Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-03-11
Dedicated
To the memory OF
JDITN MOpTGN

To the memory OF
JOHN NORTON,
A member Of the first American Congress
from the State of Pennsylvania,
assembled in New York, 1865,
and of the next Congress assembled in Phil
adelphia, in l77t, and various
other public stations.
Born, A. D., l72i.
Died, April, I77I.
This monument was erected by Il portion of
his relatives, October 9TH, 1915.
while Speaker of the Assembly OF Penn
sylvania, John Morton was reelected a mcm-
Der Of Congress, and, in every me-
morable session OF July he
attended that august body
for the last time,
cnshrining his name
in the grateful remembrance of the
American people, by signing the
Declaration of Independence:
In voting by States upon the question of the
Independence of the American Colonies,
there was tic, until the vote of Pennsylva-
mia was given; two members from
which voted in the affirmative,
and two in the negative.
The lie continued until the vote Of the last
member,
JOHN MORTON,
decided the promulgaton of the glorious di-
poma of American Freedom.
John Morton being censured by some OF his
friends for his boldness in giving the
casting vote for the Declaration of
Independence, his prophetic spir-
It dictated from his deatL-bed,
the following message
TO them:
''Teil them that they will live to sec the hour
when they shall acknowledge it to have
been the most glorious service that
l have ever rendered TO
my country"
The circumstances attending the adoption
of the Declaration of Independence by the
Continental Congress, are as follows: The
vote was taken by the delegations Of the
thirteen colonies. Six of them voted in IA
vor and six against the measure These
delegations sat right and left of the President
John Hancock. In front of him, the Penn
sylvania delegation were seated.
When the delegations from all the colonies,
except Pennsylvania, had voted, and it was
discovered that they were equally divided,
John Hancock, perceiving that John Nor
ton, one of the Pennsylvania delegation, was
not in his scat, and, seemingly aware that
| the latter held the casting vote in The said
delegation In favor of the measure, arose
and made speech, urging the Pennsylvania
delegation to vote for independence. lie
continued his exhortation until he saw John
Morton enter the hall, when he sat down.
The Pennsylvania delegation stood equal
ly divided upon the great issue, until John
Morton gave the casting vote in favor of the
| Declaration.
Thus, John Morton decided the vote of
Pennsylvania and thus, Pennsylvania, by
giving the casting vote, decided that impor-
tant question and, from this circumstance
she received the name of the 'Keystonc
State, " the thirteenth Statc-the block Of
the Arch.
The reason why John Morton was delayed
in the occupancy of his seat on that occa'
sion was, that a number of influential per
sons visited him on that morning, urging
him to vote against the "Declaration. But
they could not prevail and many of them
did live to see the time when they had to
acknowledge it was the best thing he coul6
do, and ''the most glorious service that ht
had ever rendered to his country
All honor then be ascribed to The memory
of John Morton Of Pennsylvania!
! The velocipede mania is said to add tt