Delaware General Assembly


CHAPTER 519

STATE OF DELAWARE

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT

PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, the fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence were moved to dedicate this nation to the conception of Freedom Under God, and to sound the keynote of American Independence with:

"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;" and

WHEREAS, when the last name was affixed to the official document, a little boy signaled the first bell ringing to thank God for liberty; and

WHEREAS, preachers of all denominations spoke out for Freedom in early American history; and

WHEREAS, in appropriate commemoration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the great patriot, John Adams, in 1776 said:

"It ought to be commemorated as a day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty":

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Elbert N. Carvel, Governor of the State of Delaware, do, on this 176th Anniversary of American Independence, hereby proclaim the week of June 27 through July 4, 1952, as

INDEPENDENCE WEEK

and urge appropriate revival of the original spirit of Independence Day, with ringing once again of church bells for ten minutes at noon on July 4th, the preaching of sermons on the theme

FREEDOM UNDER GOD on the day of worship preceding Independence Day, the pondering of the Declaration of Independence by all Americans, particularly young Americans, in order that Freedom Under God may gain strength in our national life.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I, Elbert N. Carvel, Governor of the State of Delaware, have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the said State to be hereunto affixed at Dover this Tenth day of June, in the Year of Our Lord, One Thousand Nine Hundred and Fifty-two, and of the Independence of the United States of America, the One Hundred and Seventy-sixth.

(GREAT SEAL)

By the Governor:

ELBERT N. CARVEL

HARRIS B. McDOWELL, JR., Secretary of State.