broader outlook and they enrich our experience and our understanding. But they alone do not make a society, a community. What does that is what I will call Common Ground, that place where we all overlap, where we all come together, that common reference point from which we all look the same and, to a certain extent our difference become irrelevant. Rich, poor; man, woman; black, white; Christian, Jew; Reactionary, Radical — they all relate to the Constitution equally.

Finally, with all the current focus on rights and the implications implicit in talk of diversity and difference — the implications of separateness — what are our responsibilities? What do we owe this magnificent system? What do we owe ourselves, for while "We the People" are the perpetrators, we are also the beneficiaries of this system. Two basic thoughts come to mind relative to our responsibilities: first, understanding; we must increase our level of understanding of this relationship between the Constitution and our quality of life; second, we must participate; blaming the government, thinking of our politicians, our leaders as "them" isn’t good enough since We is them! The Constitution Center, which will be located on Independence Mall, will help to open doors relative to those responsibilities.

In closing, I would like to thank the Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution for giving me this opportunity to speak to you. Thanks to you and your ancestors for writing the two greatest political documents ever created — which led to the greatest country the world has known. And special thanks to George Washington, Ben Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Robert Morris and their fifty associates for the amazingly productive time they spent in Philadelphia during the blazing summer of 1787.

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ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT MARK FRAZIER LLOYD

Independence Day and its Celebration

We gather to day to celebrate the shared beliefs and historical traditions which define our national experience and bind us together as the American people. The Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution is a public service organization composed of men who are descendants of those 18^th century Americans who "actually assisted in the establishment of American Independence by services rendered during the War of the Revolution." Our Society sponsors this program because, in the words of our 1888 charter, we are dedicated to "keeping before the public mind the memory of the services of ... those who achieved the Independence of our country ... And to further the proper celebration of the anniversaries of ... prominent events connected with the War of the Revolution ... "

In fulfilling our mission, our Society has enjoyed the partnership and mutual support of many others, including, most notably, in recent years, the National Park Service and Mayor Rendell’s wonderful creation, Sunoco Welcome America. The celebration of the anniversary of American independence, of course, is as old as the nation itself. On this square, the City’s annual observances predate the creation of the National Park, in 1948. The Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence have been holding their annual meeting here virtually every year since they were founded in 1907. In the years before the National Park, the City permitted the Descendants of the Signers to conduct their business in the Assembly Room itself, the very room where their ancestors had signed the Declaration!

Congress declared Independence Day a national holiday in 1941 and in that same year, our Society’s President, Judge Edwin O. Lewis, and one of our Society’s members, David Knickerbacker Boyd, were the principal organizers of the Independence Hall Association, a group of public-spirited citizens who sought to establish this site as the national symbol of education and freedom which it has since become.

In 1950 another group of public-spirited Philadelphians formed and named themselves the Independence Hall Bell Ringing Society. They turned out in the stifling heat of summer days like this one and bitter cold winter nights to climb the Bell Tower of Independence Hall and ring the great bells there by hand on Independence Day, New Year’s Eve, and other national holidays. Today, as the Bell Ringing Society approaches its half-century mark, its members continue to perform their duties. In recent years, their schedule has expanded, as they have been proud add Martin Luther King Day to the national holidays which they celebrate.

The Independence Hall Bell Ringers were denied their role in the celebration only once. In 1963 United States President John F. Kennedy came here to address the crowd and celebrate the Fourth of July. The President’s security men refused to permit anyone to climb the Bell Tower that day. The irony, of course, was that just two weeks prior to July 4^th, 1963, the United States Congress passed a concurrent resolution calling for a nation wide ringing of bells at 2 p.m. and it is precisely that resolution which gave rise to the event you are now witnessing. It was thirty years ago today, on July 4^th, 1969, that the Sons of the Revolution, in cooperation with the Independence Hall Association, the Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, and the Independence Hall Bell Ringers Society first began to observe the concurrent Congressional resolution and to invite not only all Philadelphians, but all Americans to join in the ceremony. Let Freedom Ring!

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