Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-06-26

A Delaware signer.
In bis Grafton in memory Of ctoiAr
Rodney, delivered at Dover on October
3oth, 1859, In the presence OF thoss who
had gathered to oslebrAts the erection OF
q monument over the new reSting place
prepared for the dust Of the honored
dead, Hon. Thomas Il. Bayard pointed
out that the Declaration Of Independence
could not have been signed on July 4th
and showed that the action Of the Oosti-
mental Congress which has ipmortAiized
that day was the unanimous vote Of the
thirtsen colonies on the adoption Of that
declaration. This statement, which at
trnetsd the widespread interest Of ths
prnss, has been elaborated with concln-
Tiyeness and oircumstantiality OF detail
that appear unaasailable, in the LITE OF
the Hon. Thomas Mexican, LII. D., Mem
Der Of the Continental Congress- from
DelsNAre, Chief Justice and Gov
ernar Of Psnnsylyania, Bigner Of
the Declaration Of Independence,
and President of Congress; complied
for the genealogy Of the Mexican family
by Rotterdam Buchanan with an intro
duotory letter by tina Hon. Thomas r.
Bayard, LII D." Tho author OF this
volume, himself Q kinsman and deecond-
ant Of Mr.. McKean, was accorded the
especial privilege OF photogrHphiag the
original manuscript Journals of Congress-
In the handwriting of Charles Thomson,
which are among the most valuable
records IN the archives Of the State De-
partment and have never before been re-
produced in fac Bimile. They furnish
documentary proof in black and white
that the declaration was agreed TO, Su-
thentioated and ordered TO be printed on
July 4thi on July 10Th was ordered TO DO
1ngrossed ON parchment and, when en-
crossed, to be signed by every membc:
81 Congress; and, on-August "a, Il e en-
crossed declaration WAS signed by the 81
members thsn present; Mr.. Mexican, then
absent with his battalion in the fisld, and
Mr.. Thornton, subsequently elected from
ReW Hampshire, siguiug later, and max
ing up the 56 nsmes.
To Mr.. McKesn, the subject Of this
biography, Delaware owes q very great
debt Of gratitude. Il was his personal
exertiopj which secured for the deoiarR-
ton the endorsement OF Delaware and
gave our Stats It's proud birthright 10
''the unanimous declaration Of the thir-
teen United States OF America" When
tho preliminary vote was taken, on the
I'D Of July, in committee Of the whole
ME- Mexican voted for and Mr. Reed
against the resolution THAT these United
Colonies are, and Of right, ought TO be-
free and independent stAtea" The VOTE
OF Delaware WAS thus divided aud lost
Every state except Pennsylvania AM
Delaware, had voted In favor Of tn,
measure; and ii was Of great importance
70 secure q unAnimons vote. Mr.. McKsau
therefore, without delay dispatched al
express at his own expense for CeIa
Rodney, who WAS then at GeorRGtoW n
That gentleman hasteDGd TO Philadelphia
and arrived al tho State House, boote,
and spurred, just 10 time on the 4th 4
secure the vote VI Delaware. Two Penn
aylvaniR delegates absentsd themselves
and that state was also united with III
majority, making the vote unanimous
Many OF the GAzprrE's readers vii
recall the graphic language 10 which th
story o. Rodney'i fauou4 ride WI
told by George Alfred Townsend, in Ia
poem read at the GeorgetoRn coiebrp
town Of July 4th, 1881