Compromise was key to American independence -- and still is today | Ned Seaton Jul 1, 2026 Jul 1, 2026 Updated 1 hr ago 0 × USA Today - News The Daughters of the American Revolution read a shortened Declaration of Independence at the Independence Day Celebration in Mount Clemens. Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save It's worth pondering, as we approach July 4, exactly what happened 250 years ago. Ned Seaton kAm%96 D:>A=6 G6CD:@? 8@6D D@>6E9:?8 =:<6 E9:Di %96 z:?8 @7 t?8=2?5 :>A@D65 E2I6D H:E9@FE 8:G:?8 E96 p>6C:42? 4@=@?:6D 2 72:C D2J[ 2?5 D@ 27E6C 5F>A:?8 E62 :? q@DE@? w2C3@C[ E96 4@=@?:DED 564=2C65 :?56A6?56?46[ E96? 362E E96 qC:E:D9 pC>J 27E6C (2D9:?8E@? 4C@DD65 E96 s6=2H2C6 #:G6C] $@>6E9:?8 =:<6 E92E]k^AmkAm}@E 6?E:C6=J HC@?8] qFE :E >:DD6D D@>6E9:?8i pC8F>6?E[ A@=:E:4D[ 5:D28C66>6?E[ HC2?8=:?8 @G6C ?:EA:4<J AC@465FC2= DEF77] p?5 G6CJ[ G6CJ >6E:4F=@FD 2EE6?E:@? E@ E96 A@H6C 2?5 :>A@CE2?46 @7 H@C5D]k^Am kAm|:=:E2CJ 32EE=6D H:E9 E96 qC:ED 24EF2==J DE2CE65 >@C6 E92? 2 J62C 367@C6[ :? pAC:=[ `ffd] qFE >@DE 4@=@?:DED[ 6G6? 2E E92E A@:?E[ DE:== 9@A65 7@C C64@?4:=:2E:@?] %96 $64@?5 r@?E:?6?E2= r@?8C6DD — 2 3@5J @7 C6AC6D6?E2E:G6D :? E96 `b 4@=@?:6D — 4@?G6?65 :? |2J `ffd[ :? E92E 4@?E6IE]k^Am People are also reading… Man pleads guilty of distributing 156 pounds of meth in Burke, McDowell counties Have the Carolina Panthers found yet another undrafted gem? United States has already lost World Cup with its greed and hostility | Opinion The Madness holds soft opening of the new Marion restaurant N.C. Highway 226 North closed Monday afternoon due to overturned tractor-trailer America is in a mood on the cusp of 250th birthday City of Marion reminds water customers: Drought restrictions remain in effect Thousands feared dead after two major earthquakes strike Venezuela How slavery in western North Carolina created lasting economic power Marion, Old Fort elections moving to even-numbered years after passage of state bill McDowell County woman charged after child tests positive for meth Overmountain Men from NC played role in 'the turning of the tide' of the Revolutionary War How NC’s 11th Congressional District could help shape a national Democratic wave See McDowell County area government offices, trash collection schedule for July 4 Route 70 Cruisers help drive student success with donation to McDowell Tech kAmp?5 E96? E96J DE2CE65 2C8F:?8] z66A :? >:?5 E92E E96D6 H6C6 2== qC:E:D9 DF3;64ED[ 2?5 2 AF3=:4 564=2C2E:@? @7 :?56A6?56?46 H2D EC62D@?[ AF?:D923=6 3J 562E9] $6G6C2= @7 E96 56=682E:@?D H6C6 F?56C :?DECF4E:@?D 7C@> E96 4@=@?:6D E92E 6=64E65 E96> ?@E E@ DFAA@CE :?56A6?56?46] %96C6 H6C6 2 3F?49 @7 2C8F>6?ED 23@FE H96E96C 2?J3@5J 6G6? 925 E96 2FE9@C:EJ E@ 5@ D@[ @C E@ DF3>:E 2 564=2C2E:@?] xE E@@< H92E @?6 9:DE@C:2? 42==65 2 Q4@>A=6I A@=:E:42= H2CQ E@ >@G6 E96 A:646D @7 E96 AFKK=6 :?E@ A=246 E@ >2<6 92AA6? H92E 6G6?EF2==J 92AA6?65]k^Am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts kAm~?6 <6J 724E@Ci %96 AF3=:D9:?8 @7 Qr@>>@? $6?D6[Q E96 A2>A9=6E 3J %9@>2D !2:?6[ :? y2?F2CJ `ffe[ :? H9:49 96 2C8F65 7@C :?56A6?56?46[ =:?<:?8 E96 42FD6 E@ !C@E6DE2?E 36=:67D[ 2>@?8 @E96C C96E@C:42= 56G:46D] (@C5D — 2?5 :562D — >2EE6C]k^Am kAmtG6?EF2==J[ 27E6C >@?E9D @7 5632E6[ H2=<@FED[ 2C8F>6?ED @G6C AC@46DD[ AC@465FC2= >2?6FG6CD 2?5 4@>A6E:?8 C6D@=FE:@?D[ :? >:5\yF?6[ E96 r@?8C6DD 2AA@:?E65 2 4@>>:EE66 E@ 5C27E 2 564=2C2E:@?] %96 E2D< @7 HC:E:?8 :E 76== E@ %9@>2D y6776CD@?[ H9@ 9@=65 FA :? 2 3@2C5:?8 9@FD6 5FC:?8 @77\9@FCD 7C@> E96 r@?8C6DD 2?5 42>6 FA H:E9 E96 <6J 5C27E 36EH66? yF?6 `` 2?5 yF?6 ag] %96 4@>>:EE66 EH62<65 :E[ E96? AC6D6?E65 :E E@ r@?8C6DD @? yF?6 ag]k^Am kAm|@C6 5632E6[ HC2?8=:?8 2?5 2C>\EH:DE:?8] q24< 2?5 7@CE9] s62=\>2<:?8[ 7@C 36EE6C @C H@CD6] !@=:E:4D]k^AmkAmu:?2==J[ @? yF=J a[ r@?8C6DD 2AAC@G65 E96 C6D@=FE:@? H:E9 `a 4@=@?:6D :? 72G@C 2?5 @?6 — }6H *@C< — 23DE2:?:?8] }6H *@C<VD C6AD D2:5 E96J 5:5?VE 92G6 E96 2FE9@C:EJ] y@9? p52>D D2:5 2E E92E E:>6 E92E yF=J a H@F=5 6G6?EF2==J 364@>6 2 8C62E ?2E:@?2= 9@=:52J[ 46=63C2E:?8 E96 52J @7 E96 564=2C2E:@?]k^Am kAm%FC?D @FE 96 H2D D=:89E=J @77] r@?8C6DD >256 2 3F?49 >@C6 65:ED E@ E96 5@4F>6?E — >@C6 A@=:E:42= DBF233=:?8 — 367@C6 2 7:?2= 5C27E H2D 2AAC@G65 yF=J c] $@ E92E 3642>6 E96 >28:42= 52J] %92EVD H92E H6VC6 46=63C2E:?8] %96 C62D@? :E H2D?VE yF=J a — @C 2?J 52E6 367@C6 — H2D 3642FD6 @7 56=2JD C6=2E65 E@ 7:89E:?8 @G6C H@C5D]k^Am kAm%@ 36 72:C[ H92E E96J 6?565 FA H:E9 H2D 2 >2DE6CA:646[ 46?E6C65 @? E9:Di Q(6 9@=5 E96D6 ECFE9D E@ 36 D6=7\6G:56?E[ E92E 2== >6? 2C6 4C62E65 6BF2=[ E92E E96J 2C6 6?5@H65 3J E96:C rC62E@C H:E9 46CE2:? F?2=:6?23=6 #:89ED[ E92E 2>@?8 E96D6 2C6 {:76[ {:36CEJ 2?5 E96 AFCDF:E @7 w2AA:?6DD]Qk^Am kAm%9@D6 2C6 AC@323=J E96 >@DE :>A@CE2?E H@C5D :? 2== @7 p>6C:42? 9:DE@CJ[ 4C62E65 2?5 AC@5F465 :? DA:E6 @7 — @C >2J36 3642FD6 @7 — 5:D28C66>6?E[ 5632E6[ A@=:E:4D 2?5 4@>AC@>:D6]k^Am kAm%92EVD @FC @C:8:? DE@CJ] $E:== ECF6[ ad_ J62CD =2E6C]k^Am Seaton writes for The Manhattan Mercury in Manhattan, Kansas: themercury.com. Tribune Content Agency distributed this column. 0 Comments Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Daughters of the American Revolution read Declaration of Independence The Daughters of the American Revolution read a shortened Declaration of Independence at the Independence Day Celebration in Mount Clemens.
Daughters of the American Revolution read Declaration of Independence The Daughters of the American Revolution read a shortened Declaration of Independence at the Independence Day Celebration in Mount Clemens.
