Published June 1976 — Download PDF of the original newspaper column
Byrd's-Eye View By U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd America Was Founded on Sacrifice When the 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence, they said "we mutually pledge our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor" to the cause of freedom for the United States. That pledge was more than mere rhetoric, and, as we celebrate our nation's Bicentennial, we would all do well to recall the tremendous sacrifices made by our forefathers in founding America. Every signer of the Declaration of Independence was considered a traitor, and every one was hunted during the Revolutionary War. Most of the signers were offered immunity, freedom, rewards, property, or, in some cases, their lives if they would break their pledged word and take protection from the British. Not a single signer broke his pledge, despite the fact that practically all suffered severely. Nine of the signers died of wounds or hardships during the War; five were captured and imprisoned, in some cases with brutal treatment; twelve had their homes burned to the ground; seventeen lost everything they owned; and the wives and children of some of the signers were killed, jailed, persecuted, or left penniless. Still, the signers valued their honor so highly that their pledge remained unbroken. Had those men flinched, or betrayed their word, the history of this country would have been very different. The fact that they refused to budge in their commitment to independence set a glowing example for the rest of the early Americans. Throughout the colonies, men and women made tremendous sacrifices on behalf of the Revolution, sublimating t h e i r own wants and desires to the needs of the new country. Buoyed by the words of the Declaration of Independence- and by t h e courage of the men who signed it-the early Americans began building the greatest civilization in history. It should always be remembered that America is not the result of historical chance. The wealth and freedom of this nation came at a price-the price of struggle, of determination, of ingenuity, of life and death. If one generation were to break faith with the American dream if one generation were unwilling to pay the price of personal independence and responsibility-the heritage of t h e American dream for future generations would be forever tarnished and diminished. Jun 9 1976