Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1859-07-21
INTERESTING HISTORY OF THE
Declaration Of Independeree-A Gen.
eral Error Corrected The Second Of
July the National Birthday.


eral Error Corrected The Second Of
July the National Birthday.
In the National Intelligsncsr Of the 4th
inst, we End the subjoinsd interesting his
tory Of the Declaration Of Independence.-
1t will correct some popular errors that
have long prevailed in regard to this impor.
tant subject: ,...,
We have reason TO believe that already
some rnisststements prevailing to the sur
roundings Of the great Declaration have be-
come deeply seated in the national mind =
For instance, it is common TO read in nearly
all the histories which recite the success
i've steps Of the Declaration made in l776,
"ihat Ii was finally adopted on the 4th Of
July, and signed by every member Of Con-
gress then present, except only MIR. Dick
inson Of Penn,s slvania." In point Of fact,
the real "Declaraiion Of American Inde-
pendence" was not made in connexion with
the paper which posses under that name.
The real Declaration" was uttered in the
shape Of series of Resolutions to that eff.
feet, which, having been introduced into
Congress on the 7,h of June, l776, by
RICHARD HrrRr LEE, of Virginia, formed
the rallyins point around which this. great
contest was waged: The nominal Decla-
ration was entirely subsidiary IN its pur
pose, as it was wholly secondary in its ori-
gin when compared with the Resolutions"
we have named. These Resolutions were
as follows:
"Resolved, That these United Colonies
are, and of right ought to be, free and in
dependent States; that they are absolved
from all allegiance to the British Crown,
and that all political connexion between
them and the State OF Great Britain is and
ought to be totally dissolved.
"Resoired, That it is expedient forthwith
10 take the most effectual measure for form
ing foreign alliances,
"Resolred, That a plan Of Confederation
be prepared and transmitted 10 the respect
i've Colone. for their consideration and ap-
proval."
These were the Resolutions which first
brought to focus the scattered rays of re-
volt, and formed the nucleus not only Of the
subsequent paper known under the name
Of the Declaration, but also Of the Articles
Of Confederation 10 which they pointed
How entirely subsidiary and secondary was
the paper draughted by Mr.. JEFrFRscN
will appear from the very terms Of the res
olution under which The committee sppoiD-
ted 10 draw it was raised. That committee
! was nominated on the 11ih Of June, and
was instructed TO prepare declaration "to
the effect of the resolutions introduced by
Mr.. LEE four days previously, and for the
assigned reason "that no time might be.lost
in case ofhe Congress agree thereto" The
debate and the division in Congress upon
the question of independence turned entirely
upon the Resolutions Of LEE, as it was only
on their adoption that any occasion could
arise for the formal declaration drawn up
from "a decent respect for The opinions ol
mankind" md not for any purpose Of
bringing about the great result which il
commentaries. The resolutions were CON.
sidered in Congress on the 9Th, and on the
10Th OF June, when they were postponed
until the Ist Of July. On the 2slh of June
the draugh, Of the Declaration which the
committee was appointed to prepare, and
have ready in case the resolutions should
pass, was reported and laid upon the table
No vote and no debate was had upon it.
adoption, but on the Ist Of July the Reso
lu,iOns of Lee came up, according 70 order
and were discussed in Committee Of ths
Whole, when, as the Journal records "ths
determination thereof was, at the request o.
a Colony, postponed ill tomorrow F" Tha
Colony was South Carolina, whose delegate.
being authorized generally by their instruc
tions 10 vote for every measure which they
"together pth majority Of the Continents
Congress shall Judge necessary fSr the de
fence, interest and welfare Of this Colon,
in particular and Of America in general,
asked, on the eve Of this Eomentous vote
that its final determination might be pu
off 10 the next day." when, as Mr.. Rur
LEDGE explained, she believed his col
lsagues, thought they disapprovsd Of th'
resolutions, would join in Ii for the SAX
Of unanimiiy." Accordingly, on the I'd o
. July, "'he Resolutions respecting independ
snce" were put upon the final passage an'
adopted. Then and there was the grea
step taken in this forward movement. JONI
ADAMS, writing on the Sd Of July, irul!
said, i" Yesterday the greatest question wa
decided which ever was debated in Aneri
ca. greater perhaps never wa, and nevs