Charlevoix county herald., 1906-07-07
JULY SECOND THE DAY
GOVERNMENT HISTORIAN SAYS
REAL INDEPENDENCE is NOT
THE FOURTH.
Colonies Made Declaration Against
England Previous to Drawing His
torical Paper Final Signing .0i
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 it seem if 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 II.
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 2.
"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 secondary matter" says Mr..
Michael. ut is a little strange that
|
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 Gully 2,
1776). This was really the vital point
the crucial juncture."
The real act of independence, which
Mr.. Michael has had reproduced in fac
smile, 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 2.
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 Fourth
of July. The journal shows that no
one signed it that evening except Mr..
Hancock and Mr.. Thomson. The
journal entry is: Signed, John Han
cock, President, Attest, Charles Thorn.
son, Secretary. On August
2, the Declaration, as engrossed under
the order of Congress, was signed by
all of the members of Congress
present"
What really did happen on July A.
Of that year of years was the final
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 18th and Market
streets, ION the outskirts of the city,
The Penn National Bank now occupy
| lHS the Sue VI JDlS uWellluS, 10 III lhc
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
o hallowed July 4. On July 10, Con
gress ordered that the Declaration be
fairly engrossed on parchment" and
that 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 a 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 1t was
carefully compared at the table
This formality gone through with,
it 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
afix their signatures until later dates
George Wythe of Virginia signed
about August q. Richard Henry Lee,
Virginia; Eldridge Gerry. Massachu.
sets, and Oliver Wolcott. Connecticut,
did not sign until some time in Sep.
temher. Matthy Thorntort, Of New
Hamnshire, did not add his name until
November, and Thomas McKean of
Delaware, probably did not affix his.
the final signature. until five years
later, or 1881. Matthew Thornton,
by the wav. was not appointed to Con.
gress until September. and did not
take his seat until Novem ber-four
months after the adoption OF the Dec.
laration. Other signers W no were
not members of Congress on July
or 4, were allowed to sign ON August