The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-04

movement for Independence OF whose
declaration Thomas Jefferson became the
eloquent serbia. Adams hsd finally tn
umphed over the conclliationists OF
Pennsylvania, New York and New jersey,
who persisted in pesitioning and negoti-
ating with the crown year after the
people were ripe for independence.
On June TIN Richard Henry Lee moved
certain resolutions respecting indepen-
dency," which were seconded by John
Adams. A debate of three days ensued.
and q postponement was voted until July
I. The committee to draft the document
so that it should be ready July lst would
virtually have included the mover Of the
resolutions, Richard Henry Lee, but he
was summoned home by the alarming H.
ness of his wife. and but for this acci-
dent Lee, instead of Jefferson, would
have represented Virginia, and as
chairman Of the committee have
written the famous declaration. The
committee as finally made mp in
cluded, besides Jefferson, the famous
patriots John Adams, Franklin, Roger
Sherman and Z. r. Livingstone. The
declaration was the sole composition of
Jefferson, was reported to congress on
July 2, on the adoption of the original
resolution of Mr.. Lee, and was discussed
until late on July 4. Its adoption was
strongly opposed by Dickinson and his
minority OF conciliationists. and supported
with great ability by John Adams, who
regarded it as the contamination Of all the
labor expended by him since he came into
public life, ''the end of his creation, as he
phrased il.
The question of independence was really
settled on the I'd of July, when Lees reso-
luton was adopted, and it was of this day
that Adams wrote to his wife July3: 1.-The
second day of July viii be celebrated by
succeeding generations a. the great ami
versary festival. 1t ought to be solemn
lied with pomp and parade, with shows,
games, sports, bells. bonfires and illumina-
ton from one end of the continent to the
other from this time forward forever
more" While posterity has selected for
its anniversary July 4, instead of July 2.
when the question was really settled,
it still continues to celebrate what
is emphatically John Adams day
in John Adams way. To John
Adams chiefly belongs the glory of having
induced Congress to declare American in
dependence, and to Washington belongs
the greater glory of having made that
declaration an established fact. John
Adams really lifted the Colonial Congress
up to the level of his own convictions and
gradually persuaded it to declare for indie
pendenee. The necessity, because of the
sectional jealousy and distrust of New
England, of giving apparent leadership to
the South. made Jefferson the author of
the declaration and Richard Henry Lee
the mover of it. but it was John Adams
who brought the Colonial Congress to the
point of passing votes which, prior to the
formal declaration, involved it as logical
conclusion.
This is the day we celebrate as old John
Adams wished, with parade, pomp, pow
der, flag waving and illumination, and
when we do. it is worth remembering that
the American flag we see everywhere to-
day is something better than mere bunt-
ing under which we sport and caper; it is
the symbol of American liberty and civil
ization under law. in defense of which we
are all expected, if need be, to willingly
fight and to proudly die.