A Thing Of Beauty

"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."--From 1776's Declaration of Independence

"The emigrants who fixed themselves on the shores of America in the beginning of the seventeenth century severed the democratic principle from all the principles which repressed it in the old communities of Europe, and transplanted it unalloyed to the New World. It has there been allowed to spread in perfect freedom, and to put forth its consequences in the laws by influencing the manners of the country."--Alexis de Tocqueville, in 1835's Democracy in America.

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty thankful that the emigrants that fixed themselves on the shores of America in the beginning of the seventeenth century severed the democratic principle from all the principles that repressed it and transplanted it unalloyed in the New World, and allowed it to spread forth in perfect freedom...

...and put forth whatever the consequences may have been, are, and will be.

Happy Independence Day, patrons! Now get out there and pursue some Happiness!