The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1857-07-30

SohStess WAS Impatient, ana the instrument
was reported, as believe, in Jeffersons
handwriting.
On the 2Sth of June, the committee re.
ported the original declaration, which was
read for the first time in Congress. On
tue lst of July, this declaration was again
read and discussed in committee of the
whole. II was carried in the committee by
vote of the States; Pennsylvania and South
Carolina voting against it. John Adams
says, that 10 the discussion July lst, Dick
inson of Pennsy lvania, opposed the decla-
ration, ''in speech of great length.
Die conducted the debate not only with great
ingenuity and eloquence, but with equal po
llteness and candor, and was answered ia
the same spirit"
Dickinson, brother of Gen. Philmon
Dickinson, of New Jersey, an officer whom
Washington frequently mentions with hon
or, was strong debater and sincere pat
riot acknowledging the grievances com.
planned Of but lacking that stern and hero.
&c spirit that animated such men rs Adams,
Witherspoon and Lee. Hence he shrank
from an open rupture with Great Britain.
as certain to end not only in greater evils
to the country, but to individuals promi.
neut in the rebellion. In this feeling two
other representatives from Pennsylvania
| shared. But Of this more in another place.
Dickinsons speech produced profound
| impression, and this is not to be wondered
at when we consider the nature Of the con
test which it was the object of that speech
TO show. John Adams, one Of the most
fluent and powerful speakers, answered
Dickinson, and it cannot be too much re.
| gretted that not scrap Of that speech re-
mains, except perhaps the tradition out of
which Mr. Webster made one Of his most
splendid paragraphs. 1t was on the lst of
July that tue newly elected delegates from
New jersey, Of whom DIR. Witherspoon was
one, took their seats aud voted a solid vole
for the declaration.
The next day, July I'd, the paper was
again read and subjected to severe pro-
cess, which sifted out some paragraphs
Some were thought too dsrespectful to-
wards the english people, some too hostile
to the king personally and some were too
condemna,ory INDIRECTLY of the institution
of slavery, During this eliminating pro-
cess, Jefferson was greatly excited at times
showing his chagrin; which state of mind
Franklin greatly relieved by telling to Mr..
Jefferson the criticism made on the sign
which halter in Philadelphia had over
his store. About one quarter, according 20
the elder Adarns, or one-third, according to
Jefferson, of the original paper, was stfick-
en- out, leaving the document as we now
have it. The adoption of this paper was
warmly debated through the second, third
and fourth days of July, and towards the
close Of the latter day, the motion to adopt
prevailed. II was then signed by nearly
every member present, except Mr.. Dickin.
son, who refused to sign. Willing aud
Humphreys, two delegates from Pennsylva-
MIA, purposely absented themselves to avoid
signing. These three gentlemen were de-
capltated forthwith by the Convention OF
Pennsylvania, then in session, and men
elected in their place who would sign. OF
the other Pennsylvania delegates, Frank
lin, John Morton and James Wilson, sign.
ed the declaration at once, and Robert Nor
ris, the remaining delegate was absent on
public business and had permission to sign
afterwards.
1t is fact worth knowing, that the dele.
gates from New York were willing to sign,
but waited for instructions from home, which
they received and put their names to the
declaration on the 18th of July.
Matthew Thornton did not take his seat
in Congress until the 4th Of November and
at that time he signed the declaration.
The original paper, as interlined and
amended was given to the Secretary Of Con
gress to be engrossed on parchment, end
this engrossed copy, the one in the Patent
Office, was again signed by most OF the
members on the second of August, and at
different intervals afterwards by the rest
Can any one tell ,0hetAer the real original
as yet iH eristence2
These facts are cleaned principally from
the Journals Of Congress, fuckers Life oil
Jefferson and the work of John Adams.
The passage on negro slavery, which was
erased from Jeiferson's original draft, is not
published in books accessibly to the most
That passage is as follows: He, the king
has waged cruel war against human nature
itself, violating its most sacred rights Of life
and liberty in the persons of distant peo
pie who never offended him, captivating
and carrying them into slavery in anothe.
hemisphere, o, 10 incur miserable death in
their transportation thither. This practical
warfare, the opprobrium Of lnfdel nations
is the warfare of the Christian King OF
Great Britain. Determined to keep open
market where men should be fought and
sold, he has prostituted his negative fer sup
pressing every legislative attempt to pro
hibit or to restrain this execrable commerce
And that this assenblage Of horrors might
want no fact Of distinguished dye, he is now
exciting those very people to rise in arm.
among us, and TO purchase that liberty o
which he has deprived them, by numbering
these people on whom he has obtrudel
them; thus paying Off former crimes com
miIted against the liberties Of one peopl,
with the crimes which he urges them t
commit against the lives of another"
Tucker, in his life of Jefferson supplies
this remarkable nassaoe fnreihar will nj