The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-05-01

sented the immortal document tthc Dsclar-
alton OF fndependance) on July q, 1875
Now, In DR.. Jones history he states. ~
describing the retolution OF the virginia
convention Girccting her delegates in tha
continental congress TO propose TO tiia'
body Ito declare the United Colonies free,
independent and sovereign states, that
this resolution was adopted on the "a OF
July and committee, consisting oi
Thomas Jefferson OF Virginia, Benjamin
Franklin OF Pennsylvania, John Adams OF
MHssa, husetts. Roger Shsrn1l Of ton
necticut and Robert Liylrsstci OF New
York. was appointed TO draft suitable
expTcssion OF this action.
The obvious inference from this state
rient if tina; the COMMITTEES I'd arit. the
declaration OF independence was appointsi
on the I'd OF July. Now the actual fact
IL, according TO a manuscript found among
the papers OF James Madison. in the hand
writing of Mir. Jefferson hinself) that she
committee to draft the declaration was
appointed on the 18th o; June. iiIs; that
the draft made by Mr.. jefferson was re-
ported to the house on the 2Ssh OF June,
and then read and ordered to lie on the
table: that on Tuesday. the I'd OF July. the
house adopted the resolution OF inaepend-
ence introduced by Richard Henry Lee AM
on the same day ga of JULY proc eded
to consider the draft o. he declaration OF
ilAu Fidiil pi thN NebAS
since the 18th OF June. 1t was discussed
anu tina, day and the two ~ srealn1 da.s,
and oil the evening Of July !. the immortal
document, rs amended in committee or the
whole, was reported TO the house by the
committee and adopted. On that day
every member except Mr. Dickinson. OF
New York signed IL. He excused hinI-
self on the ground that the New York
delegates had been appointed twelve
months before and had been instructed TO
exert themselves TO secure measures OF
Cancellation with the mother codsiry
But on The 9Th of July the convention OF
New York approved the declaration and
on the 18th OF that month the New York
members OF the continental congress
signed 1t. See first column OF Raniall's
Life Of jefferson. pages l65, l66 and l69,
NO; and also pages l6 II. IS of first vol
ume OF the Madison Papers.
As matter of curiosity | may state
that the declaration as finally engrossel
was on the "a OF August, l776, signed
again by every member OF the continental
congress-.
Mrs. Susan p. Lee in her school his
tory OF the United States gives COM
paratvely accurate account OF the trans
action; but she falls into the slight error
q stating that on the 4th OF July. 1f7e
lin Independence hall Philadelphia. the
declaration was signed by The delegates
from all of the thirteen colonies" ! have
above pointed out that it was not on that
day signed by the delegates from New
York
The only school history of the United
States. so far as known. which has the
incidents of the rigrlng OF tho declaration
correctly related is thar OF Cooper, EstlIl
g Lennon.
These may seem trivial matters. And
yet they are not. The adoption OF the
great declaration was the pivotal point
the crucial test, in the immorta, drama OF
the American struggle for independence
and separate nationality. Why not teach
our children the exact facts of history.
T.. s. Marye