Daily Republican., 1889-10-31

doing all In Ills power for the infant colo
MICS, he tRld:
''IEe most memorable act IN Nr. Rod
ney's career must now be noticed. To. |
G. tier with George Read and Thomas
Mckean he had heen chosen as cne oil the
representatives Of the three lower coun-
ties on the Delaware to the General
Congress 10 meet ut Philadelphia on
May 10, l176, and, as usual, accepted |
the duty.
'Tn the 5c,r I77s, whom Independence
began to be ugliaied 10 Congress, General |
nodney, who. with Mr.. Mckeiu AMI MIR. |
Read, then representing Delaware in the |
Congress, came home TO consult his |
friends and constituents Oh that i'm
portant question.
whilst he was so occupied in Ken.
and Sussex counties, the issue proclaim.
Ing the colonies independent ives made
In Congress, where Thomas McKcan aud
Gcorge Rcoi were in attendance, and
their Views were not In accord on this
vital question.
"0n juno z, Richard Henry Lee OF
Virginia, offered resolution, that tho
UGited etates are, and ought 10 be, free
and independent States, and that political
connection with Great b italn ought to be
dissolvei."
''rhis resolution was 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
whatever OF this resolution, nor OF the
appointment OF the committee of which
Thomas Jefferson WINS the chairman, TO
prepare Declaration OF Independence.
"lho vote OF Delaware was not cast,
because Mexican anu lead voted ON OPP
post. sides, and It was at this Juncture
that Thomas Mexican, who strongly all
vocated thu Declaration OF Independence,
despatched q mounted messenger to ride
Cos haste to Dover Tor Crsar Rodney, aud
bid him speed to Philadelphia, where on
tho Ith ot July the question was to he
finally voted upon and determined.
"a eau discoser no entry In the secret
oui iDal under any Other dates, between
June "a and July II, except July aud
IL, either Of Lees resolution nor the
declaration committed to Jefferson and
his four associates ior preparation. But
under the date Of the 10,h OF July, the
following resolution ia recorded;
"That the declaration passed on the
ith be fairly engrossed on parchment with
he title and style oil The unanimous
Declaration OF the thirteen United Stat =
OF America and that the same, when
engrossed, be signed by every member oi
Congress-"
ION the Cd of August the minutes
state; '1he Declaration OF Independence
, being tnero.fed aud compared ut the
: table was signed by the members
"fhis last statement Is inaccurate and
Q misleading, as It Is certain that several
members, whose names appear uron the
= document did not become mem bers un'
l IsAt -. N..s 0nIi
7 that the tlme when the respective sigma
: tures were made lie not authenticated,
aud many subsequently signed the deela'
g ration who had yo'ed against its adop.
4 tion. But the share OF our patTio',
4 Caesar Rodney, is the point now under
Q examination. Eighty long miles lay be-
y tween Dover in Delaware and Philaicl
], phia. Mr.. NcAean's messenger could
II not have been despatched until late in
the afternoon OF July !, after tie Gd
= journmcni, aud 1t must have been re-
d mArkable horse or re'uy that coul 4
brlnN him to Dover before the night o
July 2.
u ''At one OF his farms, 'By0eld o.
] Poplar Grove several miles out lrom
d Dover. he must have found MIR. Rodney
u and when Mekean's message was re-
0 ceiyed, you may know Low little tim
was there Tor dainty preparation, barely
9 enough tlme for tightening OF s1ddl
: girtls aud buckling on of spurs, beior
the good horse stood ready 10 be mount
ed, aud our hero began his immortal rid'
on that hot and dusty July day, TO carr.
{ iuto tae Congress Of the colonies the vot
1 be he'd In trust for the people OF Della
c ware, ard which was needed TO make th
Declaration of American lndepende nc'
:, the unanimous act OF thirteen unite,
: states.
3 "More than century has rolled by sine,
!, that eyentful ride ilder and stred hav,
o loug since turned TO dust, but tn
II echos OF those flying hoois will reverLer
i alto IN Amer icen ears like the foOtialls 0
C fate
e ,Far ON In summer that we shall not see, ;
and the great heart OF the nation vii
u u rob with emotion VIXEN the story ii
y told and told again of the ride OF Rod
L ney, bearing the message of the littlt
/ State to her sisters iu glorious conied
~ eracy.
l. Mi. Blyard then read several yer
3 interesting letters, written just previou
ir to the Battle Of the Braudywine, VIII cl
r occurred September IL, lii, each beinl
&c an account of the part taken by thi
q State in the Revolutionary War. ln con
" clusion, he said:
ST "When Ulysses was tauntingly aske
% what crops The sterile to.l OF lthac
~ could produce he answ cred 'Meup An,
may not we Of Delaware, descendants q
ar the Blue Hens Chickens oi tho Rcvolu
rs ton, afford to emile at, snCer or Jest .
IL scanty area and population, and say GU
., beat trJp is men-men like Cesar Rod
- ney.
O. ment ! know not, but are there word