The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1903-07-09
The Day After the Declaration.

The Day After the Declaration.
What do you suppose the signers OF
the Declaration of Independence
thought Of the situation the day after?
A period OF prolonged tension cul-
minating in an irrevocable act of great
importance is apt to be followed by a
sort Of reaction and disposition to
weigh consequences and wonder ii the
act will stand the test of time. Thore
is no record that the signers OF the
Declaration experienced such feel
Jag the day after, but it would not be
at all strange IL they did. 1t is
stated that when the document was
being signed John Hancock said. 1--WE
must be unanimous; there must be no
pulling different ways: we must all
hang together - eyes" remarked
Benjamin Franklin, tive must all
hang together or most assuredly we
shall all hang separately" 1t is also
stated that after Elbridge Gerry, of
Massachusetts,, who was a slender
man, affixed his signature. Benjamin
Harrison, of Virginia, large framed
man, said to him: "When the hang
Ing time comes, shall have the ad-
vantage Of you; / am so heavy it will
be all over with me in a minute, but
you will be kicking in the air an hour
after l am gone.
These anecdotes are as well anthem
ticated as many others that have
passed into history and are the more
credible because they represent feel
ing which many OF the signers must
have had that they were burning their
bridges behind them.
During the long debate that pre-
coded the Declaration a strong oppo-
sition to 1t was developed. This in
cluded several OF the signers, notably
Robert Morris, a rich merchant OF
Philadelphia, who subsequently, be-
came the great financier Of the Reyolu-
ton. He and several other members
of the Congress argued that the
colonies were in no way prepared for
what was likely to be a long and
severe contest with Great Britain,
which was powerful on land and sea:
that they had no we'll organized army
or navy, no sufficient supply of NUM-
tions OF war or any way of getting a
supply. Mr.. Morris thought a declara-
ton of independence whould ineviIa-
bly, dissolve the colonial union. as he
did not believe one-half Of the colonies
would ratify it. John Dickinson, of
Pennsylvania, an ardent patriot of the
period, considered the declaration un-
wise, spoke against it voted against
and did not sign it. Edward Rutledge.
of South Carolina. opposed the
declaration, but signed it, like Morris.
Those who signed the declaration
after opposing it for reasons which
certainly appeared weighty at the
time, deserved all the more credit for
sacrificing their opinions to the will
of the majority. 1t would not be sur
prising if the day after they wondered
if they had acted wisely or not. Hap
PLY most of them lived long enough
to have all doubt on the subject re-
moved, and some of those who had
opposed the declaration became its
ardent supporters. If Robert Morris
had been a sulker he would have re-
fused to assist In prosecuting a war
which he had deprecated, and when
reyerses came be would have said, i
told you so.' But he was not that
kind of man. After signing the
declaration with doubts of its wisdom
he beclame the financial mainstay OF
the Continental Congress and almost
carried the Revolution on his
shoulders.
The signers were politicians as well
as patriots, and they realized the i'm.
portance OF getting the declaration
before the people as soon as possible
They wanted to make the act as ire
vocable as possible and to sire the
American heart
There were no daily papers in those
days and no telegraph. 1t was moi
till the 9Th of July that copies of the
declaration were sent to each.of the
Colonial Assemblies with a letter from
John Hancock, president of the con
gress, In which he said: 1.-THE i'm
portant consequences to the American
States from the Declaration of indie.
pendence, considered as the ground
and foundation of a future govern
ment, will naturally suggest the pro
priety of proclaiming it in such q
manner that thelpeople may be unlver