Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-10-13
M9isttllaueuns &eading,
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.

Many popular impressions concerning 1.-THE
Declaration of Independence" are derived
from fourth of July orations and pictures,
both of which are apt to mislead, as does the
picture of "the First Prayer in Congress. I"
Nine out of ten suppose that somewhere
about noon on the fourth of July, 1776, Con-
gress passed the vote affirming the Colonies
independent, and that the old bell.ringer in
the steeple of the State House, receiving the
intelligence of this event, was seized with a
sudden enthusiasm to swing the old bell, to
ring out the news to the people in such loud,
Joyous manner, as to put the quiet citizens of
Phiadep phia in a wonderful excitement.
Then there was the signing Of the Declaration.
We have picture of that, too, which teaches
US how the representatives Of the Colonies
We'd with each other in putting their names
to the immortal instrument so that before
night the famous parchment, the original pa
per, which now is seen in the Patent Office,
was engrossed, and signed as we now have it !!
A few facts CLEANED from various sources
will be interesting as rectifying these impress
sions about this famous snsaction-this crisis
in human affairs. On the 10th Of June, 1776,
Mr.. Harrison, of Virginia, reported resolu-
ton, part of which is said to have been lit
eral transcript Of the instruction given by the
Convention of Virginia to their Representa-
tives in Congress, and which was moved on
the 9TH of June, in Congress, by Richard
Henry Lee. Mr.. Harrison's resolutions en-
bodying Mr.. Lees, is in these words Resolv-
ed, That the consideration of the first resolu-
tion be postponed to Monday, the first day OF
July next and in the meanwhile that no
time be lost, in case the Congress agree there
to, that committee be appointed to prepare
declaration to the effect of the said first res.
olution, which is in these words: "That these
United States are, and of right ought to be
free and Independent States that they are
absolved from all allegiance to the British
Crown and that all political cnonection be-
tween them and the State of Great Britain is,
and ought to be, totally dissolved"
The resolution was adopted.
On the 18th of June, Thomas Jefferson,
John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Rodger
Sherman, R. R. Livingston, were appointed
committee to draft Declaration. Rich
ard Henry Lee, as the original mover of the
resolution for declaring the Colonies indie.
pendent, would have been named as chair
man of the committee, but, unfortunately for
himself, he received intelligence of sickness
in his family, which made it necessary for
him to be absent before that committee was
appointed. Jefferson had the reputation of
being brilliant writer, and succeeded to the
place of honor. The elder Adams, in his
auto biography, says that he saw and read
the original draft of the declaration, and he
speaks in terms of rapturous admiration of it:
"I was delighted with its high tone, and the
flight of oratory with which it abounded, es.
pecially that concerning negro slavery" DC.
He further says of the committee, lntlmatlng
that JeHerson's paper had not been read by
all the members: We were all in haste.
Congress was impatient, and the instrument
was reported, as I believe, in Jefferson s
handwriting.
| On the 2Sth of June, the committee re.
ported the original declaration, which was
read for the first time in Congress. On the
1st of July, this declaration was again read
and discussed in committee of the whole. 1t
was carried in committee by vote of the
States; Pennsylvania and South Carolina
voting against it. John Adams says, that in
the'discussion, July 1st, Dickinson of Pennsyl.
vania, opposed the declaration "in a speech
of great length. He conducted
the debate not only with great ingenuity aud
eloquence, but with equal po.iteness and can
dor and was answered in the same spirit.
Dickinson, brother Of Gen. Philmon Dick
inson, of New Jersey, an officer whom Wash
ington frequently mentions with honor, was
a strong deba.er and sincere patriot, &C
knowledging the grievances complained Of
but lacking that stern and heroic spirit that
animated such men as Adams, Witherspoon
and Lee. Hence he shrank from an open
rupture with Great Britain, as certain to end
not only in greater evils to the country, but
to individuals prominent in the rebellion
In this feeling two representatives from Penn
sylvapia shared. But of this more in another
place. :.
Dickinson speech produced profound i'm
preston, and this is not to be wondered al
when we consider the nature of the contest
which it was the object of that speech tc
show. John Adams, one of the most fluent
and powerful speakers, answered Dickinson
and it cannot be too much regretted that moi
a scrap of that speech remains except per
haps the tradition out of which Mr.. Webster
made one of his most splendid paragraphs
1t was on the 1st of July that the newly