Washington telegraph., 1851-04-30

DRAFT OF THE DECLARATION OF INDE.
PENDENCE.-John Adams, in his autobi.
ography, gives the following account oi
the circumstances which led to the selec.
ton OF Thomas Jefferson to draw the
Declaration of Independence:
The Committee of independence were
Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin franklin.
Roger Sherman and Robert r. Liv-
ingston. Mr.. Jefferson had been now
about year member of Congress, but
had attended his duty in the House a
very snail part of the time, and w he n
there lad never spoken in public. Dur
ing the whole time l sat with him
in Congress, l never heard him utter
three sentences together.
1t will naturally be inquired how it
happened that he was appointed on
committee Of such Importance. There
were more reasons than one. Mr.. JEFF
ferson had the reputation of mastery
pen; he had been chosen delegate in
Virginia, in consequence of very hand.
some public paper which he had written
for the House of Burgesses, which had
given him the character of fine writer
Another reason was, that Mr.. Richard
Lee was not beloved by the most of his
colleagues from Virginia, and Mr.. JEFF
ferson was set up to rival and supplan.
him. This could be done only by the
pen, for MIR. Jefferson could stand no
competition with him, or any one else, in
elooution and public debate.
Here | will interrupt the narration for
moment, to observe that, from all
have read of the history of Greece and
Rome. England and France, and all l
have observed at home and abroad, elo-
quence in public assemblies is not the
surest road TO fame or preferment, at
least, unless it be used with caution. very
rarely and with great reserve. The ex-
amples of Washington. Franklin, and
Jetterson are enough to show that silence
aud reserve i'll public, are more eficacious
than augmentation or oratory. A pub
lie speaker who inserts himself, or is
urged by others, into the conduct of af-
fairs. by daily exertions to Justify his
measures, and answer the objections o.
opponents, makes himself too familiar
with the public, and unavoidably makes
himself enemies.
Few persons can bear to be outdone
in reasoning, or defamation, or wit, or
sarcasm, or repartee, or satire, and ali
these things are very apt TO grow cut OF
public debate. IN this way, in course
of years. a nation becomes full OF man s
enemies. or at least, of such as have
been CALLED in some controversy, aud
take secret pleasure in assisting to
humble and mortify him. So much for
this DEPRESSION. We will now return TO
our memoirs.
The committee had several meetings
III which were proposed the articles Of
which the declaration was to consist,
and minutes made of them. The COM
nlittee then appointed MIR. Jefferson and
me TO draw them up in form, and ciothe
them in proper dress. The sub-com-
mittee met, and considered the minutes,
making such observations On them as
then occurred, when MIR. Jefferson de-
sired me 10 take them to my lodging
and make the draught. This l declined,
and gave several reasons for declining.
l. That he was a Virginian, and l a
Massachusettensian. 2. That he was
southern man, and [ northern one. 3
That ! had been so obnoxious for my
early and constant zeal in promoting the
measure, that every draft of mine would
undergo more severe scrutiny and criti
cism in Congress, than one of his com
position. 4. Aud lastly, and that would
be reason enough, if there were no )cher
| had great opinion of the elegance Of
his pen, and none al all Of my own. |
therefore insisted that no hesitation
should be made on his part. He accord
ingly took the minutes, and in a day or
two produced TO me his draft. Whether
| made or suggested any correction, re-
member not. The report was made to
the committee of five, by them examined
but whether altered or corrected i'll any
thing, | cannot recolect. But, in sub
stance, at least, it was reported to Con-
gress, where after a severe criticism, aud
striking out several of the most oratorica!
paragraphs, it was adopted on the fourth
of July, 1776, and published to the world.
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DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION OF CoTToN.-
| The domestic consumption of cotton in
the year 1912 was but 260,O0O bales,
while of that grown in 1917 1t was
| 100000 bales. OF that grown i'll 1913,
it was still about 100000, to wit: taken
, for the Atlantic ports, 531,772 bales, and
consumed in the interior, $4,000, making
a total of G06,772; of that grown in 1840,
the former was 51S,O29, and the latter
10000. making total of 6lo,039. while
of that grown i'll 1919, the first has fallen
to .769, and the SECOND to 1O7, 500,
or total of 595, 1863.
Of the new crop, the quantity taken
from the Atlantic ports from September
/ to November !, was 50,963 bales against
74,775 in the previous year; and there is
| reason to believe that the CONSUMPTION