Fw: The 4th of July. . .

Once again received on "Rich Text", too wide for my screen so re-done to
'plain text' for easier read and less 'bits'. Well worth reading, and remembering.

----- Original Message -----
From: Jim Solomon
Sent: Tuesday, July 16, 2019 9:37 AM
Subject: Fwd: The 4th of July. . .

A run down on our "evil founding fathers" the Left is so critical of.

TO ALL WHO HAVE READ THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE,
AT THE END, A RECITATION, ALMOST A THROW-AWAY . . . ."WE
MUTUALLY PLEDGE TO EACH OTHER OUR LIVES, OUR FORTUNES
AND OUR SACRED HONOR." THEY MEANT IT. AND, IT HAD REAL
MEANING FOR MANY OF THEM. HOW MANY OF US WOULD HAVE
DONE SO?

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the
Declaration of Independence? Their story. . .
Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died.
Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.
Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.
Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.
They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they?
Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists.
Eleven were merchants.
Nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated.
But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the
penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept
from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his
debts, and died in rags.
Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his
family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was
kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.
Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton ,
Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.
At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General
Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged
General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson
died bankrupt.
Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife,
and she died within a few months.
John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children
fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a
year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his
children vanished.
So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank
these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid.

Remember: freedom is never free!

I hope you will show your support by sending this to as many people as you can,
please. It's time we get the word out that patriotism is NOT a sin, and the Fourth of
July means more than beer, picnics, and baseball games. True "reflection" is a part of
this country's greatness.
Please remember the sacrifices made by others for us - - -

Janice Keitel
jmkeitel@gmail.com