    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [July 1, 1999]
    [Pages 1108-1109]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message on the Observance of Independence Day, 1999
    July 1, 1999

        I am delighted to join my fellow Americans across the nation and
    around the world in celebrating Independence Day.
        Today we gather with family and friends to commemorate the 223rd
    anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In
    marking this historic event, and in remembering the courage and
    sacrifice of the patriots and soldiers who fought and died that we might
    shape our own destiny, we are truly celebrating the birth of our great
    country.
        Every generation of Americans owes a profound debt of gratitude to
    our Founders for envisioning a nation that, as President Lincoln so
    eloquently put it, was ``conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the
    proposition that all men are created equal.'' Inspired by this same
    vision, we have built together a society in which freedom and democracy
    do more than enlighten our laws and political institutions--they
    permeate our culture and way of life. We have only to look at the recent
    tragic events in Kosovo to recognize how blessed we are to live in a
    land where life, liberty, and equality are cherished rights, upheld by
    courts and custom, and where, as we realize more each day, our

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    diversity is a source of strength rather than a cause for division.
        On this day, as we look back with pride on our heritage of freedom,
    let us look forward as well with renewed hope for the future. Enjoying
    the fruits of a robust economy, the stability of a country at peace, and
    the talents and energy of an increasingly diverse populace, America is
    poised to lead the world into a new millennium full of fresh
    opportunities and challenges.
        Hillary joins me in sending best wishes to all for a wonderful
    Fourth of July.

                                                                Bill Clinton