New-York tribune., 1876-07-04
THE DECLARATION.
HISTORY OF THE DOCUMENT.

THE DEBATE IN THE CONTINENTAL CONGREss-rhh
LEADERs-JEFFERsoNs woRK-How THE ACi
WAS RECEIVED BY THE PEOPLE AND THE ARMY
The Declaration of Independence is usually re-
parded as a measure enthusiastically adopted Dy
Congress unanimous in opinion. and as having peen
received with equal enthusiasm by all the people OF
the Colonies It is forgotten that 1t was matter oi
noI;cv "a well as of PATRIOTISM and that consider
able portion of the population the first IN weaith
and in social position, had direct interest In the
permanence of the relation with the mother country
JTnouestionaby the separation was ror long 'iiie
regarded with dstrust, even by those VINO were loS'
hostile to the arbitrary measures OF the Englsh MIN
istry For a considerable period 1t was the haoi'
even of the patriots definitely to dsclalm all i'en-
tion of casting off allegiance to the crown. Wheh III
Franklin was examined before the Council boaru III
1874. and upon all similar occasions, he declared that
lid TO a certain time the Americans had been among
the most loyal of British subjects. He was himself
among the last to abandon the idea and hope OF
reconciliation. While he was in England in IVA,
be said nersonaly to Lord Howe that ne must be
"credted with a success of healing the breach be-
tween the two countries and that he wonld cheer
fnlly and heartily do everything in his small power
Tn accomplish it," Even after the affairs OF concord
and Lexington and the seizure of Ticonderoga, tDe
bographer of John Adams says that he Regarded
the war as "an unavoidable calamity" though ne
did not. like John Dickinson, call for one more
"dutiful and humble petition" to George the lhfu'
Spite of his remonstrance, however, the Con9Ie'S
determined once more to supplcate tne Ming
Adams however, had no stomach for suohilssiou.
Dickinson became his steady enemy for the rest OF
his life and even Hancock. who was characterized
bv Adams as "of great fortune ard piddiihg
genius associates himself with the more c0nserVa-
tive members from the Southern States Aoanls
was "avoided in the streets as 1t were cohtahl'ha
ton to speak with such traitor, ana many Oh HIS
friends looked coldy upon him, while DlchIiISoh
"refIlsed to recognize his civil salutatlOn. III IL
dine TO Adams to say that he had no fear of final
measures when in his opinion they had become
,ocessorv. Most of the delegates in the Congress
from the Middle States, almost half OF them noh
tbe South. and here and there a member from New
England, still cherished the hope of adjustment
Massachusetts, was ready for independence; New
Uompshire was divided. The front of opposition IN
tle Middle States was almost unbroken New-iork,
Nc,y-Jersey and Pennsylvania had given precise
instructions that 40 propositions of independence
should be- listened TO- There was one delegate,
S,u,el Adams however who saw that the saliva
zion of the country depended upOn the speedy proc
lamation of independence. On the loth OF APRIL
177G he wrote TO Joseph Iiawley that he was dis-
Uu,ted whenever he heard reconciliation hehtloheu
The most notable preliminary act Of independence
WAS carried after extensive debate IN the Congress-
on tine 9Th of May l77G. Byit the thirteen colonies
abolished British CustOm-hOuseS prohibited the I'M
por;ation of slaves and opened their ports 10 thc
commerce of the world, excepting those under the
dominion Of the King of Great Britain. Inns shlV-
rr, the British acts of trade" wrote Joseph Ha"iey.
On the 10th of May following tie Congress- passed
the prOpo,tion drawn up by John Adams, recon-
mendiug the respective Assemblies ana Conventions
of the United Colonies, where no government Sui-
Gcicnt to the exigsncies of their affairs had been,
10 adopt such government as should, III the
o,,rion of the reureSentatives of the people,
best cosluce to the happiness and safety OF then
constituents in general and America IN particular.
Aft.rwar,i john Adams reported q preamble 10 'he
resolution which provided for the total suppression
of every kind of authority under the Crown. IRIS
preamble was great step. 1t was adopted on the
18th Of May. and made part OF the resolution
pissed upon the 10th. Two days before, Jefferson,
nfter an absence of over five months in virginia,
bod resumed his seat in Congress. He had not been
idle. ami he brought with him the intelligence that
tie Virginia Convention were unanimous Tor indo-
psndence Everywhere the people were IN advance
OF the Congress.
TIE MrCKLENBURG DECLARATION.
Al this period il may be proper TO interposc what
is known of the facts of the Declaration of indie
peudcncc said TO have been made by the people OF
Mccklcnburg. y. c.. 1870. The genuineness OF this
Declaration had been much questioned, nor is this
the place for a discussion of Its authenticity But 1t
is certain that the Provincial Congress OF North
Carolina. on the I'd of September following IN an
Address 90 the British Empire, said 1--WE have
been told that independence is our object; that we
seek to shake OH all connection with this parent
state. Cruel suggestion! DO not all our profes-
sions, all our actions, uniformly contradict this'
Returning to the resolution of John Adams. II is 10
be- observed tha. hc himself regarded 1t as the cut
ting of the GordIan knot " II such resolution" ne
wrote 10 Gcn Palmer had been passed twelve
months AGO. ~, it ought to have been and it was not
my fault that 1t was not, how different wonld have
been our situation! But then we must petition and
negotiate, and the people were not ripe. l believe
they were rs ripe then rs they are now" Mr.. Duane
protested against it to the last. lie called IT "a
piece of mechanism; but" (he added with
resignation) Il suppose the votes have
been numbered, and it must pass" He was
right when he spoke of the resolution as n piece ot
mechanism 10 work out independence 1t did its
work. Substantially the connection of the Amer
lean colonies with the British Empire was severed
on the 18th of May 1875. Sill there was delay
and doubt Of the eXpediency of formal Declaration
of Independence. Massachusetts, referred the sub
ect back to the people TO be considered, and the re-
sponses were sufficiently unequiyocal. The little
town of Maiden sent back paper of Instructions
which gives probably the general tone of the re-
plies: "For these reasons" it said, "as well as
many others which might be produced, we are con-
irned in the opinion that the present age will be
deficient in their duty to God their posJerity, and
themselves if they do not establish an American
Republic. This is the only form of govern
ment which we wish to see established ;
for we can be willingly subject to any other