    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book I)]
    [June 29, 1993]
    [Page 959]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 959]]

    Message on the Observance of Independence Day, 1993
    June 29, 1993

        On Independence Day, we celebrate the birth of the first and
    greatest democracy of the modern era. The ideals embodied by the
    Declaration of Independence have served as a guide for our nation and as
    an inspiration for people around the world. This document delineated the
    very idea of America, that individual rights are derived not from the
    generosity of the government, but from the hand of the Almighty. The
    Founders forever abandoned their allegiance to the old European notions
    of caste and instead dedicated themselves to the belief that all people
    are created equal.
        The brilliant men who gathered in Philadelphia 218 years ago to
    declare our nation's independence risked their honor, their fortunes,
    and their very lives to create a better future for their children and
    grandchildren. As the inheritors of freedom's legacy, we owe our
    liberties to the fact that our Founders saw the need for dramatic change
    and acted upon it.
        Today, vast changes are sweeping the globe. Nations that have known
    only tyranny for centuries are suddenly dedicating themselves to the
    ideals of freedom and democracy. And wherever freedom is proclaimed,
    echoes of the American Declaration of Independence can be heard. Thomas
    Jefferson's words are being spoken in dozens of nations in hundreds of
    languages.
        We are justly proud of the influence that our beliefs have had on
    the world. But the mission of America is far from complete. While the
    world is filled with opportunity, it is rife with uncertainty. We must
    dedicate ourselves to carrying on the dreams of the Founders and adding
    our own chapter to the unfinished American autobiography. By embracing
    the changes that are altering the landscape of the world today, we help
    ensure a brighter, more democratic, and more peaceful world. On this
    Independence Day, I encourage all Americans to rededicate themselves to
    the conviction that our heroic journey must go forever upward.
        Best wishes to everyone for a wonderful day.

                                                                Bill Clinton