The Irish standard., 1903-07-04

I mcnt by directing her representatives
to propose in Congress Il "Declaration
of Independence" Thomas jefferson,
John Adams. Benjamin Franklin,
Roger Sherman and Robert G. Living
| Ston were the committee appointed to
draft the Declaration. The draft was
formulated almost entirely by Jcffer-
son. Before July l Pennsylvania,
Maryland a,nl New Jersey had nstruc-
| ted their delegates to vote against the
! Declaration. These instructions were
rrscindcd. South Carolina came over
| to the majority. Dclaware's vote, ut
first divided, was cast in the aflirma-
tive. The Declaration was therefore
| adopted by the unanimous vote Of
| twelve states, New York alone not vot-
ing OH July 4, 1916. The New York
convention aftcrward ratified the
Declaration, and the cngrossed copy
| was signed on August 9. The Declara-
tion sets forth the rights of man, and
| the colonies cnumcrate their griev-
ances against the British government,
and declare "thnt these united colonies
are and of right out to he free and in
dependent StHtcs.'
An expedition from Virginia, under
Major George Rogers Clark, on July
4, 177S, captured the British fort at
kasknskia, ILL.,, and on the same day
the massacre at Wyoming took place.
On July 1. 1881, Williamsburg, Va,
was evacuated by the British. under
Corvallis, Willie llc was making his
| retreat from Richmond to the sea.
On July 4, 1904. nncty-ninc years
ago, the first mail stage began running
once week from Pittsb,lrg to Phla-
| dclphia, and on July 4, 1871 the con-
Structi0n of the Erie canal was be4un
in the neiglnborhOod of Rome N. Y.
Thomas Jefferson, third president Of
the United States. who was born in
Monticello, Va, in 1913, died on July
i, 1896. On the same day John
Adams died. He was born in 1875,
and was the second president of the
United States.
ON July 4. 1898, Charles Carroll Of
Carrollton, one of the signcrs Of the
Drclaration of Independence laid the
| first rail of the Baltimore and Ohio
l1Iilroad. Another president died on
July !-Jamcs Monroe, fifth president
of the United Statcs-in 1881.
On July 4. 1915, Texas was annexed
to the United States by IL convention
OF the citizens ratifying the action Of
the United States Senate In 1913 OH
July treaty of peace with Mexico
was proclaimed at Washington. On
the same d;ty, in the same year, the
ceremony of the laying of the corner
stone of the Washington monument at
Washington took place. The cere-
mony was performed by President
Polk.
On July 4, 1851, Daniel Webster
made the Grafton at the cornerstone
laying for the extension Of the United
States capitol.
The members Of what was termed
the Kansas Free State Legislature as
scmblcd at Topeka on July 4, 1856, but
were dispersed by United States troops
by direction of Colonel Sumner.
The statue Of Washington in Union
Square was dedicated Oh July 4, 1856,
and on July 4, 1868, Vicksburg sur
rendered to General Grant Five
years thereafter OH the same day. the
Burlngamc treaty with China was
signed at Washington, and OH the same
day the president Of the United States
issued an amnesty proclamation par
dOning all rebels not under present
mcnt or indictment in United States
courts
On July 4, 1884, monument to
Francis Scott Key was unveiled in
Golden Gate park, San Francisco.
The above are only few of the
more significant achievements Of the
GLORIOUS FOURTH" the results of
which are being felt with increased
force i'm all parts of the world as the
years roll by and the love of liberty
becomes stronger and stronger.