Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-07-01
- INDEPENDENCE


The declaration of independence was
written by Thomas Jefferson at some
time between the 18th and 2Sth OF
June, 1776. 1t was completed on the
28th, which fell Oh Friday, and pre-
scented to congress by it's aIthor on the
morning OF that day, says the Phii&-
delphia Press. To the curious it af-
f0rds another illustration Of the dis
tinctiOn of Friday in American history.
It was on Friday that Columbus sailed
cut Of the harbor Of r. IS in search Of
3 new route to the lad IS. 1t was on
Friday morning that 44 caught sight
of the low coral reefs of Waiting is
land. It was on Friday that the decla-
ration of independence was set on its
massage through congress. 1t was on
Friday, and the day is still remem-
beTed with grief by thousands, that
4 braham Lincoln died, a martyr to the
exalted priL ciples Immortality set forth
by Jefferson eighty-nine years ago.
Jefferson was then So years of age.
He came from family Of the middle
lass in Virginia. as did Washington,
Henry, Marshall and Madison. He be
came related to the RandoIDhs by mar
riage, but the proud old families of the
cid dominion looked upon him as an
upstart and a leveler. They lever sym
pathized with his democratic ideas. At
the time of writing the declaration JET
fersOn was lodging. as he records in a
letter written nearly fifty years later,
in the house Of a Mr. GRAF, a young
hricklayer, situated on the south side
OF Market street, "prob1b'y between
Seventh and Eighth Streets He
thought that it was the corner house,
and posterity has approved the idea
by placing a bronze memorial tablet
CT the north wall of the national
hank since erected on the spot where
the Graaf house stood
Ir that house Jefferson rented the
seccnC floor, consisting Of parlor and
bedroom, aDG cir that parlor," says
he, 'T wrote haFftually and in it wrote
this paper particularly
The choice of Jefferson to write the
paper was rot accidental. The course
of events led to his selection with the
precision Of fate. At the time when he
wrote the declaration the idea of
American independence was scarcely
six months old. The history CT gov
eminent affords nc finer illustration Of
til" evolution Of an idea than in that
of the iCea of American independence.
L
iCal co.'s piritCr. He thinks out the
state, invites his fellow citizens to con.
vene with him in open discussion, and
there, Obedient to parliamentary
forms, he reduces his thoughts in
orderly manner in a written instru-
ment, which he submits to the con-
siderate Judgment Of mankind. Such
was the history of the declaration of
independence It had its origin in
the Anglo-Saxon mind and character
It's ideas are generic with the race.
After two days debate the declara-
ton was amended in committee of the
whole, was adopted on the Sd of July
and was signed by the members pres
ent except Dickinson. Robert Morris
'cto CbEClI. I'll Il1C -OC1 IlIC L C1IL-
sylvania convention chose a new dele
cation, leaving out Dickinson, who had
refused to sign. Willing and Hum
phreys declined reelection. Franklin.
Morris, Wilson and Morton were re-
turned. Five new men-Rush CIymen.
Smith. Taylor and Ross-were sent,
and these signed on the 18th, and one
Of the New Hampshire members,
Thornton, signed on the 4th Of Novem-
Der. There is reason to believe that
other members signed as they took
their seats in congress during the sum-
mer.
The debate on the declaration turned
on the eXpediency Of issuing it, not on
its principles. Dickinson and the mi
norlty thought it premature. John
adams and the majority supported it
timely and complete. Webste,,
who had the genius to reconstruct the
past and to generalize on its import
has made the supposed speech of John
Adams in defense OF the declaration
familiar to all, and it may be said that
in this speech Webster attained his
highest triumph in oratory, making
the unreal seem real, so that thous-
ends have believed that the speech was
enc actually delivered by Adams in
stead of being OF WebsteT's own max
ing
Little is known OF the words spoken
il that debate. That John Adams was
the chief speaker: that Franklin used