The Price of Freedom

A clue on Jeopardy stated: “This document ends, ‘We mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.’” Much to my disappointment, none of the three bright players knew the answer—the Declaration of Independence.

Perhaps you know the backstory of the Declaration. Colonists were fed up with King George III’s arrogant, dismissive attitude toward those who settled on this side of the Atlantic. When British troops fired on farmers and tradesmen in Massachusetts, something needed to be done.

The 56 men who met in Philadelphia as a Continental Congress were not in agreement. Some wanted to appeal to the king, which had already been attempted without positive results. Others felt it was time to declare, and fight for, our independence if necessary.

The king had already denounced all rebels in America as traitors. So when the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence, each understood he could pay with his life. Here is a brief account of what happened to some of them.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader who helped supply uniforms, blankets, and other items for the American forces, also invested heavily in shipping. But the British captured most of his ships. His mansion was destroyed by fire. He sold his plantation, mortgaged his furniture, and, at the end of his life, had very little.

Thomas McKean, a lawyer from Delaware, served many appointive and elective offices. During the war, he led a battalion of militia to New Jersey to support General George Washington. During one battle, cannon balls whistled by him on both sides and just above his head. He endured severe artillery fire, surviving to become acting president of Delaware and, after the war, governor of Pennsylvania.

Thomas Nelson, Jr. of Yorktown, Virginia, raised $2 million on his own name, giving the money to the government to provision the French fleet, our allies. After the war, he repaid the debt. In the final siege at Yorktown, he inquired as to why his own house, occupied by the British, was not subjected to gunfire. They refrained out of personal regard for Nelson. He urged them to fire upon it, and the British were routed.

The British targeted John Hart of New Jersey, a successful and wealthy farmer, aiming to take him prisoner. At the last moment, Hart reluctantly left the bedside of his ailing wife and fled into the woods. He slept in caves or in the open during frigid December weather. When Hart finally returned home, he found his house in ruins, his wife dead, and his 13 children scattered by the British. He never fully recovered.

John Hancock, one of the wealthiest men in New England, went on record as saying, “Burn Boston, and make John Hancock a beggar, if the public good requires it.” Under his leadership, the minutemen formed. These citizen-soldiers claimed they could be ready to fight in 60 seconds.

When we think about the signers, we must remember they were not poor. Most were wealthy and enjoyed ease and luxury in their personal living. They were also God-fearing men. So, when they signed the Declaration, they did so “with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence.”

Paul Harvey, writing about these men, said they “considered liberty so much more important than security that they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. They fulfilled their pledge. They paid the price. And freedom was born.”

I’m reminded of a wonderful verse, Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord (Psalm 33:12 NIV). The nation is us. All of us together make up the nation. So, as we pray for our nation, let’s pray for our fellow-citizens, some of whom have recently suffered terribly—losing family members to COVID-19 or to violence in the streets. As a nation, we are better than this. Pray that God will help us maintain our freedom and do it with faith and integrity.

Editor’s note: Material for this article was derived in part from For You They Signed by Marilyn Boyer, and Our Lives, Our Fortunes, Our Sacred Honor by Paul Harvey.