July 4, 2006
Hilton Nagoya
Good evening and thank you all for coming. Today is the 230th anniversary of the independence of the United States, and I'd like to talk about that briefly. It's interesting to note that we don't date America's independence from the start of the Revolutionary War in 1775 or the end of the war and the Treaty of Paris in 1783. Instead, the United States was born when the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. And this reflects the fact that the United States is fundamentally a man-made nation built on words and ideas.
The geography of the United States has changed drastically since the nation was created and so, too, has the composition of the citizens of the country. From 13 states on the Atlantic Coast peopled by colonists primarily from Northwestern Europe, as you all know, the United States has grown to span the continent of North America and includes citizens from every corner of the world. Through these changes, though, the ideas and words the country was founded upon haven't changed. Perhaps the most famous part of the Declaration, one that's known by every schoolchild in America comes very near the beginning:
"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, from the time the Declaration was adopted, it was clear that this was something to celebrate. John Adams, one of the signers of the Declaration wrote to his wife on July 3, 1776, the day after the original draft of the Declaration was approved:
The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epoch in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shows, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.
As you can see, he was off by two days, but he was certainly correct about celebrations over the next 230 years. And although we don't have any parades or bonfires, I'm very happy to share this celebration with you this evening. It's particularly pleasant, because Japan is such a great friend, partner and ally to the United States, and the people of Central Japan have been such warm hosts to the American Consulate.
And although we don't have any bonfires, we do have some food and drink to share with you, much of which has been graciously donated by American suppliers. So I hope you enjoy some of these products including crab, salmon, lemons, honey, sausages, and many others.
We're not able to provide you with any American beef tonight, but happily the day is coming soon when Japanese people will be able to enjoy the same delicious, safe, and inexpensive American beef that nearly 300 million Americans eat every day.
Once again, thank you all for coming, and thank you for helping us to celebrate the anniversary of the founding of the United States and the friendship between the U.S. and Japan.