Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-11-07
FOURTH OF JULY A MYTH.
They say That secretary TzAyardfs
Explosion of a Popular Fatlacy Is
No SurpriAe.

They say That secretary Tsayard's
Explosion of u Popular Eaiincy is
No surprise.
"fhe American public is not as wise as
it ought 10 be, the more'a the pity" said
Secretary Jordan OF the Pennsylyania
Historical Society, to Philadelphia re,
porter yesterday, when his attention was
called to tha letter read by ex.Secretary
OF State Thomas f. Bayard St Dover,
DEL, OF Wednesday, at 'ha unveiliug of
the monument to Can ar Rodney, stating
that the Declaration OF Independence was
not signed on the Fourth of July.
"S,ndents of history have always been
perfectly cognizslt of that fact" said
Mr.. jordan, land the little bombshell
that was exploded at Dover on Wedues
day has not in the least tended to blow
to atoms tho previously accepted beliefs
about the matter. Judge Mchean's letter
to Cfe'ar Rodney had never before been
published in itB entirety, but its
subject matter was well Known in Wat
sons Annals OF Philadelphia, as it is
quoted extensively. The truth il that
the declaration was only ordered to be
engroAsed on the Fourth o: July. 1t was
not signed for many days after, and aome
of the signers were men who had never
| filed q seat Ia the original Congreas.
"The Fourth Of July, like the myth
cal cherry tree, has been exalted to far
higher pinnacle in the temple of fame
than aocords with its deserts July I'd,
the date of the adoption of Richard
Henry Lees resolution, is the real
independence day, and about it John
Adams wrote to his wife that it would be
the most memorable epoch in American
history. Nor is the idea correct that the
first Fourth OF Jaly wes n day Of general
rejoicing and public graduation. Etting
well shys that the absurd stories of a
blue eyed boy and OF the immense crowd
besieging the doors of Congress on July
4th, and of the reading Of the decls.
ration by Charles Thomson, secretary
of Congress, from the steps
or the balcony of the state
House, are the purest inventions. The
affairs OF Congress were conducted with
the utmost secrecy until July 9Th, when
an official PRONUNCIATION Of the declsra-
ton was ordered. 1t was ON July 8th,
1776, and net on tine glorious Fourth,
thst cheers, bon fires, pyroteehnics and
general spreadeegleiem were rampant in
the State House yard
"If everybody does not know that the
Declaration was not signed on the Fourth
of July, at least every one ought tc
know" said Charles j. Stille, one of the
directors of the Historical Society
"Oongress voted TO celebrate the Fourtt
as the official birthday of American in
dependence because ON that dRv the
public declaration was formally adopted
not because any signatures had been ap
pended. II Americans have had to wait {
century to have the true meaning of In
dependence Day expounded from tn,
platform at little Deleware's capital,
oan only pity the destiny Of their ig
norRnce."
It is generally believed that TrumbullI
celebrated painting entitled THE Declara
tion of Independence, July 4 1776, "copie
OF which have been scattered breadcas
over the land, Lad much 70 DO with tn
erroneous idea as to the Significance o
Independence day. This celebrated
painting was executed when the Re
public YVES in its earliest years
yet IL is full of anachronisms. Bel
Franklin, John Nancock and other shin
iug lights stand ready to sfiix their sig
natures TO the famous document, IN,
supdry congTessmen are present VINO a
tho time when tbe Fourth was first mad
glorious were merely private citizens.