, 1896-08-21
JEFFERSON'S MASTERPIECE.
Why He Was Chosen to Frame the
Declaration.

When the time came for the people
of the 10 united colonies to proclaim to
the world that they were free. and that
they held themselves absolved from all
allegiance TO the British crown, and
that all political connection between
them and Great Britain was totally dis,
solved, a committee of the continental
congress was appointed to draw up a
declaration Of independence. The mem
bers of this committee were Benjamin
Franklin, of Pennsylvania; John
Adams. of Massachusetts; Roger Sher-
man, of Connecticut: Robert living
stone, of New York. and Thomas JEFF
~ferson. of Virginia. Why was it that
their colleagues committed the writing
of the Declaration of independence to
Thomas jefferson and not to Benjamin
Franklin? The Virginfan was not the
most prominent man even Of his own
section, and. although his reputation
could not be fairly termed local, 1T was
but little more. while the name OF the
Pennsylvania was well known
throughout the whole civilized world.
Franklin was not only the foremost
citizen of Philadelphia, where the con-
gress was sitting: he was the most ex-
perienced publicist and the most ac-
complished man of letters in all the
10 colonies, and he was especially
equipped for the drawing up of an APP
peal to Europe, as he had just returned
from London, where had been pleading
the cause Of his countrymen with in
domitable courage and indisputable
skill, say Harper's Magazine. Yet
Franklin was not asked to write the
Declaration of Independence, and, al
though he and Adams made a few ver-
bial amendments, the credit OF that
great statement belongs to Jefferson.
And why was it that this responsibility
was placed on Jefferson and not on
Franklin?
| think the explanation lies in the
fact that Franklin was a humorist. Not
only was F%ranklin's sturdy common
sense felt to be too plain a homespun
for wear in the courts Of Europe. when
the thought needed to be attired in all
the lofty rhetoric that ghe most fervid
enthusiasm could produce. but. also, l
fear me greatly, his colleagues were
afraid thai Franklin would have his
inlo II ,t,yo,,1J p,0,,1I Na n uooI {oLo
no doubt-probably a very good joke;
but the very best jokes would moi be in
keeping with the stately occasion.
They were acute. those leaders Of the
continental congress, and they knew
that every man has the defects Of his
qualities, and that a humorist is likely
to be lacking in reverence, and that the
writer of the Declaration of %Independ-
ence had a theme which demanded the
most reverential treatment.
So it was that Benjamin Franklin
had to pay the penalty of humor in the
last century. just as Abraham Lincoln
had to pay it in this century. Because
Lincoln was swift to seize upon an in
congruity, and because he sought re-
for his abiding melancholy in play
f~ulness. there were not a few who re-
fused to take him seriously.
Even after his death there were hon.
est folks who held the shrewdest and
Hottest OF our statesmen to have been
little better than a 'buffoon. OF the
three greatest Americans-Franklin,
Washington and Lincoln-two were
and 1t is, perhaps, his def
cheney Of humor which makes WASH
ington seem more remote from US and
less friendly than either of the others.
Boys will be boys" but you can't
afford to lose any OF them. Be ready for
the green apple season by having De-
Wits Collie & Cholera Cure in the
house. Chas. N. Settele.