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DECLAUATIOll DECLAUATIOllAi
< 1 1 J r t = Ai II ig DEND w Jis li
TV 1
COpyrIght oy D the S S S McClure com company company1 ¬
pany1 pany1The pany panyThe panyThe
The portraits of the signers of the Dec Declaration Declaration Dertaration ¬
laration of Independence In this article articleare articleare articleare
are believed to be the most complete ever everpublished everpublished
published The best portrait of each sign signer signer signer ¬ I
er has been selected Portraits of all the thesigners theI thesigners thesigners
I
signers save two were made The ex exceptions exceptions exceptions ¬
ceptions are John Morton and Caesar CaesarRodney CaesarRodney CaesarRodney
Rodney Of the former there is no au authentic authentic authentic ¬
and th the latter owing to toa
thentic portrait I Ia f fa
allowed his por portrait pertrait ¬
a scar on hte face never
trait painted The autographs are fac facsimiles tac tacBlmlles facsimiles I
similes of those on the engrossed copy COP of ofthe rr rrthe ofthe
the Declaration of Independence e ethe now in inthe n nthe
the library of the state department departmentWashington departMeZlWasblm departsae nyt nytWashingtoa
Washington WashingtonaHB Wasblm olj oljT j jHE
was wasvery WZlSvery wasvery
congress
aHB lIE Continental
In the spring of orl1i6
very busy bus
T
1776 Its dally sessions wore woretaken weretaken
taken up with th reading of ofletters otletiars offetiers I
letters from the generals of o its army armyaccepting armyncceptint armyaccepting
accepting now companos of militia militiadirecting mUltiadirecting mllttladirecting
directing battalions ard gunpowder gunpowdertoward gunpowdertoward gunpowdertoward
disarm disarming disarmIng disarmIng ¬
toward this or that province
ing people who persisted in refusing refusingto
Great Britain ordering cannon cannoncast i icast
to fight I Icast
the thesuspected thesuspected
cast buying bu 1ng saltpeter imprisoning
suspected voting money for rations rationsand rationsand rationsand I
for forbidding forbidding forbidding ¬
establishing hospitals
and forage < <
bidding trade with England Englandin in short shortwith shortwith
with the carrying on of r vigorous war waragainst warnst waragainst I
against nst a country to which it still stillofficially st111otticlally stillofficially
officially acknowledged allegiance allegianceThis alleianceThis allegianceThis
This condition of affairs had existed existedfor existedtor existedfor
for more than a 8 year Occasionally It ItIs ItIs itis
Is true congress con e s had suspended hoatilities hoa hostilities hoat11Ules ¬
tilities long enough to protest that the thecolonists t thecolonists e ecolonists
colonists were not rebels only peti petitioners petitioners petitioners ¬
tioners in arms bent or setting rig right righttheir tt tttheir t ttheir
their wrongs but the futility of Its Itspetitions i ipetitions i ipetitions
petitions petitions and prayers had gradually graduallyworn gradu graduallyworn 1IY 1IYworn
worn out the patience and hope ofeven of ofeven oreven
even the most mo t loyal of the members membersWhen memborsWhen membersWhen
When congress came together in the thespring thespring thespring
spring of 1776 It was pretty certain certainthat certainthat certainthat
that nobody would advocate another anotherpetition j jpetition j jpetition
petition It was more likely that entire entireseparation entireseparation entireseparation
separation from the mother country countrywas countrywas countrywas
was imminent If there the were many manywho man manwho manywho
who dreaded such a step there were wereothers wertothers wereothers
others who were doing their utmost utmo t to tohasten tohasten tohasten
hasten It It So strong were these tbe e latter latterthat latterthat i
that In May they even forced through throughcongress tbroughcongress throughcongress
congress a resolution calling upon thecolonies the thecolonies thecolonies
colonies to form independent govern governments governments governmeats ¬
ments The Tbe temper which had carriedthis carried carriedthis carriedthis
this revolutionary measure had not notsubsided notsubsided notsubsided
subsided when the news reached Phil Philadelphia Philadelphl Philadelphia ¬
adelphia that the colonial legislature legislatureof
of Virginia had instructed its delegates delegatesto
to congress to bring in a resolution resolutiondeclaring resolutiJndeclaring resolutiondeclaring
declaring tbe united colonies free and andindependent andIndependent andindependent
independent independentIt
It was on June 7 that Richard Henry HenryLee HonoLee HenryLee
Lee tbe spokesman of the Virginia VirginIadelegation Virginiadelegation I Idelegation
delegation arose in congress c ngre s He had badbeen hadbeon hadbeen
been ordered he said e1d by the unani unanimous unttllmous unenimous ¬
mous vote ote of the members of the ooun council oounell ooundl ¬
ell of Virginia to present the follow following followIng following ¬
ing resolution resolutionThat resolutionThat resolutionThat
That these tJte united colonies are and andof andof andof
of right ought to be free and inde independent Independent independent ¬
pendent states that they are absolved absolvedfrom absolvedfrom absolvedfrom
from all allegiance alleg nce to the British Britishcrown Britishcrown Britishcrown
crown that all political connection connectionbetween connectionbetween connectionbetween
between them and Great Britain Is laand Isand isand
and ought to be totally dissolved dissolvedTwo dls dissolvedTwo olved olvedTwo
Two other resolutions followed con contingent contingent j jtlngent
tingent upon the first but it Is not notnecosstUy notnecessary I Inecessary
necessary to consider them hare hareLee hereLee
Lee had not taken his seat before beforethere beforethere beforethere
there was a 8 second to his motion motionIt motionIt
It came from John Adams of Massa Massachusetts M8S58cbusetts Massachusetts ¬
chusetts A more welcome taSk could couldnot couldnot couldnot
not have fallen to a man than this to toJohn toJohn toJohn
John Adams A patriot by choice choicefrom cbolCfrom choicefrom
from the day In 1781 when hen he first firstheard firstheard firstheard
heard James Otis famous speech speechagainst speechagainst speechagainst
against the writs of assistance assi tance he had badfor hadfor hadfor
for years sacrificed business busme s family faml1
health peace of mind to the American Americancause Americancause Americancause
cause He was one of the few who whofrom whotrom whofrom
from the first believed that separation separationwas sop separationwas ratlon ratlonwas
was the only outcome of the conten contention contention contention ¬
tion with Great Britain From the
time he entered the First congress of
the colonies in 1774 he had boldly and
Incessantly advocated independence independenceTo
To see that congress felt It was wasplaying wasplaying wasplaying
playing with fire In considering Mr MrLees MrLees MrLeos
Lees resolution r olutlon one has only to ex examine examine examine ¬
amine the journal of its proceedings proceedingsfor
for June 7 1776 So hazardous was
the matter regarded for those tbo e taking
the Initiative that In recording the theresolutions theresolutions theresolutions
resolutions neither their substance substancenor
nor Mr Lees and Mr Adams names namesare namesare namesare
are mentioned Certain resolutions resolutionssays re resolutionssays oluUons oluUonssays
says tbe journal being moved and andseconded andseconded andseconded
seconded resolved that t the considera consideration consideration consideration ¬
tion of them be deferred until tomor tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow ¬
row morning and that the members membersbe membenbe membersbe
be enjoined to attend promptly at 1 1oclock 10 10oclock 19oclock
oclock In order to take the same Into Intoconslderatlon intoconsideration
consideration They debated all the thenext thenext
next day Saturday and again all day da dafollday dayMonday
Monday on the question Who spoke spokeand spokeand SpokeRnd
and what was said are not certainly
known as the journal has no record recordJohn 1ec recordJohn rd rdJohn
John Adams and his cousn cousin Sam SamRoger S m mRoger
Roger Sherman Oliver Wolcott R H HLee HLee
Lee George Wythe Wtbetbese these were un undoubtedly undoubtedly undoubtedly ¬
doubtedly the great speakers for sepa separation sep sepration separation ¬
ration rationThe rationThe rationThe
The chief opponent Mr Adams Adamsleading Adamleadln Adamsleading
leading leadln antagonist anta nlst was John Dickin Dickinson Dickinson Dickinson ¬
son of Pennsylvania Dickinson At Atthis t tthis tthis
this time was a man fortyfour years yearsof ye yearsof rs rsof
of age three years ears older than AdamH AdamHa
a gentleman who had had as good an aneducation aneducatlon aneducation
education as the colonies afforded and andwho andwho andwho
who had followed It by a term In theTemple the theTemple theTemple
Temple London LondonFrom LcndonFrom LeadenFrom
From the beginning be lnnlng of the trouble troublewith troublewith troublewith
with England he had opposed her on onthe onthe onthe
the ground that her acts were con contrary contrary contrary ¬
trary to English law lawIt lawn lawIt
It was Dickinson then who when whentbe whenthe whenthe
the debate began on Lees motion was waafirst wasfirst wufirst
first on his feet His most practical practicalarguments pracUca1ar practicalarguments
arguments ar ments were that such a declaration declara declaration declaration ¬
tion was premature that the colonies coloniesshould coonleshould coloniesshould
should wait at least until they had hadperfected hadperected hadperfected
perfected their military arrangements arrangementsand arrangementand
and secured if possible the aid of ofFrance atFrance ofFrance
France with which country they were werethen wertthen werethen
then negotiating The names of all allwho aUho allwho
who ho followed Dickinson Dlckln on we do not notknow notknow notknow
know but among them were able and andloyal andloyal andloyal
loyal men menJohnJay menJohn John Jay James Wilson WilsonJames Wl1 WilsonJames on onJames
James Duane Robert R LivingstoneEdward Livingstone LivingstoneEdward LivingstoneEdward
Edward Rutledge Rutledgebut but It was evident evidentfrom evidenttrom evidentfrom
from the beginning of the debate that thatthey thatthey thatthey
they were in the minority mlnorlt The delegates dele delegates delegates ¬
gates of seven colonies colQniesfour four In New NewEngland NewEngland NewEngland
England three In the south southwere southwereeither southwereeither were werecither
either Instructed to vote for inde independence Independence independence ¬
pendence or leaned toward It It Those Thoseof Thoseof Thoseof
of six colonies coloniesNew New York New Jer Jersey Jerse Jersey ¬
sey se Pennsylvania Maryland Delaware Delawareand Delawareand Delawareand
and South Carolina CaroI1nawere were opposed to tothe tothe tothe
the resolution In such a matter matterunanimity matterunanimity matterunanimity
unanimity was of the utmost impor importance Importal1Ce importance ¬
tance and after a three days ays debate debateit
it was decided to postpone a final finalvote finalvote finalvote
vote until the first day of July and In n
Zi
order that no time be oe lost lo t a commit committee committee committee ¬
tee was appointed to prepare a decla declaration declaration declaration ¬
ration suitable sul bJe to lay before the world worldstating worldstating worldstating
stating the grievances which drove drovethem drovethem j jthem
them to separate from Great Britain BritainThe BritainThe BritainThe
The Immortal Committee CommitteeThis CommitteeThis
This committee was appointed by byballot bybaJJot byballot I
ballot on June 11 and consisted ac according according ¬
I Icording
cording to the the3ournal 3ournal of the follow following following ¬
ing gentleman Mr Jefferson Mr J JAdams JAdAms JAdams I
Adams Mr Franklin Mr Sherman 1 1and i iand jand
and Mr R R LivingstoneNaturally Livingstone LivingstoneNaturally e eNaturally
Naturally one would expect to find at atthe atthe atthe
the head of this committee Mr Leo Leowho Leewho Leawho
who bad presented the resolution resolutionThat resolutionThat resolutionThat
That be > was not given ven the place seems seemsto seem seemto seemsto
to be due to one of those nice little littlematters littlematters I
matters of state politics whIch had hadquite hadquite
quite as much Influence with th3 th fa fathers fathors fathorn ¬ 1
thorn as they have today Mr tIre Rich Richard Richard ¬
ard Henry Hent Lee was wa not beloved by his hiscolleagues hiscolleagues
colleagues from Virginia and Mr Jet Jefferson Jettt Jetferson ¬ I
ferson tt > rson was sent up to rival and sup supplant I
plant him So says John Adams Un UnI UnIquestionably j jquestionably Iquestionably
questionably state politics had some sortiething 8O e 1 1thing i ithing
thing to do with the choice of Jeffer J Jefferson etror j json ison
son though as a matter of fact Lee Leewould j jwould I Iwo
would wo ld have been prevented from serv servlug j
ing even If he had been appointed be because becauSt bee
cause of the illness mn of his wife which whichcalled whichcaUed whichcalled
called him away from Philadelphia Philadelphiajust Philadelphiajust
I
just about this time timeJefferson timeJelterson timeJefferson
Jefferson was as a comparatively new newman newman newman
man in congress cot reM He was thirtythree thirtythreeyears thirtythreeye thirtythreeyears
years ye rs v ol ge e at the time and bad been beena I Ia
a member less than a year Even In Inthis InthIs inthis
this time he had not been at all allprominent allprominent i iprominent
prominent t the debates of congress congressJohn j jJohn iJobn
John Adams said that during thej thejwhole the thewhole i iwhole
whole time he sat with him In con i igrass 1 1press Igres
press be never heard him lM utter three threesentences threesentenc8CJ threesentences
sentences together But If silent In Indebate Indebate indebate
debate Jefferson had shown himself himselfprompt himselfrompt himselfprompt
prompt frank explicit and decisive decisiveupon decisiveupon decisiveupon
upon committees and In conversation conversationand conversationand conversationand
and was as looked upon by all allot of the
of
i
a 4d 4dolder
older members searching for young youngtalent younrtaJent youngtalent
talent as one on of the most promising promisingyoung promlslnryoung promisingyoung
young men Virginia had sent up Par Particularly Particularly Particularly ¬
ticularly was he well regarded for his hisabilities blsabmUes hisabilities
abilities as a a writer writerOn writerOn writerOn
On the first meeting of the commit committee commlttfe committee ¬
tee there seems to have been a little littlediscussion IIttledlacusslon littlediscussion
discussion about who really should do dothe dothe dothe
the writing Adams says he be and Jefferson Jef Jefferson Jetfprson ¬
ferson were selected by the committee committeebut committeebut committeebut
but that he h Insisted that Jefferson Jeffersonhimself Jeffersonhimself Jeffersonhimself
himself do It Jefferson denies this thisand thisand thisand
and says MS that the committee pressed pressedhim pressedhim pressedhim
him alone to undertake the draft draftThis draftThJR draftThis
This slight discrepancy dl crfJAncy in the memory memoryof memoryof memoryof
of the two honorable gentlemen gentI men Is of ofno ofno ofno
no importance It was Mr Jefferson Jeffersonwho Je1rersonwho Jeffersonwho
who wrote Vrot the t DeclarationHe Declaration DeclarationHe DtclaratJonHe
He was living at the time the task taskwas taskowaa taskwas
was given Ien him In n a house rather on onthe 011the ottthe
the outskirts of Philadelphia chosen chosenpurposely chosenpUrposely chosenpurposely
purposely because the neighborhood neighborhoodwas
was quiet Here he had rented a sec second sccond seecod ¬
ond floor oor and was accustomed to work workwhenever workwhenever workwhenever
whenever congress congre e a was not In session sessionOn sssionOn sessionOn
On coming up to Philadelphia on this thistrip thistrip thistrip
trip one of hi his first tasks had been to togo togo togo
go to a carpenter and give him a plan planof plano planof
of o a desk he wanted made madea a most mostcharacteristic mostcharacteristic mostcharacteristic
characteristic thing for him to do for forJefferson torJefferson forJefferson
Jefferson was a man who insisted on onplanning onpl onplaning
planning pl planing ning everything which he was to touse touse touse
use whether a private house a pub public pub11c public ¬
lic building bundln in Washington his furni furniture furniture urnlture ¬
ture or his own tomb The desk was wasfourteen wasfourteen wasfourteen
fourteen inches long by ten in breadth breadthand breadthand breadthand
and three In height and it was ou outhis outhIs onthis
this that through the long June days dayshe dll dayshe S Sbe
he labored on the declaration declarationIt
It must be conceded by one who whoreads whJreads whoreads
reads the contemporary literature of ofthe orthe ofthe
the revolution that the gist of the thedocument thedocument thedocument
document which he produced was in ineverybodys Inf ineverybodys
f everybodys mouth What Jefferson Jeffersondid Joffersoni Jeffersondid
i did was to voice In the favorite Eng English EngUsh Bnglish
lish style of the day the spirit of in ini Independence independence
i dependence abroad and to state form formj formally formally
j ally the different grievances of the thei thethirteen thethirteen
i thirteen colonies as a justification of ofi otr ofrevolution
i revolution r olutIon It was a great document documentbecause documentbecause documentbecause
because it expressed more completely completelythan completelythan completelythan
than had yet been done a universal universalconviction univenmlconviction universalconviction
conviction and because of the genius geniusfor geniustor geniusfor
for selection which It t showed In no nosense nosense nosense
sense war It an Invention Years after afterward afterward afterward ¬
ward when its fame had grown critics criticsof criticsof criticsof
of Jefferson J began to sneer at the thej theDeclaration theDeclaration
j Declaration of o Independence as not notoriginal notoriginal
1 original and point out that this phrase
and that this complaint and that that had hadbeen hadbeen hadbeen
been uttered here or there This con controversy conj conjtroveray j jtroversy
troversy was hottest in 1819 when the theMecklenburg theMecklfmburg theMecklenburg
Mecklenburg declaration said to have havebeen havebeen havebeen
been passed by Mecklenburg county countyN countyN countyN
N C In May 1775 was discovered discoveredJefferson discoveredJefr013On discoveredJefferson
Jefferson at once declared to Adams Adamsthat Adamsthat Adamsthat
that he believed the document rpuri rpurious rpurioils purlous
ous and brought forth a long l ng array of otreasons ofreasons i ireasons
reasons to support his belief The Thematter Thematter i imatter
matter became a subject of partisancontroversy partisan partisancontroversy partisancontroversy
controversy The legislature le < < lsJaturG of North NorthCarolina NorthCarol1Da NorthCarolina
Carolina took It up and in 1831 pub publisbed published ub ubUabed
lisbed a pamphlet Ptu1lphlet to prove pro that a adeclaration ad8claratJon adeclaration
declaration of independence was madoj madojIn made madoIn madein
In Mecklenburg tecklenbur county mere than a ayear ayear J Jyear
year before Jefferson J wrote his hisJeffersons hisJeffersons I
Jeffersons Labor LaborSo j jSo
I
So well did Jefferson J do Jls 11 work workthat j
that when hen he submitted d it to Adams Adamsand Adamsand dams i iand
and Franklin before handing bandl g It over overto overto overto
to the committee they made only onlytew a afew afew
few corrections Jefferson J Jed n then wrote wroteout wroteout I Iout
out what he calls a fair copy andj andjturned and andturned i iturned
turned It over to the committee of five fiveThey j jThey i iThey
They found it so good that they theychanged thoycbanged theychanged
changed not a word of it and on the the23th the28th the28th
28th of June the document was vas laidbefore laid laidbefore laidbelore
before congress congressWhile concre congressWhile s sWhile
While Jefferson In his little room at attthe atthe attbe
the corner of Market and Seventh Seventhstreets Seventhstreets Seventhstreets
streets was as laboring over the Decktra DecratJon Deckration j
Uon the country from one end to the theother theother theother
other was busy discussing 1 euJlSlng the subject subjectIn I IIn I IIn
In the states whir where the sentiment for forindependence torindependence forindependence
independence was strong strongthat that is in inNew InNew inNew
New England and the south souththe the ex exultation cxultatlon ¬
I IuJtatlon
ultation was great gre t and the colonialcongresses colonial colonialcongresses j jconsre
congresses consre e Sons of Liberty commit csmmittees cemmlttees committees
tees and town meetings worked with withrenewed withrenewed Withrenewed
renewed energy the t be excitement pene penetrating penetratlng pesotrating ¬
trating to the most remote settle settlements sottlemoots settlemoats ¬
moots Heavy pressure pres ure was brought broughton
on the colonies which hleh up to this time timehad tfmehad timehad
had been against separation by then thendiscussions the thediscussions I Idtscu
discussions dtscu lon in newspapers and pam pamphlets pamphleta pamphlets ¬
phlets and by the debates In assemplies assem assemblies as em eml1es ¬
plies l1es conventions committees of safe safety safety safety ¬
ty and of inspection and in town and andcounty andcounty andcounty
county meetings The whole people peoplesoon peoploSOft peoplesoon
soon became familiar with the ques question question question ¬
tion and their councils began to feel feelthe reelthe feelthe
the effect of the popular agitation
lution He was the colossus of that thatdebate thatdebate thatdebate
debate said Jefferson afterward The Theentire i ientire j jentire
entire day of July 1 was spent on the tbequestion theequestion i iquestion
question and at night congress was wasstill wasstill j jstill
still unwilling to take a final vote and andso j jso
so adjourned the decision until the 2d 2dThe d dThe i iThe
The night was spent In excited work1 work1Four work workFour workFour
Four colonies colonlesNew New York Pennsyl Pennsylvanln Pennsylvania j jvanla
vanla Delaware and South Carolina Carolinastill Carollnasun Carolinastill
still held back but before be re congress congre as assembled assembled j jsembled
sembled the next n < xt morning a majority majortyyfor majorityfor majorjtytor
for the resolution had been secured in Ineach Ineach j jeach
each delegation excepting exc ptlng that tb of New NewYork NewYork NewYork
York each colony had one vote in the theContlnental 1 1Continental j
Continental congress a majority of the thedelegation thedeJegation thedelegation
delegation delegation of the colony colort deciding kUng what whatthat j jthat ithat
that should be New York withheld withheldher i iher iher
her vote entirely on the 2dl 24 so thatwhen that thatwhen +
when the vote was finally taken twelve twelvecolonies twetvtcolonlos twelvecolonies I
colonies were ready to declare that thatthese lbalthMe thatthese
these united colonies are ra and of ofright otrlcbt ofright
right ought to be free and icddpead IFdepead IFdepeadent Itdepeeadent j jant
ent j jAs iAs jAs
As a matter of fact the passing pa nc of ofMr j IMr
Mr Lees Lee resolution re olutlon effected e < < the HP Pepa1 Pepa1ration epa j jration iratSon
ration of the colonies frm fry m Great Bdtsin BrIt Brttain BrItaln
ain and the 2d of July is realty lade 1D Iadependence e i ipendence ipende
pendence pende > nce day It was this day Jobnj Jooo I IAdams jAdams
Adams wrote his wife on July 3 that thatfuture thatfuture i ifuturo
future generations ge eraUoD would celebrate jThe j jThe iThe
The second day of July 177f wW be Ithe i ithe ithe
the most memorable pocba In the t e Ms Watory j
j jto
tory of America he wrote I am apt aptto aptto
to believe bdi ve e that it will w t be celebrated by bysucceeding byuceeedlnc bysucceeding
succeeding generations as toe great greatanniversary grtamdveraary greatanniversary
anniversary festival te tlval It ought te 8 be becommemorated becommemorated becommemorated
commemorated as the t e day of deliver deliveraace deliver deliverance I Iace
aace ace by solemn nn acts of devotion to toGod toGod toGod
God Almighty It ought to be solemn solemnized solemnised emA emAlzed ¬
ized with pomp and parade para e with withshows withsbows withshows
shows games sports guns bells boa boafires bo boAres boaAres
Ares and illuminations from rom one end endi endof endof I Iot i
of this continent to the other rom rommthis romthis OIn OInthis
this time forward for evermore evermoreBut evermoreBut evermoreBut
But it was oa July 4 that the docu document document document ¬
ment which makes keB the forma expres expresston expresalon expresslop
slop of independence was adopted adoptedThat
That formal Declaration came before beforethe beforethe beforethe
the house immediately after the adop adoption i ition Itlon
tion of Lees resolution and was taken takenup j jup j
up clause by clause clau for debate The Themembers Themembers Themembers >
members after their two days strug struggle struggle
gle were not in any mood to deal
Not only were the councils at home homebesieged bomebe homebesieged
besieged be Iele4 by the t e advocates of independ independence Independeooe1etters indopendonceletters ¬
eooe1etters ence letters re resolutions ohltioos and petitionswere petitions petitionswere peUtloaswere
were showered on the delegates in incongress IncOngreM incongress
congress The delegates of Pennsyl Pennsylvania Peunsylanl Pennsylvanle ¬
vania anl had been strictly ordered to re reject reject ref ¬
f ject any proposition for Independence Independencebut
i
but the Radical party part of the colony colonybad colonyI colonyhad
I bad before this taken tak n matters into Its Itsown Itsown itsown
own hands and by an interesting revo revolutlon j
lution quite worthy of the French Frenchpatriots Frenchpatriots I
i patriots of 1792 they succeeded in over overpowering oerpowering overpowering ¬
powering the regular assembly a embly and andforwarded andforwarded andforwarded
forwarded a message ms age to congress con 08S favoring fa favorlng tavorlng
vorlng independence New Jersey Jerseytoo Jerseytoo Jerseytoo
too sent new delegates instructed forthe for forthe lorthe
the resolution if they thought it nec necessary necessary necessary ¬
essary or expedient On June 17 Wil William WIlIIam Wil11am ¬
liam Whipple wrote back to New NewHampshire NewHampshire NewHampshire
Hampshire that there had been a great greatchange grOlltchange greatchange
change in the sentiment ntlment of congress congresssince con congresssince gross grosssince
since his arrival and on June 25 5 El Elbridge EIbridge Elbridge
bridge Gerry wrote to his friend James JameaWarren JamesWarren I IWarren
Warren in Boston that it appeared to tohim tohim tohim
him there was not even a doubt of ofany ofany ofany
any colony in the country excepting exceptingNew exceptnsNew exceptingNew
New York and Maryland MarylandAs
As the first day of July approached approachedthe j
the excitement in 1ncongress congress Increased IncreasedAlthough IncreasedAlthough IncreasedAlthough
Although we have no records of o the thedebate thedebate j
debate it is evident that in the in Intervals intervals j jtervals
tervals between reading reports from fromthe fromthe i ithe
the army and voting money for gun gunpowder gunpowder gunpowder
powder and cannon th tlvt two parties partieswere partieswere partieswere
were exercising exercJ tng their utmost influence influencefor inlluencefor influencefor
for and against th the Declaration The Thenumbers Thenumbers Thenumbers
numbers for independence were grad gradually gradua1ly gradwally ¬
wally creeping up and every change changeof changeot changeof
of front became a matter of the most mostdramatic mostdramatic mostdramatic
dramatic interest interestThe InterestTbt interestThe
The resolution was brought to vote voteon voteon ot oton
on the first day of July some fifty fiftyone fiftyone I Ione
one members being befn present in con congress congre congrass ¬
grass gre s That It would have a majority majorlo majorlowas majoritywas i iwas
was certain but something somethtn more than thana
a majority was necessary nece ary everybody everybodyI
I felt On the morning of the 1st Just justas i ias Ias
as congress con e was about to enter on the thedebate tMdebate thedebate
debate the hearts of John Adams ani an I Ihis I8S5OCfatea fhis
his associates were made glad by b the thearrival thearrival
j arrival ofdelegates of delegates from m Maryland MarylandJ MaryltuldInstructed MarylandInstructed
J instructed to give a unanimous vote voteMatters Ota
i Matters looked so K propitious that tlmtAdams thatAdams
I Adams wanted the vote ote taken at once oncebut oncebut 1 1but
but New Jersey J rsey was unwilling She SheI Shebad Shehad
+ I had given Iven her delegates permission to tosupport tosupport tosupport
support Independence if they thought thoughtIt
It expedient they had arrived only on onthe ODtbe onthe
the 28th and very naturally they want wanted j jed ied
ed t to j hear the arguments So to toAdams toAdams j
i Adams disgust the debate Begun bLogunJ bean 0 0again i iagain
J again againNever j II
I Never was Adams more powerful powerfulthan powerfulthan i
than in this final debate on Lees reso j 1
easily with 7 th Mr Jefferseas Je < < erMRs erMRsOn predict predictOn pcodwcasn pcodwcasnOn
On the contrary they set themselvesvigorously themselves themselvesvigorously t el Hh8S Hh8Svl
vl vigorously rou ly to putt it to pieces piecesWith pecsWith placesWith
With two exceptions the t changes changesthey dlaAgeethey cbsngeathey
they made were verbal and to the thegreat thegreat thegreat
great improvement of the document documentThe docuMentTbe documentThe
The two really important Jm t points ts whioh whiohcongress wtalohCODCrftlS WWohcongress
congress refused retu ed to allow to go 0 late late3r Jator lateMr
3r r Jeffersons paper were weftrst first a aparagraph 8para aparagraph
paragraph para aph In which he arraigned a with withterrible withterrible withterrible
terrible severity the slave tra traffic Ic c and andsecond andd andsecond
second d a charge that the English peo people people peeple ¬
ple had been equally guilty p ty toward towardAmerica towardAmerica towardAmerica
America with the king and parlfameat parlia parliament partiament ¬
ment mentThe meatThe mentThe
The free criticism of the Declaration Declarationindulged DeclarationIndul DeclarationIndulged
indulged Indul ed in during the debate annoyed annoyedMr annoyedMr annoyedMr
Mr Jefferson 8Xceedln exceedingly ly He made it ita Ita ita
a a point of courtesy tereply t to reply to none of ofit oCIt ofit
It but It was easy tope to a that be took tookit tookit
it badly Dr Franklin was by his aid aidand sidand midc midcand
and observing his nervousness tried triedto triedto triedto
to ease the situation by telling him himstory a astory astory
story storyI
I have made It a rule said Franklin Frank Franklin FrankItn ¬
lin whenever in my m power to avoid avoidbecoming avoidbecomfD avoidbecoming
becoming becomfD the draftsman of papers to tobe tobe tobe
be reviewed by a public body I took tookmy tookmy tookmy
my lesson from an incident which I Iwill Iwill
will relate to you When I was a jour journeyman jourDeJlman journeyman ¬
neyman printer one of my compan companions compan1oes companions ¬
ions an apprentice apprentJ batter having havingserved lIavingserved havingserved
served out his term was about t to open openshop openshop openshop
shop for himself His first concern concernwas concernwas concernwas
was to 0 have a handsome baad80mewlpbo signboardwith signboard signboardwith rd rdwith
with a proper Inscription He composed com composed oompo ¬
posed po ed it in these words wor John Thomp Thompson Thompson Thompson ¬
son Hatter Makes and Sella Hats For ForReady ForReady ForReady
Ready Money with a figure of o a batsubjoined bat batsubjoined batsubjoined
subjoined bat be thought tbotl < < bt he would wouldsubmit wouklsubmit wouldsubmit
submit It to his friends for their theiramendments theiramendments theiramendments
amendments The first he showed it itto itto t tto
to thought thou hl the word won hatter tltutoio tltutoiogoes tautolo tautologoes utolo utologoua
goes because followed by the words wordsmakes wordsmakes wordsmakes
makes hats which showed he was a ahatter abatter ahatter
hatter It was struck out The next nextobserved nettobaerved nextobserved
observed that the word makes might mightas
as well be omitted because becau his ctetomers cus customers customers ¬
tomers would not care who 00 made the thehots thshats th thhats
hats If good and to their mind they theywould theywould theywould
would buy by whomever wbomevermade made He Hestruck Hestruck Hestruck
struck it out A third said he thought thoughtthe tbots thoughtthe ht htthe
the words for ready rM r money mone were use useless useless useless ¬
less as it was not the custom of the theplace thuplace thtaplace
place to sell on credit Every Every one whe whepurchased whepurcha whopurchased
purchased purcha ed expected to p pay y They Theywere Ttte Tttewere Theywere
were parted with and the Inscription Inscriptionnow IDscriptlOIlnow
now stood Jobs Thompson Sells Hats HatsSells HatsSells HatsSells
Sells hats said his next friend Why Whynobody Whynobody Whyynobody
nobody will expect you to give themaway them themaway themaway
away What then Is the use of that thatword tMtword thatword
word It was stricken out out and hatsfollowed hats batsfollowed hatsfoHowed
followed it the rather as there was wasone wasone wasone
one painted on the board So the In mI ¬
I
scription was reduced ultimately to toJohn toJohft wJobs
John Thompson Tbomp oc with the figure ofV ofVhat otiabat ofa ofahat
hat subjoined subjoinedFranklins subjoinedFrankltas i iFranklins
Franklins story did not restore r Jetfersons Jet Jeffersons Jetforsons ¬
fersons equanimity In the week fol following teI1owfn following ¬
lowing 1owfn tb the debate be mad at least leastfive t ttve leastfive
five drafts of the document as he beewrote hewrote i
wrote it and marling eareftttty the thechanges thecbanc thechange
changes cbanc and omissions of congress CJOaKr S seat seatthem seattbaan i ithem
them to friends One of these h e eti be sent sentto i ito
to ti Richard Henry ary Lee Y You wm wmjudce U Ujadge j
judge whether it i is better or worse j jfor Ifor
for the critics he b hie wrote Lea LeaEven i
Even time > did not quite core Jeffer Jefferson j
son S of his resentment and what heII heIIca he hecame hecam
came ca to write Ws Is memoirs he said saidrather 8 asidrather I
rather sarcastically 1Iarcast14an fa explanation of ofthe efthe c cthe
the two major Amtasions d nml siona The r ptrnU ptrnUteaimoue JNIIIIIdea psaqlealmous
teaimoue idea that we had friend trIe In InEngland InEndaDd inEngland
England worth keeping terms with wfthstill with8tt1t withstill
still haunted the minds of many JDaII For Ferthis Forthis I Ithis
this reason rN OD those tb e pemages which W COB eoBTerd conveyed j
veyed censure rfr nn the t f people of Eng EaKJan En Enland England
land Jan were struck out at lest they should shouldgive i
i
give offense The clause
too reprobat reprebetbeg reprobating reprobatI
beg I the easteviag eaMvt inhabitants of Africa i iwas iwas iwas
was struck out in comptaisaace toj tojSouth te I ISotItk jSouth
South CaroUaa CaroU a and Georgia who w o hmdj hmdjavr had 11MAeYer hadnever
never attempted to restrain the t e ha Innportatloo j jportattoo i ipoI1atioo
portattoo 0 at slaves and who oa the thecontrary t thecontrary i
contrary still tW wished to continue it itOcr itOcr itOrr
Ocr northern DOrtM > rD brethren also I believe believefelt bdkoefelt i ifelt
felt a little tender ten er under those cen ceRBare c en ensurer j jsores
sores for though their people had very ftrYfew veryfew I Ifew
few slaves themselves tbemeetY yet et they hadbees had hadbeen 11Mbeeft
been pretty considerable carriers of ofthem orthem ofthem
them to others othersJust AtherSJut othersJust
Just how long loR < < the debate oa the theDeclaration tMDeclaradoD theDeclaration
Declaration continued ea the Stoerth is isunknown IsunkDcwn isunknown
unknown While It was going KOhI oa tIM theradicals tneradicals tIMradiea1s
radicals were marshaling all their theirstrength theirstrength theirstrength
strength to secure secur a a big vote JCeKaaa Me3lveaof JCeKaaaof Kdeaaof
of Delaware even seat aa a express expr at athis atown athis
his own expense to Dover for Caesar CaesarRodney CaesarRodney CaesarRodney
Rodney I I met him at the statehouse
J nM
u6arrrG yb y
door In his boots wrote McKean McKeanafterward Mee1eanafterward cKeaR cKeaRaterwar
afterward He H resided re lded eighty ariies iks ikstrout I ItnNB
from the ctty aDd arrived jaW as eoagrmet eoa eoagress eoRzre
zre grmet grmetIt gress s mat matIt I IIt
It was probably p late in the n afteraooa afteraooawhen atterDORwhen afteraaeawhen
when according to the journal the vote votewas voWwas
was 18 taken and tb the Declaration was wasagreed wasacreed wasagreed
agreed to Forty out of fifty attybers f mem members menabets
bers present are supposed to bar barvoted ha havoted have havevoted
voted for it including 0IhI on member raeraberi memberfrom memberfrom
i from New York YorkHearY Henry Whater The Thei TtMdocument Tiedocument
i document was then ordered o lend auihra autaaticated utMnUcat
j ticated Ucat aDd printed It is improbable improbablei fmprobebIethat
i i that there was any any signing oa that thatday thatday
j day excepting e that by John Hancockthe Hancock Haacoekthe Ba8coektJM
the president pre ldent and Charles Thompsoa Tboempeoathe Thompsoai Tbom Tbomtbe
i the secretary Their names were put putto potto Nt Ntto
to the copy which Mr Mr t Jefferson Jeflel8ORprosented hadpresented had hadpresented
presented but no others o en as iadeed JatM ladeadj d dwould
i would have been unwise It was wasimportaDt atoec amoetV
i V important that the document have Itye a auanJmous aunanimous
unnnimous approval if possible po sIWe By a altttle alittle
little waiting and amaewveriag it itseemed itseemed itseemed
seemed pretty certain to the wisermembers wiser wiserI wt er ermembers
I members of congress that t at this vaa vaaj 1IIWDlml
I j nimity Dlml could be securedNot securedNot secured securedNot
Not Generally SioR Siped S + yrsd d on the Feftrth FagrtiaNot FeftrthNot F FNot
Not only was there no general sign signing IIIpJug signlag ¬
Jug or o the Declaration of Tndrpcndcaca Tndrpcndcacai I IOft
i on the 4th of July 177 1178 bet tradition tnwtItIoabas traditionhas tradfttoahas
has invested the day a7 with wit other ara arajmatic tk tki dra dramastic
jmatic i made features which uitfeappfty y are arefalse areI arefalse
I false It is a 8 pity not to believe ve as asmoat 2Smot asmost
moat of us were wer taac taught t that what wbII the
i debate was under way wayThere WIIJIne waywas
There was tuatatt hi tta tbs dry
ia I the quaint mt elf M Quaker Qoak Qoaka tow towa town towna
a a pity not t be aal aWe to 0 tell t I the thestory tkBtor7 thestory
story of I the gray haired eeK ringer riagecsitting riqesittfnc ringersitting
sitting with one hand act ready react oa the theclapper theclaPI thedapper
clapper claPI of his bI bell until ttt he hears hearsyoung 1teanOUDC a ayoung
young voice oIce crying RtIa Ring grandpa grandparing CraDd grandparing a arlDC
ring O Oh ring for liberty i Aa Aamatter a amatter amatter
matter of fact fact t the meetings of COB oaagreas COBetJ8 eongreen
green etJ8 were w e held behind be btd dosed doorsand doors doersaad doorswhile
and while ft was well known hi ra the thecoffee tMcoffee thecoffee
coffee houses of the city that Mr Leesresolution Lees Leesresolution Leesre30lutJoo
resolution had Deft voted ea favorably favorablyand 1aYOc 1aYOcaDd favorablyand
and no doubt dou too that a formal decla declaration deeIaraUon dedaratios ¬
ration embodying < < It way wa under con consideration eoRs1denttloR eonsideretion ¬
sideration no ervwo eNW erewds surrounded Independence In Ini Independence
i dependence ban that day There was wasno WBSno wasno
no small boy ao squealing of 0 the Lb Lberty LibertY Libterty
erty bell hellindeed belli beltlacleed
i Indeed It was not watil July 9 that thatthe UIatt1M at atthe
the Declaration appeared hi the Pena Peaasylvania P Psylvania Penasylvania
sylvania Packet On 0 the Sth 8t it was wasread W8read wasroad
read in the statehouse yard Thepatriots The Thepatriots
I patriots turned out in a great crowd
and the reader Joha Ntxoc was cheered cheer cheered cIIeered ¬
ed to the echo After the tiletbe eereafoar eereafoarthe oereaionythe
the crowd turned Its attention to t to the thekings tJtecaet thekings
kings coat of arms which was w sea svspeode avapeDCIetI seaover
peode over the doorway oocwa7 in the court cotirtreoai eoortr courtreoah
reoai r of the statehouse tearing it itocta itaDd Ittioln
octa aDd taking tt out acd burning It Itla It ItJJI ItIn
la away Y places t tile e reading of the theDedacadoa thewb5dI theDecIer
DecIer Dedacadoa t1 which had been ordered orderedby onI orderedby < < ed edby
by congress was attended by sfanilar sfanilaracts sIm slmparacts al alacts
acts of destruction Thus fa ia NewYork New NewYork NrNYork
York the Sons of Freedom tore down downaa downaa downan
aa equestrian stature of George in inwhich mwJdcb IIILwhich
which stood ea n Bowling Greer and andturned aDdturDed andturned
turned the t momuneat over ov to the t e au authorities authorWets aathotities ¬
thorities with the ottler ord to rua thelead the thelead thelad
lead Into nto inlets ta In Baltimore BaltImoIeaICY the theefflgy theedip
efflgy aICY of our hue king was carted cartedthrough cartedtIUouch cartedthrough
through the town and lid committed to tohaaareoa tothe j
the flames amidst tta the aeaaaetttlcea aer 1IIDSdcm 0 of ofhundreds I Ithe
haaareoa the records recDI say la Sa Savannah SaYaIlDah Savannah ¬
vannah la kuftuat wat at the Ie reading readt readtthere
there was a great eat procession pru e almost almostthe almo8tthe almostthe
the whole town ranting oat to inter lateran interAs IIaI8aa
aa silty II ot Ids majesty King George GeorgeIIL
m mAs
As a whole the detaoascradeas detaoascradeasaoisyor demomf tone 1 AtIeB were wereJIOt werenot
not < aoisyor noisy or t leatracthre The army armywkfca armywhich raY raYwIde
which wIde aright MI t have Mea expected expeetedIIdIdp te tevindictive toIndulge
Indulge ill same vindictive ria dM e per pertbe perNCehd perfononeest
fononeest NCehd the news quietly etiletlyaad 1I1detIYaad quietlysad
aad in many caste QM the people seemed seemedto eemedto
to feel deeply the solemnity sol mntty of thes the thestep thesep
step s = op which congress coacr had taken and tohave to tohave tollaTe
have rightly eoajelnded oo laied that prayers prayerswere Jla7ft3w prayerswere
were w more appropriate approp ate te the occasfoa occasfoathan occuIoatbaa ocoalbathan
than the tearing down do < f statues tues Th Thonly The Ttw0Dty Theonly
only colony which bIdI had refused to vote votetor YOtetor votefor
tor Lees Lee relotutioa reloIudcta udoa oa the t I 3d 4 was wasNew wasHn wasNew
New York No sooner had the vote votebeea yotebeea votebeen
beea taken than the a delegates l1el r v frromthat from fromthat fromtIaat
that state seat a letter posthaste posthasteasking posthasteasking e eaaIdD
aaIdD asking what was to be b their t eir Mae ot otaction otaeUon ofactin
action thereafter On July 9 the pro prowas proTfDdaI provinclal
TfDdaI emgreru fit New York which whichwas wde wdeIn
was In nreaion at White Plains repliedthat replied repliedthat repIWtbat
that the reasons rea assigned by 1 7 the Con Continental CoBtbaeataJ Coatinentai ¬
tinental congress eoacr for declaring the theunited theUAIted theunited
united colonies free tr and independent independentstates lD4 independentstates fIIt fIItstates
states are cogent and rondnstve andthat andthat and andthat
that while we lament JaJDe t the cruel neces necessity aeeessity necessity ¬
sity which has rendered that mtaaurennav measure measureunavoidable JllelUABeUDaTOlclable
unavoidable nnav oidab koidabk we approve the same me and andtunes aMwW andwill
wW at tile rI risk ot oar 1he liver and for fIKtun fortunes
tunes tun Join with the other 0 Ier colonies hi ssupporting hisupporting IIIauPPOrtlDc
supporting ft Congress Caa as was BOW newunanimous BOWunanimous JMMrunaatmous
unanimous oa independence tedepeadeaeOn JDcIepeadnacLOn
On Aug 2 a committee appointed oa oaof ORJaly onJuly
July l 11 to prepare aa engrossed copy eDPJot copyof
of the DeeIaIa Declaration oa for signing 1 DC laid It Itbefore Itbefore Itbefore
before congress eoacre Many aay of the men menwho menwho menwho
who had fought over It oa tile 4th 4 1 of ofJuly oCJaJ ofJuly
July JaJ were still present but tot the themeantime they thesmenatle
meantime away y new delegates hadf had hadicome ladi
i icome come to Phttaoetpala so that there thereaoChing t therewere ere erew
w were a number bel pret present ellt who hIIII MId lmdnothing MIdJIedIbI
nothing JIedIbI to do with wIt the t e original act et etadaption etailJdoD ofadoption
adoption Just what happened at theswing the thesigning t e eIIIpdIIc
signing we do not know any aD more than thaawe tIIaawe thanwe
we know mow the details of the debate hi hithe Iathe Inthe
the critical days when it was under underconsideratioa UDdereonIIkIwadcNL undereordderation
consideratioa One thing kt certain sxrtILhowever certainhowever certa1ahow
however how Serious as this matter of ofsigning otreaDy ofsigning
signing really was nobody ao ody hesitatedGive hesitated hesitatedGhre be8itatedGIT
GIT Give me liberty et or give me deathlwas deathl deathwas deathlwa
was wa ao mere JDeIe phrase J KaM for these the e men menThey meRThey menThey
They had weighed w its grim mean meaning meaningsnd tn tnd In j jand
and d deliberately accepted the alters alternative aItenaatlve altersfive ¬
five They even took up p with jests jeststhe jMtstlw jeststhe
the matter matt of putting then names to isa toa taa
a document which wide it the colonies were weredefeated W Wfeated woredefeated < <
defeated feated w wto would ardyr rely send then all allto altto
to the gallows There ThereJohn John BuD may manyread mayread Y Yread
read my name without wItbotItsaJd spectacles spectaclessaid spectackasaid
said John Hancock as he made tbe big bignourish bigftourlab bigQouriah
nourish with which we are so familiar fainfliarfrom famDiarfrom familiarfrom
from facsimiles n of the Declarationwe Declaration DeclarationWe DeclarationW
W We must be uaaohneua t be said saidagain saida saidagain
again a bL There must be ao pulling different dif different dUf ¬
ferent f < < eat ways we must 18 aB hang to together toxedaK togetbet ¬
gether And Franklin replied We Wely Wemust WeIDdee4
must Indeed all bang IuIc teethe or most mostwe mostasuwnredly
asuwnredly we sbaI1 an 11 Lanz separate 8epUaterIMn separately
ly There go 0 a few mfllkms IIJ H said saidone aielODe saidone
one of the members as John Carroll Carrollof CarroIJof Carrollof
of CarroDton then the richest man ofthe of oftbe otthe
the colonies eoIoD put Nt ate same to theDeclarati the theDeclaration tbeDeclaratbL
Declaration DeclarationThe DeclaratbLThe Declarati DeclaratiTh
The Th e great eat charter et freedom was wasnow wasnow wasnow
now complete and while its makers makerswere makerswere makerswere
were struggling to prove that it was wassomething Jra8somethtDs wassomething
something more than rhetoric the thedocument thedocumeDt thedocument
document Itself followed the danger dangerous cJaDceroW dangerone ¬
one wanderings of he Continental Continentalcongress Coatlnentalcoqrea Continentalcongress
congress la 1789 l 1S when that body bodymade bod7made bodymade
made way 2 for the he first federal eoa eoagress eoaJaes1L eon eongres
gress the Declaration was confided caaftde4the t ttbe to tothe
the state department depaart mrd of the new gov government fPFemment government ¬
ernment It bad a companion nowthe now nowthe JIOWthe
the constitution eo Hluduu of the t United StatepIOOt States Statesa
a nobie proof that the sentiment t of ofindependence oflDiI ofi
I independence lDiI i d pende JJeole ce which had brought it itinto Itlito
into lito existence far from be bPJu being z t bar
r rea enthudssn eDt eapabIe only or e1o dofnent e1oeat
event eat declamation tIoe was a vital force forcewhich r rwIdeIa forcewhich
which could raise armies win battles bankssisrvs battlesstarve battJesaacJ
starve and freeze tree and still have Ute Mfeaad Utemc1 Itfesaid
said courage eon rage to devise and put tote toteAs tDtea intooperation
operation a great rat govenment govenmentAs co rt rtAfc
As the a years NarS went oa the veneration veaeraUoaf
et f the people for r the Declaration D < < IaratIoR et etIndependence 9tIadt1WD
Independence Iadt1WD HIce grew The demand to tosee totn tosee
see the tn document aoe t to read K its text and aadexamine aD8exaIDe andexamine
examine ft Its signature t1Ire steadily sttd y increased ia iacreaaed mc
creased c with this feels fMln of revereaca rearerescaThe revereacaThe 1 6 6Tb
The Tb government t naturally sought t tatisfy t tsatisfy tit tittbty
satisfy tbty fife t desire bet unhappily to todoing Iedobut Indoing
doing so ft allowed great at harm to tocome tocome
come to the origi original al Early la thecentury the thecentury tb
century the n ink was faded ta eII and the theparchment thet theparchment
parchment t Injured te securing a afac afac1dmIl tic facsimile ticaimfe ¬
simile for Baddag ktac a copperplate copperplateStm copperplateStm copperplateStm
Stm further t1I < < injury was done when tt ttwas ttwu itwas
was placed on exUbtticn in a strong
light m ta 1J4S it remained thus ex exposed ¬
posed until 1IIItI some of the signatures had hadentirely hadentirely
entirely futirel vanished Finally hi lei tile tbestate tilestate thestate
state department realised that te care careless eareJess ereha
i less good OOcl nature It was aflowia allowing the thegreat theget
j i great charter ehart to fade fa e away Steps Stepswere SJ SJwere Stepswere
i were at once taken then to preserve pr erve it itIt ItIt itIt
j It was carefully covered and placed In hia Indra Ina
a drawer dra in a steel eeI case specially pre prepared pnPHed propared ¬
pared for Its reception aad a facsimile facsimilehung fae facsimilehung ImI1e ImI1eJnmc
hung hi the place it once occupied At Atthe Att
1 the t e same time steps were takes take to topreserve totIftene topreserve
preserve the tb original u1 copperplate copper late by byhaving byhaYlDc byhaving
having electrotype copies copIathat made se sethat ssthat
that the original might be put P8 into intofireproof IBtoArepnoe a aireproot
fireproof safe The document ttaelf is isi isthus isthus
i thus finally protected proteet The TII6tnltbs gr groat groatj at attruths
j truths for which It stands are aneasQy not se sej aseasily
j easily preserved pr eserved Tbe eternal watch watchfumes watdafUme
f fumes of those who loft liberty for lorfts forIta foeIbt
fts own sake Is aO that wffi secure seeurethe securethe = are arespbit
the spirit of the Declarative of 0 lade ladependence IwkI
i I pendence Heace The be exercise exent of this tIIk1a vhjl vhjllance vigilance
lance 1a is the supreme me and enduring eD6h con concern CIODeern enBerm ¬
cern of the nation mtlofThe aat1oaThe nationThe
The First Siiir SiiirAbout Ship S Swbeidr SwbeidrAbout bs aV aVAbout
About the first ship subsidy ever everlinown eyerDOWD evermown
linown mown was that given by Ferdinand Ferdinandaad lISdIDaDdand Pierd1nandand
and Isabella of Spain to Columbus Columbuswhen ColumbusbeD Columbusi
i when beD he sailed west we tor the Indies DdIMlouD4 and aadround andfeud
round America IDfttCa
i 4 J
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Jr
ttJ
If
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Jd
zd
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a
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