The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1882-05-07
The DECLARATION Of Iudeuppdeucs.

The Declaration of Independence.
1t was the Second of July, not the
Fourth, which the Fathers thought
would be celebrated with bonfres, illum-
nations and general rejoicing. The great
Declaration was reported to Congress,
by the committee appointed for that
purpose, on the 2Sth day of June, 1776.
1t was debated that day and the next,
and on the I'd of July a resolution DE
claring that these United Colonies are,
and of right ought to be, free and indie
pendent States; that they are absolved
from all allegiance to the British crown;
and that all political connection between
them and the State of Great Britain is,
and ought to be, totally dissolved" was
adopted by the affirmative votes of New
Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, New Jersey,
Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North
Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia
New York declining to vote, her dele
gates declaring that they had not been
instructed on this question.
This resolution had been introduced
as early as the 9TH of June, by Richard
Henry Lee, of Va, and seconded by
John Adams, of Mass. Its adoption, on
the I'd of July, was the formal act of
separation-the formal Declaration of
lndependence-and was so regarded by
the members of that Congress. John
Adams, writing to his wife on the Sd of
July, said: Yesterday, the greatest
question was decided which was ever
debated in America, and a greater, per-
haps, never was nor never will be de-
cided among men. The I'd of July, 1875,
will be the most memorable epoch in
the history of America; to be celebrated
hui Cf,aaAA1s.- 90. A. -.
anniversary festival"
On the Second of July the Declaration
of the Independence of American Colo
MES was formally adopted, and the
Fourth of July, the anniversary only of
he adoption of the form and style of
that Declaration, is our great National
Festival.
The discussion OF the question of in-
dependence, it will be seen from the
facts stated above, was prolonged for
nearly a month. Mr.. Lees resolution
was introduced on the first of June the
committee appointed to consider the
question reported the Declaration, sub
stantially as adopted, on the 2Sth of
June and on the LIST of July Mr.. Lees
resolution came up for action, and an in
formal vote was taken, one State, New
York, decliningto vote; two, Pennsylva-
iio hi4b 5Ohll S1lOllllhy NOllbB III lilt
negative and one, Delaware, being
equally divided. On the I'd of July
a formal vote was taken, and Mr..
Lees Declaration of Independence was
adopted, all the States except New York
voting in its favor. On the Fourth of
July following the Declaration of the
causes which induced this action-the
document now known as the Declaration
of Independence-was adopted, sub
stantially as Mr.. Jefferson wrote it.
But this declaration was not signed on
the Fourth. 1t WAS ordered engrossed
on the 18Th OF July, and it was not
signed by the members until the I'd of
August. 1t was first publicly read to the
people, from a platform in Independ-
ence square, on the Sth of July, and to
Washington's army on the 10th of July.
Concerning the formal signing of tile
Declaration, by the members of Con-
gress, some interesting anecdotes are told.
John Hancock, the President, wrote his
name in a very full, large hand, remark
ing that "the king of England could
read that signature without glasses"
Only n of the signcrs, Charles Carroll,
put his residence after his name. 1t is
warranted that, as he signed, some one
remarked There are several of your
name, and if we are unsuccessful, they
will not know whom to arrest" He i'm
mediately added TO his signature the
words, "of C%srrollton." Benjamin Frank
lin said 10 Samuel Adams, after they had
all signed their names "Now, l think,
we will all hang together" Yes" said
Mr.. Adams, "or We shall all hang sepa,
ratelyw
The first celebration of the Fourth
occurred in Philadelphia in 1857. The
VnnnO InnOrpgG Vyug in session fhprn
and a resolution was adopted to adjourn
over the anniversary of the Declaration
of Independence, and have n dinner.
On the morning of the Fourth they
went OIL board n frigate i'll the harbor,
and n salute was fired.
OF the signers of the Declaration, all
except eight were natives of the Ameri-
can soil. One was a native of Maine,
nine of Massachusetts, two of Rhode
Island, four of Connecticut, three of
New Jersey, five of Pennsylvania, two
of Delaware, five of Maryland, nine of
Virginia and four of South Carolina.
Two were born IN England, three in Ire
land, two in Scotland and M in Wales.
Thirty-four were lawyers, thirteen farm
ers, nine merchants, five physicians. one
a mason and one a surveyor. The
youngest signer was Edward Rutledge,
of South Carolina, who was twenty
seven the oldest, Benjamin Franklin,
of Pennsylvania, who was seventy.
~~hirty-seyen of them had been regu-
larly graduated in colleges, and twenty
others had received an academic edu-
cation. Fifty-six names are attached to
the Declaration.
They all lived to a good old age. The
average of ffty-three, at the time of
their decease, was yer sixty-eight years.
The last survivor was Chahes Carroll,
of Carrollton, who was over ninety
when he died. Fourteen lived to be
eighty years old, and four were past
ninety when they died. Two of its
most illustrious signers, Thomas JefTer-
son and John Adams, both died on the
tiftieth anniversary of the Fourth, with
in a few hours of each other.
Wonderful Power,
NUia. ., ,aal;a;-n -o.ror-, r,,ag a,,rna