On July 8, 1775, Colonel John Nixon read the Declaration of Independence to a crowd in Philadelphia. In honor of that moment, David Maupin, who was dressed as General George Washington, did the same on the Audrain County Courthouse steps 250 years later. 

Mexico joined communities across the country for a simultaneous reading of segments of the Declaration of Independence on July 8 — an event orchestrated by the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission. Mexico’s semiquincentennial was hosted by the Mexico Village Square Association and Mainstreet Mexico and held on the square in front of the Audrain County Courthouse.

The Brass Brothers and Sisters, dressed in red, white and blue, drew spectators to the square with patriotic Jazz while the Audrain Cattleman’s association grilled complementary hot dogs. The colors were presented by Centralia VFW colorguard members Jerry Patton and Ed Torreyson and Miss Audrain Amanda Kelly, Miss Brick City Halie Hebron and Miss Audrain’s Teen Autumn Daras lead the Pledge of Allegiance. Rev. Dr. Aniya Shivers performed the National Anthem before Tony Robertson, the evening’s guest speaker, made some historic remarks. 

When Robertson was 6 years old, he had his first experience celebrating a national milestone — America’s bicentennial in 1976. He still remembers the parades, singing television specials on America’s founding, commemorative quarters and other memorabilia . 

“Now, here we are, 50 years later, celebrating another national milestone,” he said. 

However pleasant his memories are, Robertson explained that the nation was born in controversy. 

“The men and women who brought our independence about, risked their very lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to remake an entire society,” he said. 

Unlike the French, Russian and Chinese revolutions, the American Revolution did not end in war, misery and tyranny, Roberton said. 

“Our forefathers established our republic as a government of laws, not men,” he said. “They recognized that the rights of humankind derive not from man, not from a dynastic family, not from elected officials, but from that divine power. When that is at the core of a national belief and creed, then no tyrant, no dictator, no polyphero, can take them away from us.” 

“We owe our revolutionary generation a debt of gratitude, not because they were perfect, or because they were just to all, but because they laid a foundation on which we could improve.” 

For more photos, see The Mexico Ledger's Online photo galleries.