Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1905-07-06
DAKOTA. THURSDAY, JULY 6. 1905


did much to convince the laggards
of the wisdom of separation.
When the resolution was taken
up on the 2nd, all the states, ex-
cept New York, voted to accept
it. Thus, on the 2nd day of July,
1776, the independence of the
Thirteen United Colonies from
the throne of Great Britain was
definitely decided upon. The I'd,
and not the 4th, may be called the
true date of the separation. We
could with propriety celebrate the
Fourth" two days earlier. That
the participants in the work con-
sidered the I'd as the true date is
shown by the letters written by
John Adams, quoted at the be-
ginning Of this article. The pop
ular fancy, however. seized upon
the 4th, the date OF acceptance of
Jefferson's S more dramatic dcclara-
tion of the reasons for the separa-
ton, as the proper day to cele-
brate.
| On the I'd OF July Jefferson dec
laration was also discussed, and its
consideration was continued on the
81 and 4th. Several changes were
made in the original draft. Some
passages censuring the English peo
pie were cut out, as was another con-
cerning the slave trade. Says Jefer
son in his Autobiography: "The
clause, too, reprobating the enslaving
the inhabitants of Africa was struck
out in complaisance to South Caro-
lima and Georgia, who had never at
temped to restrain the importation OF
slaves, and who, on the contrary,
still wished to continue it. Our
northern brethren also, | believe,
felt little tender under these cen.
sures;; for though their people have
very few slaves themselves, yet they
had been pretty considerable carriers
of them to others. y
The debate upon the document
woo ,on+,a,.J ,,a&;1 %i,o ,Tta,,oo, ~
the 4th, and, says Jefferson, might
have run on interminably at any
season Of the year. But the weather
was oppressively warm, and the hall
in which the deputies sat was close to
stable, whence the hungry flies
swarmed thick and fierce, alighting
on the legs OF the delegates and
biting hard through their thin silk
stockings. Treason was preferable
to discomfort" ;. and at last the dele
gates were brought to such state OF
mind as to agree to the Declaration
without further amendment.
1t is mistake to suppose that the
document was signed by the dele
gates on that day. 1t is improbable
that any signing was done except by
John Hancock, president of the con-
gress, and Charles Thomson, the sec
retary.
1t is also mistaken idea that there
was any great and immediate rejoic-
ing over the Declaration. Some
writer's with an eye to dramatic ef-
fects have, it is true, pictured scenes
Of frantic outbursts of enthusiasm in
Philadelphia on receipt OF the news.
AS matter OF history, there was no
marked demonstration until noon,
the Sth OF July, when the Declaration
was read in the State House yard to
an assemblage composed OF members
of the provincial congress, members
of the continental congress, militia,
and citizens. Doubts have been
thrown upon the truth OF the story
of the boy crying to his grandsire,
who was waiting in the belfry, to
"Ring, grandpa, ring" The story
must be consigned to the same fate
as that which has overtakent the story
OF Romulus and Remus, of George
Washington and the cherry-tree, o1
Frederick the Greats presentation
of a sword to Washington, OF how
Marcus Whitman saved Oregon, and
SO many other historical myths. Il
naturally follows, therefore, that the
so.called Liberty Bell has been giver
a portion of wholly unwarrantee
7 prominence. The Declaration was
hwever, received throughout ths
country, where, by order of con
congress-, it was distributed and read