Smyrna times., 1871-11-29
Caesar ROdney's Ride to Vote for Inde-
pendenCe.

II In a letter to the Chicago TriJuoe George
Alfred townsend reproluceS the story of Caesar
Rodneys ride from Dover to Phladclpl,ia 70
/ vote Tor Independence, in l776. IIetcll> it with
lulneSS % detail that can only be attained by
some assistance OF his own inagination but the
sketch l. vivid and graphic He saws
mere were three delegate in the Congress of
! ll'6 Territory of Delaware. of whom Ca,.ar
itodney was the elder, then aged 46. He had
been member Of the Stamp Act Congress,
was man OF ardent character and patriotism
ana SoIdIcriy tai, ntS and had been in active
/ politics for many years. John Adams described
him to be the odde>t-looking man in the
Word-tal thin, slender as a reed, aud pale
ms lace not bigger than large apple, yet with
sense and hire, spirit, wit, and humor in his
countenance"
/ George Read and Thomas McKcqn. the two
other delegates from Delaware, were canal in
years and they bad been schoomatcS. Rnld
was cool and reflective, almost, au>lcrc man.
VINO relied on his judgment for direction and
was essentially reSpect1be second rate awyrr
ne was the grandfather Of our present Consul
General at Paris France He did not anprnva
OF an open separation from Great Britain.
although he had taken dignified and decided
stand against her aggrrS>i0nS Mckean who
was the son of an Irish Presbyterian like Read.
was more positive and confident man. full of
zeal courage and snap, and he afterwards be.
came President of Congress and Governor ot
Pennsylvania. He voted on the first tdav july.
IN Commltte Of the Whole, in Indppcndcncr
lialI, Tor absolute and separate American ma
! tonallty while Read voted against it. NoStatc.
/ except Delaware and Pennsylvania, cast their
votes against the great measure the latter State
unanimously, but Mr. Mexican resolved to nut
Delaware right upon the record by bringing up
CeNar Rodney to be ready with his vote when
the question should be put on Thursday follow
ing and to obtain this majority, it was neces-
Sary to send courier luto the lower counties OF
Delaware to find and fetch Rodney, who was
meantime engaged in Suppres>ing the Peninsu
lar Tories, always turbulent and mutnous, and
who had just risen against the Wings
Mexican paid out of hi, own pocket the
expenses OF the courier, who left Phadelphia
Monday evening, and after ride Of tLity
mics, put up at Wilmington that night. On
tuesday, he was in the saddle again; he haited
aud rested on Tuesday afternoon at Cantwrlls
bridge, and arrived late Tuesday night at
hodncy quarters, where he delivered Me-
K"an' 5 letter.
The fiery Rodney perused the letter. and i
awakened all his pride of npghbCrhooI. He
had Just returned from LcweS ald the refractory
parts OF Sussex, and with his slender vital re-
sources he needed rest. But soon after TUESDAY
midnight he was on the way to the North, boot
ed and Spurred, and followed by only one at
tendant. About ninety miles, as the broken
and meandcrlng stage road ran, lay between
hlm ami the city Of the Declaration
lie tOrded the branches of Little Duck Creek.
tull OF splatter docks and croaking frogs be
tore daylight, and plunged into the wide scrub
| forest, which reaches from what IS now Leipsic
to above Black 'ird in New Castle county. He
SWAN Duck Creek, destitute Of bridge and
! often wide enough for terry, in the time OF
dawn, and found a breakfast, generous as the
hard times could afford, at Cantwelrs.
Resting here till the afternoon, he mounted
anew and passed the dwelling of Doctor Major
Tom Macdon0ugh, the father of the future
Commodore Macdonough, winner of the battle
OF Lake Champl1ln who was not yet to be born
Tor yet seven years aud here he entered upon
the rolling, loamy bills Of St Georges Hun
drcd, through which was to pass the future
Delaware and Chesapeake Canal Riding
slowly around the deep marshes of St. GEORGES
Creek, he watered hts horse at the Red Lion
| Tavern, aud >upprd at New Castle the o} lest
ani the chief town of Delaware. and the home
of George Read. Ten mics after dark brought
him to Wilmington, on the Braniywine, and
there he went to bed as wearicd man as ever
rode dl>lntereSted journey IN the interests of
his neighbOrS and sentiment
A skeleton to look upon, living upon his men
tai rather than his vital resources at the best
of times Caesar Rodney retired to bed within
thirty-fve miles of Phil1dclphia six deep
streams intervening and Congress was to meet
early on the Fourth of July
Before the earliest and most restless cock
could crow, Rodney was in the saddle again,
worn and muddy, and pulling i; his vial of
West India rum at intervals, he fordel Naa-
man S creek and saw the sun stand broadly
above the Delaware at the town of Chester.
Then, riding toward the North, he crossed
Ridley, Crum and Darby creeks, the country
all alive with excitement over the probable
action of Congress that day to be reported
and near noon he passed the river Schuylkill
The city was all waiting, little aware of the
person and perseverance of that thin, Spattered,
dusty man, whose horse picked his way over
the suburban roads, almost ready to fall in his !
tracks. Rodney feared every instant that the |
bell In the State House bellry would ring the |
news of Independence and Delaware alone
would stand hanging in the scale against it.
He stopped at the State House front. The
delegates were fast speeding into the hall, and
there waited Judge Mexican, with quiet smile
Overspreadlng his strong visage and beaked
nose. Rodney, booted and spGrred, lcaped
down from the saddle and shook his friend
hand Not a word upon the tremendous
matter of the day passed between them as they
walked together into Independence Hall.
In few moments the tired man was upon
his feet, and he cast the vote of the territory
of Delaware for a new nation, to be entitled
the United States of America.
A SAD SCENE-A painful scene was wit
messed in the Brooklyn City Court last Wed
nesday morning. A decree of divorce having
been pronounced separating a married couple,
their only child, described as ga smart looking
G. okn of - xunc