The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-07-02

from bolStcrOuS,
sulphuric pandemonium to IA modest, pa
triotic reverie according to the age and
experience of the citizen. Interrupt any
small boy with fire cracker in his hand
and bit OF punk in his mo4th on tho
Glorious Fourth, or any elderly American
gaZinn fOndly at the Stars and Stripes as
they float above his head on the summer
breeze, and ask either Of them what they
are celebrating and the chance is they will
tell you that the Fourth Of July is the an
niversary of the signing of the Doclara-
ton of Independence and that they are
keeping the feast. There are text books,
too. which will give you the same story,
and poetry without measure which sings
the same song, but it is all wrong-the
Declaration was not signed on the
Fourth Of July. This is damper
on patriotism Of course, but, nevertheless
1t Is the truth. The same small boy with
the fire cracker and the same old man In
the reyerie, if asked how the Declaration
came to be prepared and signed and what
really did happen on the first Indepen-
dence Day would give it up nine times in
tAl, and nothing would remain but for
you to sit down and tell them all about it.
And, in such an event. it might help you
immensely to read over again and refresh
your memory on the story OF the Daclara-
JlOn anu mere are lew pointers IL VIII 10
you no harm to remember.
Thomas jefferson, through illness being
unable to attend convention of the COM
nittee Of correspondence Of the Vir-
ginia house OF burgesses held August 1.
1774, at Williamsburg, a little town about
fifty miles from Richmond then the capt.
tai OF the state, sent to Peyton Randolph,
president OF the house n paper the com
mittee had been ordered to prepare which
was intended to serve as instructions for
she delegates to the general continental
congress. This document, aft"rward pub
llshed in Great Britain as we'll az III Amer
lea under the title of " \ Summary View
of the Rights of British America con-
tanned the germ and essence of tho Dccla-
ration OF Independence, but its powerful
and eloquent advocacy OF the rights Of
the colonies and its bold defiance of Brit
ish tyranny were too far in advan, Of
the puplic sentiment of the period and It
was not adopted when presented. But it
achieved its end nevertheless ard in
Great Britain where, Us Jefferson had
said, 1t caused his name to be submitted
to parliament on a bill for treason, it OK
cited wide attention. and its eloGuence
and ciearncss led the greater part OF
Americas thinking men TO forsec tho in
evitable and prepare to meet it half way.
Strong men ike IuLTlch Henry leIL IudC
Jefferson's Summary View - was an in
spiration and prophecy, and it was at the
Williamsburg convention, when the paper
was presented, that Henry made his great
est speech containing those memorable
words Give me liberty, or give me death y
The seed of the coming declaration was
planted and 1t required but a little while
in which to grow, gather strength and
vigor and burst forth in all its grandeur.
The work of jefferson In this instance
having attracted such widespread and
thoughtful attention, he was recognized
as one of the most advanced thinkers bril-
liant writer's and greatest students Of the
period and his bold uncompromising ad-
Tscacy OF constitutional freedom gained
him more friends than enemies, although
there were no scarcity of the latter The
next stage in the evolution of the declara-
ton was the Issuance of Virginia's reply
to the letter which Lord North prime
minister to George III, had sent to the
colonies in an effort 10 eonciliate them and
proloag the suspense which he saw could
only end in conflict sooner or later This
paper was also drawn up by Thomas Jef-
fersOn. and or June /, l775, he was COM
missioned by the Virginia assembly to
convey It to the Continental Congress then
in convention at Philadelphia, where, the
reply. bold, fOrceful, defiant, met with the
warmcSt appreciation and took his nlace as
leading spirit in the assemblage of pa
triotS. An answer was then forwarded t.
Lord North from Congress and in Novem
Der came back the news that 1t, like al
previous appeals. had been rejected.
In january. 1776. Benjamin Franklin lais
before Congress plan for confederation
OF the colonies. but it was bitterly opposet
by John Dickinson OF Pennsylvania an(
was thrown aside. The people, wings a
well as tories. now began to realize that
time for decisive action was near at hand
and on March Is Virginia, following Mas
sachusetts, instructed her delegates t
Congress to propose Declaration Of IL
dependence of the colonies. Ali the othe
assemblies except that Of Pennsylvani
and New York, gave similar instruction
and early in June, Richard Henry Lee {
Virginia moved that Congress should de
clare the colonies independent. He wa
seconded by John Adams and q COMMITTEE
was appointed to draft declaration wit
Jefferson as its chairman. Franklin
Adams, Sherman Of Connecticut and Ii,
ingston of New York were the other mem
bers OF the committee and at their sole
tation the task OF undertaking the dra
devolved upon Jefferson. Making use
the essence. OF his " Summary View" an
other like documents and aided by tt
suggestions Of Adams, he prepared a o,
per which. with few trifiing verbal alter
tlons proposed by5Franklin and Adam
was submitted to the Congress on June 9
and on July the resolution that 1.-The:
united colonies are, and OF right ought
De, free and independent states; that The
are absolved from all allegiance TO Il