You've heard it said that most everything travels by truck. That includes an extremely rare, 227-year-old printed copy of the Declaration of Independence that's touring the U.S. The "Dunlap Broadside" is owned by TV mogul Norman Lear, creator of "All in the Family." He bought it at an auction and decided it belonged to the people, not on a wall. Sponsored by Home Depot and with transportation provided by the U.S. Postal Service, the "Independence Road Trip" (independenceroadtrip.org) was born.
Most of us visualize a boldly signed sheet of parchment when we think of the Declaration. That document, now in the National Archives, was drawn up and signed weeks after the Continental Congress ratified the final draft on July 4, 1776. As soon as the wording was approved, a Philadelphia printer named John Dunlap ran off about 200 copies on poster-size paper – "broadsides" – that were rushed on horseback to the 13 colonies to be read to the people and published in colonial newspapers.
The Declaration was a call for revolution. Its creators knew they had to quickly rouse public support for a war against England. That was the reason for this 18th-century Federal Express – to stoke the fires of patriotism, to issue a call to arms. Until recently, only 24 of those original 200 were known to exist. A lucky guy found a 25th under a picture he bought for a few bucks at a flea market. That's the copy Lear eventually purchased.
The exhibit includes a video of a dramatic reading of the Declaration by actors such as Michael Douglas, Mel Gibson, Whoopi Goldberg and Graham Greene. Actor Morgan Freeman introduces the video, remarking the Continental Congress never imagined a black man (nor a woman, for that matter) would some day lecture about their work. But, he reminds us, the beauty of the Declaration is it sets a lofty ideal for human rights and thus impels us to move constantly toward it.
Have you ever read the Declaration of Independence? Most of us remember the introduction's profoundly bold assertion, "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." Much of the rest is a list of causes justifying revolution to other nations and also to the colonists who would have to fight to be free. These causes were current events then, but now require some knowledge of American history to grasp their importance.
But throughout, the words ring and sing like hammers on stone, stirring the blood even now. They still demand that government be answerable to the people, that it tread cautiously when it steps near liberty. As Benjamin Franklin warned, "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
The exhibit stopped in Nashville in November. I asked one of the attendants how it was transported and said something about temperature-controlled trailers. I started to explain, but she said, "I know, my daddy was a trucker."
We both smiled, savoring the thought of such a precious document rolling safely down the road in the hands of a professional driver. It was a nicely completed circle. Some 227 years ago the Congress dispatched a rider with this very paper to some distant town to inspire brave acts of liberty. Today, a diesel-powered descendant is doing the very same thing.
It's been my privilege for the past nine years to be one of Road King's editors and to meet many of you. This issue – which marks Road King's 40th birthday – also marks my departure from the magazine to do some new things. But diesel gets in your blood, and I'll probably keep writing about trucking and truckers. Drop me a line at billhudgins@earthlink.net, and let's catch up. Until then, be safe, make money and get home often.
