The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-07-06
philadelphia Times.l
IuIu Ii l7zR

Whether the second or the fourth day of
July, or any other day, ought to be celebrated
as the national anniversary, does not appear
to us very important question. As matter
of fact, the fourth is. and has been for ninety
eight if not for ninety nine years, ''the day :
Celebrate" and even if it could be proved tha
we were all wrong, we should not De likely to
change it. But we are not all wrong; and if
the custom were not immutably established
and we were now to select the day most worthy
to be commemorated, we are not sure that the
fourth would yield its claims to the second, al
though the second was really more decisive
day. For the truth lis that independence is
not the work of any single day. The declara.
ton only gave definite expression to purpose
that had grown very gradually, but was fully
formed long before the Continental congress
took its final action. Virginia had led the way
in definit e declaration as early as May, and
when her delegates in the congress offered the
resolution OF independence on the 7th of June,
the representatives OF many of the colonies
were prepared to adopt it at once. Its consid-
Grafton was only postponed that there might be
entire unanimity, and so little doubt did the
majority entertain that independence would be
declared. that committee was then appointed
to draft q statement setting forth the reasons
which demanded it. On the first day of July
the resolution came before the congress in
committee of the whole, and SO prompt and
hearty had been the response to the PROPOSE
tion of Virginia that the delegates from every
such measures as should be deemed necessary
to promote the liberty, safety and interests of
America, while most of them were definitely
instructed to vote for independence.
1t is always with some degree of regret that
we give up any of the cherished legends of
child dhOn6 hut il does DOt NO oh
to part with the pretty story of the old bell
ringer waiting anxously upon the eventful
Fourth Of July, shaking his head and signing,
''they will never do it," until the boy brought
up the welcome message. "t has passed." and
the old bell pealed out the tidings to the world
The story is sufficiently absurd, for the fact is
that congress sat with closed doors, and few
outside knew of its action for several days. af-
terWard, though its action on the fourth had
been predetermined by that on the second
But sraver objection to the story than its in
consistency with facts, is that it belittes the
work of the fathers, making it appear that
there was as much of chance in their pro-
ceedings as in those of modern congress-
There never was any doubt of what they
would do on the fourth, and very little doubt
of what they would do ON the second or the
first, and though the resolution was gravely de-
bated in the committee of the whole, it was
rather to make sure that everybody understood
1t than because anybody needed to bs con-
NluC0us IL Is truc3 uOW6VtT, ludG ItQHSyIVl-
mia was by no means unanimous. The crown
had been represented here by the just and ex-
tremely light rule of the proprietary, and the
wrongs which had infamed other colonies were
scarcely felt here. And so when Dickinson,
than whom few had done more to arouse the
national spirit, but who hesitated to take the
irrevocable step, rose to answer the impas.
stoned argument of John Adams, he spoke for
at least a portion of his important and influen-
tial constituency. When the vote was taken
h.ayrA M III
of Pennsylvania, were against the resolution,
and Franklin, Morton and Wilson in its favor
the South Carolina delegates, who had not
then heard of Moultrie's victory, also voted
no; Delaware was divided, and the New York
delegates, being without instructions did not
vote. Thus the resolution was adopted in COM
mittee by vote of nine colonies to four. On
the following day it came up for final action.
Rodney, having arrived from Delaware, Sc
cured the vote of that colony, Dickinson and
Morris stayed away, leaving majority of the
Pennsylvania delegates in favor of indepen-
dence, and South Carolina consented for the
sake of unanimity. The New York delegates
were still unable to vote but no colony dis
sented from the resolve, "That these united
colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and
from all allegiance to the British crown, and
that all political connection between them is,
and ought to be, totally dissolved"
This was on the second day of July, one
nunureQ years ago, ana II there mad been no
further declaration We should have had the
second of July for our great anniversary. But
the Congress did not consider its work COM
plete until it had formally set forth the reasons
which impelled it to this action and it there
fore Immediately proceeded to consider the
declaration which had already been reported
by Jefferson. During that day and the next
this document was debated and number of
amendments made, and on the fourth it was
finally adopted. With the formal certifCation
OF the president and secretary it was soon after
published to the world, and subsequently was
engrossed and signed by all the members of
the congress. We have repeated this familiar
story here that we may all have its essential
points we'll fixed in our minds, and understand
the events we commemorate If we were to
celebrate but one isolated act it should be that
of the second of July; but independence was
long in preparing and longer still in achieving.
and the day which we set apart in especial
commemoration is appropriately that of the
formal declaration. So at least the actors
themselves felt, for we know that they kept
''the glorious fourth of July" and their de-
scendants have kept 1t ever since. Let no one
therefore, fear that the day will ever be taken
from u.s. We do we'll to mark the anuversa-
ry of every single step in the great drama,
and the memories of to-day and tomorrow
are not to be despised. But after all, the bare
facts of history 60 for little toward making
holiday, compared with the unbroken associa-
tions of hundred years.