A spurious publication. Neither was there an edition published at Philadelphia, nor was such an oration ever delivered by Adams.
"Its spuriousness was not suspected in England, where its effect had been the principal object of the author ... Though the oration is dated nearly a month after the Declaration of Independence, it is silent as to that event, which the unceasing efforts of Adams had particularly pushed to consumation, showing that the author (evidently in London) was ignorant of the Declaration. The title-page gives no name to the new-born nation, substituting stars for what clearly was unknown and only surmised"-- W.V. Wells, The life and public services of Samuel Adams, v. 2, p. 440.