The Declaration Of Independence Did Not Form The American Blob

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Mandeville, LA – Exclusive Transcript – EDITOR’S NOTE: This post originally appeared on Dec 19, 2013″ – We always look for source material and contemporary things to tie our history to.  I’m going to give you the granddaddy of all contemporary things to tie American history to, and to finally disrupt once and for freaking all and demolish this idiocy, this revisionism that we’re all always intended to be one giant, indivisible blob of America.  It’s not true, it’s insulting, and it’s offensive to the men who actually fought and lived it.  Let’s set the record straight once and for all, shall we?  Check out today’s transcript for the rest…

Begin Mike Church Show Transcript

Mike:  The story centers around what happened immediately following the Declaration’s passing.  We always look for source material and contemporary things to tie our history to.  I’m going to give you the granddaddy of all contemporary things to tie American history to, and to finally disrupt once and for freaking all and demolish this idiocy, this revisionism that we’re all always intended to be one giant, indivisible blob of America.  It’s not true, it’s insulting, and it’s offensive to the men who actually fought and lived it.  Let’s set the record straight once and for all, shall we?

I’m going to take you to the great author Washington Irving’s book The Life of George Washington.  I’m going to take you to one of the middle chapters where Irving, who was also one of the great historians of the 19^th century, is chronicling Washington’s travels in what became known as the Battle of New York.  In this story here, we will find what the Declaration actually established and what it meant, and we’ll hear it in legal terms, too.  Are you ready?  I want to caution you nationalists and you Lincoln lovers and those of you that think we’re all married together forever more and we are because Lincoln said so, or you think Jefferson said so, or you think some stupid surrender at a courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia said so, you’re wrong.   History is not on your side and it never will be.  I don’t care how much hate mail you send me and I don’t care what you say about me.  The history says what it says, whether you like it or not, and here it is.  From Washington Irving:

[reading]

A work had been commenced on the Jersey Shore, opposite Fort Washington, to aid in protecting Putnam’s chevaux-de-frise which had been sunk between them. This work had received the name of Fort Constitution (a name already borne by one of the forts in the Highlands).

[end reading]

Mike:  Pause, timeout.  Gee, why would they name a fort Fort Constitution in 1776?  Didn’t Madison and his buddies invent constitutions?  Gee, another myth demolished.  What will I do for an encore?  This:

[reading]

Troops were drawn from the flying camp to make a strong encampment in the vicinity of the fort, with an able officer to command it and a skillful engineer to strengthen the works. It was hoped, by the cooperation of these opposite forts and the chevaux-de-frise, to command the Hudson, and prevent the passing and repassing of hostile ships.

The British, in the meantime, forebore to press further hostilities. Lord Howe was really desirous of a peaceful adjustment of the strife between the colonies and the mother country, and supposed this a propitious moment for a new attempt at pacification. He accordingly sent off General Sullivan on parole, charged with an overture to Congress. In this he declared himself empowered and disposed to compromise the dispute between Great Britain and America, on the most favorable terms, and, though he could not treat with Congress as a legally organized body, he was desirous of a conference with some of its members. These, for the time he should consider only as private gentlemen, but if in the conference any probably scheme of accommodation should be agreed upon, the authority of Congress would afterwards be acknowledged, to render the compact complete. [Mike: I don’t even have to read the rest. Lincoln’s story is already destroyed. But wait, it gets even better.]

The message caused some embarrassment in Congress. To accede to the interview might seem to waive the question of independence; to decline it was to shut the door on all hope of conciliation, and might alienate the cooperation of some worthy whigs who still clung to that hope. After much debate, Congress, on the 5^th September, replied, that, being the representatives of the free and independent States of America, they could  not send any members to confer with this lordship in their private characters, but that, ever desirous of establishing peace on reasonable terms, they would send a committee of their body to ascertain what authority he had to treat with persons authorized by Congress, and what propositions he had to offer.

A committee was chosen on the 6^th of September, composed of John Adams, Edward Rutledge, and Doctor Franklin.

FREE AUDIO PREVIEW FROM “TIMES THAT TRY MEN’S SOUL” – Ben Franklin tells Howe the States are Independent & only They can rescind or surrender (destroys the Lincoln myth of 1 indivisible blob of Americaq created by Declaration)

It was to take place on the 11^th, at a house on Staten Island, opposite to Amboy; at which latter place the veteran Mercer was stationed with his flying camp. At Amboy, the committee found Lord Howe’s barge waiting to receive them . . . The admiral met them on their landing, and conducted them through his guards to his house.

On opening the conference, his lordship again intimated that he could not treat with them as a committee of Congress, but only confer with them as private gentlemen of influence in the colonies, on the means of restoring peace between the two countries.

The commissioners replied that as their business was to hear, he might consider them in what light he pleased; but that they should consider themselves in no other character than that in which they were placed by order of Congress.

Lord Howe then entered into a discourse of considerable length, but made no explicit proposition of peace, nor promise of redress of grievances, excepting on condition that the colonies should return to their allegiance.

This, the commissioners replied, was not now to be expected. Their repeated humble petitions to the king and parliament having been treated with contempt, and answered by additional injuries, and war having been declared against them, the colonies had declared their independence, and it was not in the power of Congress to agree for them that they should return to their former dependent state.

His lordship expressed his sorrow that no accommodation was likely to take place [and the conference broke up.]

The result of this conference had a beneficial effect. It showed that his lordship had no power but what was given by the act of Parliament; and put an end to the popular notion that he was vested with secret powers to negotiate an adjustment of grievances.

[end reading]

Mike:  You can find this in Washington Irving’s book Life of Washington, which I will undertake as a republication next year.  What did you just hear?  It was Franklin that told Lord Howe this.  You heard Franklin tell Lord Howe: Dude, we’re just a committee of a congress.  We can’t make those states renounce their independence and re-embrace their allegiance to the crown.  Only they can do that.  Reverse that process, twist it any way you want.  What it says is that the Declaration did not create a blob of America.  The Declaration did not create one America of indissoluble people.  It didn’t create one indivisible union.  It created a league of states.  That’s all it did.  They shared some common concerns and they had a congress to do business for it.  That congress could not and the representatives of that congress could not make any promises on behalf of any state or order any state to do anything.  Why?  Because the states were free and independent.  They chose to be in league in that congress, meaning it was voluntary and their membership in it was voluntary.  At no point did Franklin say: If New York wants to bolt and join back up with you, they can’t.  It’s secession in reverse.

For all of you that remain attached to this mythology that this blob and this landmass, this geography here is forever consecrated by some holy act of Thomas Jefferson and then some unholy, deceitful act of dishonest Abraham Lincoln, read that and disavow yourself of the silliness and the historical inaccuracy of your opinion.  It is your opinion, nothing more.

End Mike Church Show Transcript