The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1903-04-30
TREND OF EVENTS
AT WASHINGTON.
Transpiracies of Note, News and
Views of National Interest.
JEFFERSON SIGNED FOR LEE.
A Gentleman versed In History Tells
Why Jefferson Signed the Declaration
of Indedendence .---DecIaration Of In
dependence viii Be Sealed From View

dependence VIII Be Sealed From View
Washingtor.-Mr. Thomas M.
Revier, Of New Orleans, in CON-
menting upon the movement to
erect a statue here to the memory
OF Jefferson, recalled that 1t was
only through the illness of his COL
league, Richard Henry Lee, that
Jefferson came to draft the Declare.
ton of Independence. 'On June
6" said Mr.. Revier, NEARLY u
month before the Declaration was
adopted, Lee had introduced in the
congres s a set of resolutions de-
claring that the United Colonies CT
America are and of right ought to
be free and independent and IN
support Of these resolutions be made
n of the most brilliant and thrill
ing speeches ever delivered in ad-
vocacy of human rights. The reso-
lutions went owe for consideration
until July /. In the meantime Lee
was taken i'll and had to return to
his home in Virginia. When the
matter finally was taken up, it was
decided that a committee should be
appointed to draft a more formal
declaration. Had Lee been present,
he would have been made chairman
Of this committee. In his absence
his associate from Virginia, Thomas
Jefferson, was selected In his stead.
Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin
were appointed a subcommittee to
prepare the draft, and upon Jeffer-
son, because of his readiness with
the pen, devolved the actual work."
The Declaration of independence
Is to be seen no more in public. An
order has been issued thai hence
forth the historic manuscript shall
be kept under lock and key in a
great fire and lock proof safe. The
Declaration will never be exhibited
again at any of the great interna-
ttOnoI fotrc Th,c a-ss1- -
reached as the result of an exami1a-
ton of the document by a commit
tee OF the American Academy of
Sciences now In session in this city,
who acted at the instance of Secre
tary Hay, whose attention has been
called to the sad state of the famous
document by Andrew Allen, libra
rian of the state department. Most
of the text of the Declaration is still
legible. but only one or two of tie
signatures can be made out. There
is only a trace of the autograph of
John Hancock, the first to sign.
In view of the latest development
in Manchuria the naval strength of
the various powers in Chinese
waters becomes interesting. The
Russian feet has been gradually in.
creased until now it numbers AZ
vessels. France has 81 ships and 20
others In India and Southern Chi
nese waters. Great Britain from
last accounts had 81 war vessels in
Chinese waters and Germany Il.
The Kentucky and the Oregon are
the only American battlestips of the
Asiatic station, but there are "a
other smaller American warshIps,
including two monitors and some
small gunboats, in Philippine waters.
Japan has a strong naval force ON
the coast.
The shipbuilders of New Orleans
will a an effort to capture an
award for the building OF one or
two of the gunboats provided for
in the last naval appropriation bill.
Among those who have written to
the department asking FOR plans ard
specifications is the johnson Iron
Works of that city. The data asked
for was mailed to the company. The
plans and specifications are for the
construction of the ~gunboats Du.
buque and Paducah, which are now
designated as guuboats Nos. IS and
10. The bids will be opened Nav 10.
Some Of Secretary Shaw's esthetic
friends having expressed their dis
approval of the portrait which is to