The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-07-04

INA for HE declaration" no replied, "Mr.
PtepidehE, we are not only ripe, but rot
tin1.D There was Robert Morris, the
gTeS 6nS1bter. OF the American Revolt
Ion Sn5H Siiain Franklin, who not on
10 1a6led fR filming, but tanned the
BriiiSli hon.S When he was minister 10
Fssnca. three ambassadors agreed TO toast
tbeIr country. Tie Eoglismsn began
IEnqlandT and compared her TO the sun.
Tho FrcuchmAn iOlloRE1With France"
and compSled5 kef 70 ihetloOh. FRANKLIN
came next. What Scdt The plain old
minister do, for the sun 4nd moon were
exhausted, and It would NOT do TO come
down 10 stars or be and his country
would be thrown into tho shade. He
arose, and, not ne leaAt embarrassed gave
the following as his toast; = George RaSh-
inqton, tho Jotistid ef AtlsTIe1, lch0 COM
nGndsd utsSan AID moon b stand std, and
they o6eyed"
Virginia was represented: There was
Richard Henry Lee, Who was so silver
tongued he was called Tho American
Cicero" and ThomhS JeferSGp, The atl-
thor Of the declsgslion, and that isilmr
mortality enough for any, man. Thomas
Jefferson so highY;eSleeme The honos be
wished It engraved on Id ton tone:
1.-THE author Of the, Deel afatton d 4nles
peudence." His Feq uest, was granted
We have no space tonctice Others etlSialiY
worthy
Let US notice the birthplaces Of the
fify.six signers. One was born IN New
Hampshire, eight In Massachusetts,, two
in Rhode Island, four In Connecticut,
three In New York, four In New jersey,
four in Pennsylvania, eight In Delaware,
five in Maryland, nine in Virginia, aud
four In South Carolina. The remaining
eight were foreigners; three OF them were
born in Ireland, two in England, two In
Scotland, aud one in Wales.
Ia looking at the signatures, not one is
written with trembling band except
Stephen Hopkins. II was not fear that
made him ifemble, for he was as true a
patriot a. any Of then, but he was aimct:
cd with palsy. ". 80, -. - -
But one Of the residences Of the signers
Is attached 10 bis name, and that Is
Charles Carroll. 1t was said that. one
was looking over his shoulder when he
wrote his name, and said to him, "There
are several Of your name, and II we are
unsuccessful, they will not know whom
to arrest" He Immediately wrote "oi
Carrolton." AS much as 10 say, If there
Is reproach connected with this, wish to
bear my share; II any danger, am ready
to face it-there was genuine patriotism.
1t was rather amusing, after they had
signed their names, TO hear BENJAMIN
Franklin say 10 Samuel Adams, "Now !
think we will hang together" " Yes"
said Mr.. Adams, or 100 shall hang Sepa.
rakly." Many have supposed that all the
names were signed on the 4th Of July,
177O. Not 80. 1t was signed on that day
only by the President, John Handbook,
and with his signature It was sent forth
to the world. On the second day Of Au-
gust It was signed by all but one Of the
f1ity.slx siguers whose names are append
ed 10 1t. The other attached his name in
November. The pen used by the signers
Is preserved In the Massachusetts Horti-
cultural Society, at Boston. What tales
that pen could tell il 1t could speak |!
what history there Is connected with II!
The signers Of the declaration are dead.
The hands that held the pen, and the fin
gers that moved It when they wrote their
names on that original document now lie
cold across their bosoms. They all lived
TO good old age. The average Of fifty.
three at the time Of their deceaSe was
over sixty.eight years. The last survivor
was Carol, Of Carrolton, being over
ninety when he died. Fourteen signers
lived 10 be eighty years old, and four past
ninety. They all sleep in honOred graves.
May laurels Of uniSding beauty ever
bloom over their sepulchreS, and monu.
ments, more durable than brass or marble,
be erected in memory Of their virtues.