Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-10-03

Communicated.
The following reminiaoenoe was told
the writer (February 9th, 1901 by Mrs.
Sallie A. Thatcher, nee Webster, widow
of Samuel II. Thatcher and daughter
of John Webster. Mrs. Thatcher Ia in
her SSth year and helpless with spinal
trouble, residing at No. 100 Market
street. Her narrative Is az follows:
II remember well the story grand
father used to tell me, whsn | wns
little child, of how, when my father
was small child, they stood on Market
Htreet. here, IN the morning Of the 4th
of July, 17T6, and saw Caesar Rodney,
the signer, ride by on his way to phila.
delphia to sign the Declaration of
Independence.
Market street was called Main street
then, and was we'll named, for there
were not many other streets in Will
mington in those days, excepting this
Main street. which was the natural
} thoroughfaie through the town, and on
to Philadelphia. Grandfather said Mr..
Rodney rode past rapidly, changed
horses at Brandywine and proceeded,
reaching Independence Hall court
House, Mrs. Thatcher terms it) in time
to atfix his signature, ana only
minute to spare"
The above is nearly in NJ Mrs. Tbatcher's
words. Starting from near Dover SO
the accepted authorities have itl, Rod
ney is said TO have reached Wilmington
sometime during the evening, or night
of July Sd and to have slept here.
Doubtless he was watched for and ex-
pected that morning to continue his
momentous, and now historical, ride,
for Mrs. Thatcher adds:
= "Grandfather lived on Market street
y and as C@sar Rodney approached on
horseback grandfather lifted the little
k hoy, my father, in his arms, and said
n 'Whve to him, boy, and call out, call
& God speed to him. He did so, ana
a Caesar Rodney nodded his head, in
& acknowledgement. "
N The above aneodote by Mrs. Thatcher
X is one of those reoollections of early
M childhood that are SO indelible. and are
n recalled after many subsequent event
n is forgotten. To the hearer OF today it
4Beems a bringing together of the dim
f&nd vanished past with the modern
$seaent, for here is a person living
aInone US who knew those who. in turn,
kuew Casar Rodney, and were wit
y utases of his famous ride to the con-
5X&rti1n, there to act In the role of q
li e1er; it is the role he is best known
Nby nfiN, though not the only prominent
tne, of his active life.
$l{$ 1t was critical moment in the his
tory of Independence. pelaware's two
other delegates, already present, were
tdlvided, and Rodney's vote was neces-
sary to break the tie. MoKean seut for
NJ him in haste. Other delegates were
H uncertain in purpose. Rodney WIS
n staunoh advocate of Independence, and
4 unity OF purpose was the first essential
Il IN a lqpk of unity ouK ind xYstl
\ it encouragement and a divided pur-
A pose at the outset, or, as Franklin put
n it,: "Gentlemen, we must hang to-
Il gether, or hang separately a wit
ticism, suggesting pleasant authorizations
\ to the leaders, iD case of failure.
n In short, what We Americans have
X glorIed In all these years as patriotism,
r was esteemed by Ills Majesty George
n III merely treason of vile rebels'
sOpinions differ, and differed in the
eonvention, II not as to the desirabiity,
I&hen as to the advisability or its
{tasibiliUy of SO marked an act, and
this with men who didn't lack nerve
4 and oourage-far from it. Remember,
Nprobably each delegate present had
been loyal TO the king, and it il no
reflection on the patriotism of such as
John Dickinson, Robert Morris, and
ET5eorge Read, to say their judgment
N wHvered at tho outset of a change far
Il more radical to them than we can now
renlize it to have been. No uncer.
tainty of ring attended the self
Sacrificing acts of such as Robert
Morris later on.
As an item of historical interest not
|generally known. 1.-The signatures TO
ths Declaration of Independence were
not all affixed on the 4th of July, l776.
nor foI many days after. /"
sH As matter of local interest, the
a father of the famous Revolutionary
i,t tinanoier, Robert Morris, Sr., was per.
!. haps Americas leading merchant
itlooated at what Is now that very
modest, quiet little town, Oxford, Md. /,
but one of Americas principal ports OF
entry up to the time of his death. He
&was accidentally killed there, by @
salute fired from one of his own ships,
in July, 1I50.
bN There is still preserved in Whining
ton an original manuscript by col-
Pe*smporary oil Robert Morris, Sr.. and a
sragraph in this connection can hardly
| silto prove interesting. Here it is,
\ efbatim:
| 1.-THE great national abilities of Mr..
i dorris oyerleapad every other deficiency.
LAS mercantile genius it was
n thought he had not his equal in the
Eland.
'.As companion and bon vivant he
\ II was incompatible.
4 fE2 ''If any public or political point was
TO carry, he defeated all opposition.
MI He gave birth to the inspection law
on tobacco, and carried il through
N Enough opposed by powerful ma
Hsjority. z"
"He was the first who introduced the
9mode of keeping accounts in money,
VI instead of so many pounds OF tobacco,
per yard, per pound, per gallon. as was
Vformery the case.
"He was q steady warm friend when-
EoFer he made professions, and had a
Nand ever open and ready to relieve
ZEAL distress.
"At repartee he bore down all before
kim.
mir. Morris was father to the present
Il Robert Morris of Philadelphia, and the
Wmost distinguished merchant of his
) Mime in America, perhaps exceeded by
#6ut few in the world, as to his ex-
ii3(bnsiveness of trade, mercantile knowl-
3dge, popularity ard prohity in his
ealings; received his death wound 10