The Delta independent., 1906-07-13
JULY SECOND The DAY
GOVERNMENT HISTORIAN SAYS
REAL INDEPENDENCE IS NOT
THE FOURTH.

Colonies Made DecIar alton Against
England Previous to Drawing MIS-.
toricai Paper.-FinaI Signing oil
Document on August Second.
According to the opinions of the
latest historical authorities both the
school children of by-gone days and
those OF the present time have been
taught incorrectly as to the proper In
dependence day of the nation. No one
date seems to develop such excitable
emotions as does the mention Of the
Fourth of July. but how unattractive
would 1t seem IL We were to state that
the second Of July is the day Of fire.
crackers. bombs and Roman candles.
And yet, according TO Mr.. William H.
Michael, Chief Clerk and Historian of
the Department of State, The real In
dependence Day is the second of July"
Since we bent over our childhood
histories we have always had an idea
that our fathers severed the ties with
Great Britain on the Fourth OF July.
1776, and We have had word of no less
an authority than Thomas Jefferson,
author OF that hallowed instrument,
that the Declaration was signed on
that date. on whose anniversary the
great father of democracy died. But
Mr.. Michael says no. and for years he
has toiled for his country beneath the
same roof which shelters the sacred
| document: has had the nations arch
ives at his fingers ends.
| INDEPENDENCE ON JULY 3
The independence of the United
States was declared by resolution on
the I'd Of July. and the adoption of the
form of Declaration on the 4th of July
was a secondary matter" says Mr..
Michael. 1T is a little strange that
| more importance was not attached to
the I'd Of July in connection with the
Declaration of Independence. The res
olution introduced by Richard Henry
Lee. was passed on that day tJuly 2.
l776). This was really the vital point
the crucial juncture."
The real act of independence, which
Mr.. Michael has had reproduced in fac
simile. was then the Lee resolution
declaring:
That these United colonies are. and
of right ought to be. free and indie
pendent states: that they are absolved
from all allegiance to the British
Crown. and that all political connection
between them and the State OF Great
Britain is. and ought TO be. totally
dissolved"
SIGNED AUGUST ..
Concerning the actual date OF the
Declarations signing. Mr.. Michael
says: ''Mr. jefferson in his account
states that all the members present
except Mr.. Dickinson, signed the Dec
laration in the evening OF the Fourrh
of July. The journal shows that no
one signed It that evening except NJ
Hancock and Mr.. Thomson. TIL
journal entry is: Signed. John Han
cock, President. Attest. Charles Thom
son. Secretary On Angus
2. the Declaration. as engrossed under
the order OF Congress. was signed h'
all Of the members of Congress,
present"
What really did happen on July
OF that year OF years was the fina
adoption OF a draft OF the form OF
announcing the fact to the world
that Independence had been decreed
two days before. Jefferson had writ
ten this draft in his Philadelphia
apartments. consisting OF a ready-fur
nished parlor and bedroom in the new
brick house of Hyman Gratz. at the
southwest corner of 7th and Market
streets. ION the outskirts OF the city
The Penn National Bank now occupy
ing the site Of this dwelling, is in the
very business heart OF Philadelphia
WRITTEN LATE IN JULY.
But the Original Declaration" which
all pilgrims to Washington formerly
gazed upon in awe and reverence. was
not ordered written for more than two
weeks after that long but unjustly
hallowed July 4. On July 10. Con.
gress ordered that the Declaration be
fairly engrossed on parchment" and
that 1.-The same, when engrossed. be
signed by every member of Congress"
Some time within the next two weeks
the beautiful pen work which thous'
ands Of Americans have since mar
veled at and admired was executed
upon the great strip OF sheepskin now
locked away in the Department OF
State at Washington
On August 2, 1776. Just month
after the real stroke of independence
this great sheepskin was unrolled in
the presence OF the Continental Con.
gress. In Independence Hall. with the
wording OF the corrected draft II was
carefully compared at the table"
This formality gone through with,
II was spread out upon a desk and
signed by all Of the members OF Con
gress present Fifty OF these fathers
OF the republic signed on that day
Six of the revered "signers.. did not
afilx their signatures until later dates
George Wythe of Virginia signed
about August 81 Richard Henry lee
Virginia: Eldridge Gerry. Massachu
setts. and Oliver wolcott. Connecticut
did not sign until some time In Sen
tember. Matthy Thornton. Of New
Hampshire, did not add his name until
November, and Thomas Mexican Of
4
the hnal SIGNATURE. until Ave years
later. or 1881. Matthew Thornton.
by the wav. was not appointed to Con
grass until Sentemher and did not