The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1861-09-06
The Declaration ef Independence.

The questions, whether the American
Revolution originated in Massachusetts, or
Virginia, and whether it received its 6rst
Impulse from such leaders as John Adams,
Patrick Henry, James Oils, Thomas JEFF
ferson, or from the common people, have
Chen been discussed. 1t is generally
admitted 10 have been begun in the upper
classes Of the society oil that day. On
reading Graydon's Memoirs Of those times,
we have collected several interesting facts
in regard TO the Declaration of Iude-
pendence and its first promulgation.
When Thomas jefferson, from the COM
miltee appointed 10 draft the Declaration
OF Independence, first reported this i'm
mortal document to Congress, on the
morning Of the 4th Of July, i776, the
Ilouse paused and hesitated. That in
strument, they saw, cut them off from
even the mercy o! Great Britain. With
prophetic eye, they saw all the horrors Of
a sRnguinary civil war pass in swift re.
view before them. While they wavered,
and deep silence prevadei the hall, the
venerable Dr.. WiIherspoon, of New
jersey, rose through the gloom he saw
Tie glory and, with look Of unconquer-
able determination, addressed the mem.
bers. "There is" said he, ga tide in the
affairs Of men, nick OF time. We per-
Give it now before us. That noble instru-
ment upon your table, which insures i'm
mortality to lis author, should be SUBJ
scribed this very morning by every mem.
Der present. Although these gray hairs
must soon descend to the tomb, would
infinitely rather they should be sent there
by the hand of the public executioner, than
10 desert at this crisis, the sacred cause OF
my country" After some further in-
passioned remarks, the patriarch sat down
John Hancock Immediately affixed hi:
:, bold, dashing signature, and forthwith i
> was signed by every member present.
. The Declaration was first read in public
;. by Com. Hopkins, from the platform o
e an observatory that had been erected by
Ritten- house, in the rear Of the State
House, at Philadelphia. But lew person.
stopped TO hear il, and among these there
n were no manifestations Of enthusiasm
Its abstract truths were above the com
h prehension of the mass. The principles
4 upon which it was based, and the Ian
4 guage of the Declaration itself, were no
n Immediately appreciated and understood
@ The apathy, timidity and ignorance, man
G ifested al its birth place, were, however
a not initiated elsewhere.
5, On the 1llh Of July the Declaration
a was published in New York, and read {
each brigade Of the American army the
lie in that vicinity, and was received wit
n universal acclamaiion. On the sam
/. evening the statue Of George III. wa
d taken down and dragged through tn
Ir streets, and the lead. of which il was com
Al posed, run into bullets. II was promul
!. gated at Baltimore, also, with ever,
n demonstration Of enthusiasm.
i But at no place on the continent was i
); received with SO much Joy as at Boston
! The people seemed TO have caught th'
; enthusiasm of old John Adams bimself.-
! 1t was proclaimed from the balcony o
the old State House in King Street, in th,
presence OF all the authorities, civil ant
IT military. and OF an immense concourse O
:, &c people, from both city and country. Th
militia were drawn up in King Stree,
/" which from that moment took its preser
III name of State Street They formed i
u; u; thirteen detachments. to represent th
thirteen States. At given signal, a IS
=, i, lutte of thirteen guns was fred from Fo
AZ Hill, which was answered Immediately b
es the batteries on the Neck, at the Castle, {
hS Nantasket and Point Alderton the trooJ
=, then fred thirteen rounds OF musketry.-
; The town authorities and "most consil
nc cradle inhabitants" then convened at
D. banquet prepared at the Council Chan
g Der all the bells rung in merry peal'
y "a and the Joy was universal. In the ever
"a ing, AL the ensigns of royalty. sceptre
u and crowns, whether in sculpture or pain
+ + ing, were pulled down and burned.