New-York tribune., 1876-07-04

| Samuel Adams, nObIest Roman of them all, was
there and responded: We cannot go upon stronger
reasons than that the King has thrown us out of his
! protection Why should we support governments
under his authority / wonder that people have
conducted so well as they haye' He had written
some time before to Joseph Hawley: 1T cannot
surely after all this, be imagined that we consider
ourselves or mean to be considered by Others in any
other state than that of Independence" The resou-
tons above referred to, and offered ON the 9TH Of
June. were presented by Richard Henry Lee of yir-
gina and seconded by John Adams of Massachu-
setts The majority adopted the preamble which
cent the Gordan knott 1t was now for Congress
TO carry out the principles and measures which it
had sanctioned by formal declaration.
The Resolutions Of Independency declared:
"That these United Colonies are. and
| of right ought TO be- free and Independent States;
| that they are absoved from all allegiance to the
British crown and that all political connection be
tween them and the State of Great Britain is and
ought to be- totally dissolved; thatits expedentforh-
with to take the most efectual measures for forming
foreign alliances and that plan OF confederation
be prepared and transmitted to the respective col
onies for their cOmmendation and appreciation"
These measures said John Adams, arc objects OF
the most stupendOus magnitude, In which the hyes
and liberties of millions yet unborn are intimately
interested.D Rutledge had proposed postponement
of tbe ouestion for three weeks The Congress had
warmed to its work, and while IL assented 10
the delay, to prevent loss of time, 1t appointed
a committee to prepare the Declaration IN harmony
with the preamble and resolution. his committee
consisted of Jefferson John Adams Franklin, Sher-
man. and Robert B. Livingston. To Jefferson was
committed the task of drafting the document; lie
represented Virginia, which had made the proposl-
ton. and he had been elected by the largest number
.l. foo hQI hqnn
appointed to consider the subject of confederation
of the colonies. Still another committee was ap-
ponted to consider plan of treaties with foreign
powers. A Board of War was constituted, and John
Adams was made its Chairman. Finally the Con-
gress demanded the allegiance of all persons abid-
ing within any of the United Colonies ana deriving
protection from its laws" and determined that CIV
mg aid and comfort to the King Of Great britain
should be treason.
The 1st of July had been set apart for considering
Lees resolution Fifty-one delegates were IN ther
places After the transaction Of routine business
and listening TO a letter from Washington on the
state Of the army which was far from encouraging
and after the reading of letter announcing that
MARYLAND had determined in favor of independence
the order Of the day-the reso!utiOn-came up. Lac.
tho mover was not there, but John Adams the Sec
ondcr, made "a sudden, impetuous. unpremed-
tated speech" of which we have unfortunately
neither report nor minute Bancroft says:
at is only remembered that he set forth
the Justice, the necessity, and the adyan-
tages of a separation from Great Britain; be dwelt
on the neglect and insult with which their petitions
had been treated by the King, and i'll that vlndic-
tive spirit which showed itself in the employment of
German troops He concluded by urging the present
time as the most suitable for resolving on indepen-
dence inasmuch as it had become the first wish and
4iou Of
sented"
DEBATE OVER THE DECLARATION.
Mr. Dickinson of Pennsylvania responded. lie
said that the declaration wOuld not strengthen the
colonies by one man or the least supply, while it
would expose their soldiers to additional crue'tos
and outrages With foreign powers he held that It
would rather injure than avail the country.
He thought the door of accommodation
with Great Britain should not be
shut, and that the confederation ought
to be settled before the Declaration 1t has been
thought that Dickinson was in some measure goy-
erued by jealousy of Adams, with whom he sas
not on good terms Mr. Jefferson did not speak.
The Q D. sense of George Wythe has been remem-
bered, out he was not present. WItherspoon was
clear but heavy speaker 1t has been admitted that
the debating talent preponderated the other side.
John Adams chatting at delay undoubtedly the
master-spir.t of hc occasion. He was in such haste
TO put the Congress right upon the record that he
considered debate AS he SAID in a letter to Samuel
Chase, "an idle waste of time" He thought
and said That the Declaration should have been
made seven months before. We should then, he
thought, have mastered Quebec and been in posses
sion Of Canada. We might also have formed ALI
anccs with foreign States It was not his fault that
"many gentlemen had been duped by the mniste-
rial bubble of commissioners to treat, and had been
sIo and l,n,riid in urouoiur measures for the Ia-
ducton of that province" But he remarked in
letter to his wife that the delay of the Declaration
had many advantages attending it. The hopes Of
weak and mistaken people had been gradually and
at last totally extinguished. Time had been given
FOR the whole people maturely to consider the great
question Of independence aud to repair their juig
mcnts disSipato their fears, and allure their hopes'
II il in this letter that Adams refers 10 the 2d Of
July rs the day upon which the decision was arrived
at. and which IN well-Snown language)
he said fought 70 be soemnzed with pomp and
parade with shows, games, sports, guns bells. bon
fires, and illumnatiOns from end Of the Com
tinont to the other. from this time forward for
evermOre.' Upon taking the vote upon the reSou-
tion nine States voted for independence-two thirds
of the whole number; the vote of South Carolina
unanimously in the negative; was that of
Pennsylvania by the vote of Dickinson, Morris
Humphreys, and Milling, against Franklin, Morton,
and Wilson Reid of Delaware voted also against
independence The Committee of the Whole rose
and Harrison repeated the resolution, but the final
determination postponed until the next day.
On the second day of July just 90 members were
present Rodney had arrived from Delaware; Dick
inS0n and Morris had absented themselves,
that the vote of the province secured for
the resolution South Carolina came round tho
New-York delegates under instructions were still