John Morton
Firecracker American

This Website was inspired by two things, The Tax Day Tea Party and John Morton. The realization that a Political Party will dump on long time members for disagreeing with the Party is an eye opener. The sudden clarity that all politicians, Left and right are all the same, has driven many Americans to start paying attention. Being an American with his or her head in the sand, pretending the people in Washington are there to do the will of the majority of the American people, is no longer an option. Waking up Americans is the number one goal of this website.

The ultimate in freedom fireworks are provided by Firecracker Americans. Discovering that abandoned Americans and John Morton are true American symbols of freedom is the basis of the following article.

No one in the media would publish this article during the week of the 4th of July, 2009. Even though it's time has passed the article speaks volumes about Americans looking for answers and inspiration.

FIRECRACKER AMERICANS
by R.M James

Shooting off fireworks on the Fourth of July has long been an American Tradition. Are Firecracker Americans a lost breed? The sizzle and bang of a firecracker originally represented our country's break for Freedom. Today, Fireworks have escalated. Americans are spending a fortune on all types of pyro-technical devises with the promise of a big bang and flash, but are left with an empty feeling when finished.

I am a thirty two year Democrat. The last election left me with an empty feeling. Sadly, the thing that got us into this mess is what our politicians continue to do. Overspend. Watching these people blow our money, makes Bernie Madoff seem like a lightweight. Yet, no one seems to care. I now realize both parties are the same, Republicans and Democrats. How did “We the people” let this happen? Outraged that my Party had betrayed me, as had the previous administrations, I was considering going to a Tea Party to demonstrate my outrage. But, did I want to protest with a bunch of bitter Republicans? Maybe they were outraged Americans like me, ready for real change.

I decided to educate myself and rediscover what made this country great for over Two centuries. I studied the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution, Reading these timeless documents I realized words written over Two hundred years ago, can easily apply to us today. Do our Representatives in Washington read these documents? As I was looking over the Declaration of Independence, I went through the signers names and researched them on the internet. Iconic leaders like Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin and others believed in less Federal Government and more Local and State governing powers. They had witnessed the unbearable controls the British were inflicting on the helpless Colonials. Taxation without representation. Sound familiar? What about the less known signers of the Declaration of Independence?

I found quite a cast of characters, from all walks of life, with Liberty and Freedom as the same goal. These weren't the big bang names like Franklin and Jefferson, They were what I call Firecracker Americans.

Individually they weren't as well known as the big names, but as a group they made quite a noise. Continuing my research, I came upon John Morton. I wondered, was he from my home town? I'm from Morton, Pennsylvania and I remembered seeing the Morton Homestead on Route 420.

There was much to know about this man's short life, but little has been written. Most information about him has more than one version or interpretation. We know that in 1725 John was born in Ridley Township, Pennsylvania. His father died before he was born. His stepfather, John Sketchley provided much of John's education. He was taught surveying, reading, math and MORAL training from his step father. During John's life, he was well known for helping his neighbors and was considered very honest and trustworthy. Because of the trust in him, John was elected to various positions in colonial Pennsylvania government. He is known for serving as a member of the Stamp Act Congress, First Continental Congress, Second Continental Congress and as Chairman of the committee that adopted our country's first Articles of Confederation.

His place in history is noted simply as, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

But, there's more. On July 1, 1776, Delegates couldn't agree unanimously to ratify the Declaration of Independence. Pennsylvania's representatives were tied at the revote with the final and decisive vote left to John Morton. His friend Ben Franklin convinced him to vote for a future of independence, free from tyranny. The problem for John Morton was that nearly every one of his friends and neighbors were against the vote for independence. They were quite comfortable with life under British rule, despite the heavy tariffs and controls. The underlying reality was, both sides knew battles within the Colonies and against the British were inevitable. The outcome would be devastating to life as they knew it. John's tough decision to vote "Yes" for Independence, despite the predictable outcome, was considered the keystone vote.

John Morton wasn't a bigger than life icon like Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson or George Washington. John Morton was a Firecracker American, one of the courageous and sometimes unknown Americans that voted and fought for our country's freedom regardless of personal risk. A freedom, not rivaled anywhere in the world. John Morton should be the symbol of the "Power of One Vote". His name should be etched into the minds and hearts of Americans everywhere. But it's not. I think he wouldn't have really cared; all he wanted was Liberty and Freedom.

In the spirit of John Morton and other Firecracker Americans, light a firecracker on the Fourth of July to celebrate our Nation's Liberty and Freedom.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!