The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-08-03
Signers Of the Declaration of Independ-
ence.

king picture of the true ne0r0l sublime,
than that presented in the " Declaration
of independence of the North American
Colonies, with its ffty-six appended sig
natures. Never before did human mind
and hand give to the world document
producing such results upon the physical,
civil, intellectual, and religious world.
Immediately prior to the date of this in
strumcnt, Benjamin Franklin had been
exerting to their utmost his unrivaled
diplomatic talents to allay those feelings
of animosity which subsisted between
Great Britain and the infant colonies
mutual animosity occasioncd by the Oft
, repeated acts of injustice exercised by
the former toward the latter. Notwith-
standing Franklin S righteous cause was
so ably and eloquently advocated by those
; two far-sighted British peers, Chatham
and Camden, parliament was inexorable,
unyielding. Franklin's unsuccessful en-
bassy was closed, and he directed his
course homeward, arriving in Philadel-
pbia in the May of 1875; he found that
hostilities had broken out between the
co!onists and the British forces. 1t was in
the spring Of III that the leading states
men of America resolved to close this un-
happy contest by an absolute and final
severance of the colonies from the mother
countrywide colonies shall be placed nn-
der an Independent government. No 500
ncr has this been determined upon than
the following members of Congress are
appointed a committee to draft Declara-
ton of Independence, viz: Jefferson,
Adams, Franklin, Sherman and Living
ston This committee was appointed un-
der the following resolution: "Resolyed,
That these united colonies are, and ofright
ought to be, free and Independent states +;
that all political connection between
them and Great Britain is, and of right
ought to be, totally dissolved Some dis
cussion was had thereon; and when the
/, vote came to be taken for its adoption,
Pennsylvania and South Carolin awere
against it, Delaware was divided, and
n. York did not vote on account Of some
! informality in the instructinos of her
delegates But by the time the final and
decisive vote was to be taken, the deleg-
; ates from all the colonies had either re-
ceived fresh intelligence, or more clear and
distinct instructions, so that there was at
, last q concurrence of all the colonies, and
, on the 4th of July, 1776, all the members
present, with one exception, immortalized
their names by appending them to this
now most removed Of all political docu-
ments.
We have seen that a committee Of five
were appointment to draft this paper; but
its actual execution was by the nervou:
| and energetic pen of that man ofprcscien
=, intellect and unparalleled acumen. Thos
Jefferson. After the author has listened
= with some degree of impaticnce to The
J, criticisms offered by his colleagues, and
s submitted to a.few not very material al
y formations, the instrument is adopted sub
, lly, YrnSputad
We need not here quote, in whole or il
n part, the production now before US; for OIL
h each return of the Glorious Fourth
/ we all listen with rapt attention to it
} liberty breathing sentiments, it's soul-stlr
ring strains, its spirit thrilling language
Leaving the document, allow us fe'
n words about the intrepid men who sighe'
l. it, while English caDnon were booming i
is their ears, Br itish steel glittering bctor
their eyes, and Jack Kctch's rope dang
II ling over their heads.
If we c0unt the names before us we sha
find them fifty-sx in number. Fifty Sir
The number is significant. Some on
~ has said of it----"The greatest fifty Isl
e' the world ever saw-all Europe coul
not lift it," Foremost of this grand ga
axy is the firm, undaunted, and massiv
IS signature of "JoHN HANCOCK" Som
le wise acres would have us believe tha
,. character may be read by an inspectio
N Of hand writing. Perhaps this would b
no difficult task if-as in the instanc
"' now before us-thcre were circumstance
sufficient to compel the writer "to thro
his whole soul on the point Of his pen.
That such was the case on the occasio
here brought to view is sufficiently evir
ced by the oral remark which immediate
ly succeeded this bold act. 1t is wei
known historical fact, that in consequenc
Of his resolute and unceasing efforts
rouse the coonists to war against Brltls
tyranny. John Hancock had so muc
incurred the resentment of the home go
ernmcnt, that a reward of one Mou
and poundS had been offered for b
ad nroLons;on II was IN allusjon