Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-10-31

WILLINGNESS OF his Fellow cltlz5n6 10 nehp |
the honors, cares and responsibilities Of |
Office upon him. The general assembly In |
l777 chose him to be second Justice Of the |
supreme court, and subsequently, judge OF |
admiralty.
He was appointed In 1776 brigadIer-
general, and as such was on duty with ths |
army under Washington at Trenton, and |
remained until February, TIT, when he !
was allowed to return home, and sub5e- |
quently was made major-generai.
Any biography OF Rodney must be In SUBJ
stance a chapter 10 tbs history OF bis State
ard the confsderHcy Of which she Was a |
member, Tor his uncsAsing devotion never
Tagged, and, happily, never fallsd TO re-
cei7e puollr appreciation.
This most memorable act In Mr.. 31dney'5
career musr now be noticed. To-
Cether with George Read and Thomas
Mexican he had been chosen as one of the
Representatives of the three lower conp-
t!e- Oh the Delaware to the General Con
gross 10 meet at Philadslpha on May 10Th,
l77i. and. as usual, accepted the duty.
MIR. Rodney had left Philadelphia,
where Congress was In session. and was
actively exarting himself 10 Delaware to
rrpanlSe the community INTO military ef.
tcierey to subdue jlscohtents. and pro
mote harmony Vi acton 10 the cause OF
liberty.
Whilst he was so occupied 10 Kent and
cUlouiea independent was made In Oou.
gross, where Thomas Mexican and George
R9hd were In attendance, and their Views
we're not In accord on this vital question.
OF June 7th Richard Henry Lee OF Vir-
gthia offered resolution, "that the United
States are, and ought to be, free and indie
pendent states, aud that political connec-
ton with Great Britain ought TO be dis
solved"
Ths resolution wa, discussed With closed
doors and passed the next day by the very
close vote Of seven states to SIX.
The secret journal contains no note what
ever " this resolution. nor OF the appoint
menc of the committee of which Thomas
Jefferson was the chairman, to prepare
Declaration OF Independence.
Ii WAS felt that unHpimity was SO re-
lulsite that the determination OF the que9-
lion was postponed until july let. Ga July
lat 4 vote was again taken, and nine colo,
MES voted IN favor, and Pennsylvania and
| Soath Oeroiitla against IT..
The vots Of Delaware was not cast, be-
cause Mexican and Read voted on opposite
dides, AMI the delegates from New York
| were excused from voting by rtasor OF the
doubtful nature of their distractions.
1t was at this juuatura that Thomas Nc.
Kean, who strongly advocated the Dsclara.
ton Of independence, dispatched mounted
messenger 10 ride posthaste to Dover for
Caesar Rodney. and Did him speed to Phila-
| delphia, where on the 4th OF July, the
! question was to be- finally voted upon and
determined. Eighty long miles lay between
Dover In Delaware and Philadelphia. Mr..
| McKeAn's messenger could not have been
| dispatched until late In the afternoon of
| jury lat, after the adjournment, aud It
must have bean remarkable horse or
relay that could bring him to Dover before
the night OF July I'd.
AT ono OF his farms, "Byileld" or Poplar
| Grove" several miles QUE from Dover, he
| must have found Mr.. Rodney, and whom
bcKean's message was received, you may
know now little time was there for dainty
| preparation, barely enough for Tightening
! OF saddle girths and buckling on OF spurs,
| before the good horse stood ready to be
mounted, and our hero began his immortal
| ride on that hot and dusty July day, to
carry into the Congress OF the Colonies the
| vote hs held In trust for the people OF Della
ware. aad which was needed to make the
| Declaration of American Independence the
| unanimous act OF Is united states
More than century has rolled by since
thai eventful ride; rider and steed have
long since turned to dust, but the echoes of
those flylug hoofs will reverberate In
| American ears like the footballs of fate,
Far on in summers that we shall not see,
| and the great heart OF the nation will throb
with emotion when the story Is fold, and
told again, of the ride OF Rodney bearing
| the message OF the little state to her sisters
In glorious confedsraey.
The genius OF Longfellow and the skill
OF the sculptor have aided TO perpetuate in
versa and marble the memory of Paul
Revere nt Boston, ''the messenger of the
Issvoutlon," and his midnight ride before
the battles OF Concord and Lexington.
rejoice that such Just tribute should be
rendered, noe would take one leaf from
that patriots chaplet. nay, indeed would
point to the example of the people oil
massachusetts In thus commemorative as
worthy OF being followed in this State, and
1t may well BIS asked II the ride OF Paul
Revere has been 80 kept In mems memories
why should not the infinitely greater and
more imnortant service OF Rodney to the
united colonies be even more impresslyely
marked by as2
In December l777, MT. Rodney was again
chosen representative In the Continental
Congress, thus combining civil with mill
tarY duty, and performing both with cease
less activity. This was the rule and not
the exception; Thomas McKean's signature
to tao Declaration Of Independence was de-
layei several months, because he had tC
march at the head OF his regiment, before
the instrument conld be engrossed. The
minutes OF the Delaware council In January
l777, show that messenger was dispatched
with letters from tho speaker to Colone
Collins aud Captain Richard Bassett, mem.
bsrs OF the council, requiring their attend
ance. II consistent, vito the service they
we're then engaged In the army under Gen
Washington.
Til. Geographical position OF the PENN
sula ~ Shicn the State of Delaware lies
render tie territory between tbs two greal
bays o. the Delaware and Chesapeake, and
renetraEe, at countless points by estuaries
peculiarly assailable.
Few indeed were the homssteads which
we're not liable 10 sudden night attacks anC
depreciation by parties landed from British
arEed vessels.
: The sEra,oeaticsl Significance OF the
Peninsula In those early days OF imperfect
spi dlfflcut lines OF inland communication
and transportation can we'll be eomprs
hepde1, and the enemy having compete
control OF the water approaches. II becams
cause Of constant anxiety with Washing
ton and mis- compAtriots to anticipate ant
thwart heir plans OF attack.
The Inhabitants OF lower Delaware wert
peculiarly exposed, and Lett entirely Il
their own means OF protection.
Their extensive water front was eonstal
J Invitation to attacks and emboldened tn
Britis b eDiSsaTies and eympathi2ers. Bcitlsl
cssse's pa:rolei DelaHare Gay, holding fra
, gueGt son humiliation with the shore, land
, ing ~ niSht and causing terror to the ia
> habltauts. Mr.. Mex 4an wrote to Johl
Adams THAT when after the landing o
tieaeinl Howe ut the head of the Elk rive
l.. August, HI, he (MaKoan) was eSo3atlai
the duties of thu president OF DslaWare
! that he WA huutsd like fox" was ecm
4 PEELED to move his family i've tlUs= IN
: few mouths, and at last aid them IL littl
!: log Ecuse on the banks of the SusG hanna
I from whence they we're soon Obliged 1
moya tom fear Of III Indians.
!. Although this liability to Invasion o.
! aiona our extended water front 2anse
: great GLEiaty and much sFoundlsss suspic