Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-30

lines; but 1t may be said that IL this en-
craving had not been made there would
now be no exact copy OF this most import
ant document In existence. A framed COPY
Of this engraving may be seen in the library
OF the State Department, and, what 70 even
more interesting. In a frame beneath It. IL
shown Thomas Jefferson's original draft Of
the DeclAration. IN his own handwriting, and
with all Of his erasures and interiineations
just as II left his hand. Beside this. in
another frame, placed there to authenticate
Jenersons writing In the draft. is the let
ter which contains the epitaph which he
wished engraved upon his monument to-
gether with a sketch and description Of the
monument he desired to have erected at his
grave.
In the letter he says: Gould the dead feel
any interest In monuments or other remem.
ORANGES OF them, the following would be TO
my names the most gratifying On the
grave plain dais or cube Of three feet.
without any holdings, surmounted by a.
obelisk Of six feet height. each OF a single
stone; on the face Of the dais the following
Inscription. and not a word more.
Here was buried
Thomas jefferson
Author OF the Declaration OF indepenae,cs
Of the Statutes Of Virginia for relieious
freedom,
end Father Of the University of Virginia :"
Signing the Declaration.
The signing Of the Declaration OF Inde-
pendence was q solemn act The sipn.rs
were subjects of King George. and ,be,r
act was treason. II the king could have
caught them he would have hung them
every one. and this they knew; but. ac-
oording to the traditions that have come
down to US. this knowledge did not deter
certain OF them from relieving the solem-
nifty Of the occasion with the natural flow
OF their wit and humor. The remarks at
tributed to them are not exactly authentI-
Gated by history, but they are too good not
to be- believed. 1t is said that when John
Hancock affixed his bold autograph. he re-
marked: The Englishmen will have no
Simculty In reading that; that when
Franklin signed. he said: NOW, we must
all hang together, or we will hang separ-
ately." and that Charles Carroll Of Car
rollton. when asked why he wrote his place
Of residence. replied. that there was another
Charles Carroll. and he didn't want them to
hang the wrong man.
The most enthusiastic advocate Of the
great measure. and the one who led the
debate In its support was John Adams Of
MASSACHUSETTS,. and when the Declaration
was adopted he wrote to his wife in these
prophetic words: This will be the most
memorable epoch I'm the history Of America !;
celebrated by descending generations as the
great anniversary festival commemorated
as the day OF deliverance, by solemn acts
OF devotion to God Almighty. solemnized
with pemps. shows. games. sports, guns
bells, bonfires and illumina tons from one
end Of the continent to the other, from
this time forward, forever"
OF all the eloquent words uttered regard
Ing the Declaration of Independence BY the
orators Of the generation which have sue
ceeded Its inception no more impressive
sentence was ever spoken than one pro-
nouneed by Ralph Waldo Emerson, in an
address delivered In Boston during the
civil war. Referring to a contemptuous
characterization Of the Declaration by a
certain political speaker, he said: 1--WE
have been told that the Declaration of In
dependence is a glittering generality; 1t is
an eternal ubiquity"
Among Americas later statesmen no one
entertained a more exalted regard for the
declaration. or more persistently empha-
sized its important relation to legisla ton.
than Charles Sumner. He always held that
the Constitution should be interpreted in
the spirit OF the Declaration He said:
The Declaration Of Independence has a
supremacy grander than that of the Con-
stitution. more sacred and invioiable for IL
gives the law to the Constitution Every
word In the Constitution is subordinate to
the Declaration. The Declaration precedes
the Constitution In time as II is more ele-
waited In character. The Constitution is an
earthly body. II you please: the Declaration
OF Independence Is the very soul itself"
JOSEPH B. MARVIN.