The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-06-28
HISTORY COKRKCrED.
How the Declaration Of Independence wa
Signed by the Immortais

Signed by the mmortais.
In the July number OF Hsrper's Maya
zine, William l.. Stone discusses The
Declaration of Independence in New
Light" and contributes some Information,
which, if known before, has undoubtedly
been forgotten by nine out OF ten persons.
The popular conception OF the revered doc
ument, to which Mr.. Stone appropriately
alludes as "a shrine almost OF worship at
the present day." is that it was drawn up
in solemn and stately form, and after being
duly submitted to the inspection of the
august body of delegates was signed by
each of thin with becoming dignity and
lmpressiveness. Nothing" it would seem
from Mr.. Stones article. could be further
from that which actually took place. Very
few of the delegates, If indeed any. signed
the original document on the 4th, and none
signed the present one now in
Independence hall, for the very good
reason that it was not then in existence"
The fact is, very little seems to be known
about the original declaration adopted on
the 4th Of July, l776, and IL was either lost
or destroyed. Congress itself gave the IN at
ter little attention at the time, attaching
premier importance to the resolution
passed two days before, declaring the
united colonies tree and independent states
and absolved from all allegiance to the
British crown. This was the real decara-
ton OF independence, and July ID. rather
than July 18th, is the actual natal day of
the republic. but the passage of the resolu-
ton OF independence was not made public
until the formal declaration had been pre-
pared, adopted. and read to the people. 1t
was on the ID of July, and not on the 4th
that John Adams oft.quoted words were
written, in letter from Philadelphia TO
his wife:
The second day of July, l776, will be the
most memorable epoch in the history of
America. | am apt to believe that it will
be celebrated by succeeding generations as
the great anniversary festival; be solemn
lied by pomp and parade, with shows,
games, sports guns, bonfires, and illumina-
| tons from one end OF the continent to the
other, from this time forever more. 1t
ought, also, to be commemorated as the
day of deliverance by solemn acts OF devo-
ton to God Almighty. Through
all the gloom l can see the rays of rsvish-
ing light and glory; and posterity will tri-
umph in this day = transactions.
Posterity has justified the sturdy old pa
triot's fondest hopes, but the center of
national rejoicing and popular interest is
not the day that John Adams eulogzed so
rapturously, though his letter is usually re-
garded as referring to July 4th. MIR. Stone
explains the transposition of sentiment
from the earlier to the later day by ap.
provingly citing the words of another :
There was nothing in the phrasng of the
resolution to cause it to live in the popular
memory, while there was everything in the
declaration to give 1t vital hold upon the
affections OF the American people," which
is undoubte lily true. So, though none of
I tha Of NJ nj that mari a
saw 1t, and while Jefferson, the Trainer OF
the Declaration, never allowed the latter to
overshadow in importance the former, yet
the splendid, manly and fearless eloquence
of the Declaration has captivated the sense
| OF the people, quite displaced the resolu-
ton of independence from the popular
mind, and made the 4th, instead of the I'd,
OF July the national anniversary.
But to return to the signing of the De-
claration, Mr.. Stone shows that the present
venerated dOcume was ordered en-.
crossed by congress July 10th, l776. The
engrossed parchment was presented August
| 2, and delegates who were then present
signed 1t. Many were absent, and some
did not sign for cOnsid cradle tine after.
ward. Matthew Thornton, of New Hamp.
shire, signed it in November, when he was
first admitted-he had not been present at
the passage of the original. Thomas Nc
Kean, Of Delaware, did net sign
until January, lit. In fact,
the engrossed document came to be
u sort of test oath, which all members were
required to sign before entering congress.
AS evidence of the little Importance 1T
tached to signing the first Declaration, Mr..
Stone relates that though Robert II. Living
ston, OF New York, was one of the five that
reported the Declaration yet he did not sign
1t. unless his signature was lost with the
| original document. Mr.. Stone also repro.
duces letter from Thomas Mexican, of
Delaware, written in 1918, stating the facts
substantially as here given, and adding
that among the names subscribed to the
present Declaration are those of Mr.. Reed,
who voted against it, and seven others,
whom he mentions, who were not present
when 1t was adopted.
Thus 1t will be seen that the common
understanding to which history and art
notably in the case OF Trumbull's famous
picture in the rotunda OF the capitol at
Washington have ministered, is very wide
| of the truth with reference to the facts,
though it has made no mistake as to the
principles involved in the celebration OF In
dependence day,