The DeLand weekly news. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1887-190?, 1906-07-13
JULY SECOND TIE DAY
GOTERXHE1T HISTORIAN SAYS
REAL LNDEEE ADEACE ~ NOT
THE IOIRIH
Colonies Made cClaratiOn Against
tnEiand PREVIOUS Co Drawing his
t0TiCai PapSr.- tinai Signsag %
DOCumsnt on August SeSOod.

latest historical authorities 10th The
school children Of by-gOne DAYS and
those Of the present time have been
taught Incorrectly rs 90 the proper In.
dependence day OF the nation. no one
date seems 10 develop such eXcitable
emotions as does the mention Of the
Fourth Of July. bat how unattractive
would Il seem u We were 10 state that
the second Of July Is the day OF FIRE
crackers. bombs and Roman candles.
And yet. according To Mr. William n.
Michael. Chief Clerk and Historian Of
the Department Of State. The real In
dependence bay Is the second OF Iuiy. %
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.
lUS. and We have had word Of no less
an authority than Thomas jefferson.
author Of that hailowed 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
INDEPENDENTS ON July
The Independence Of the United
States was declared by resolution on
the 20 % July. and the adoption Of the
form 81 Declaration on the 9Th Of July
was secondary matter" says Mr.
Michael. 1T Is a little strange that
more importance vas not attached 20
the "a Of July In connection with the
Declaration Of Independence. The res
olutiOn introduced by Richard Henry
Lee. was passed on that day duly 2.
iT7sD. This was really the vital point
the crucial juncture"
The real act OF Independence, which
Mr.. Michael has had reproduced IN far.
smile. was then the lee resolution
declaring:
THAT these United colonies are. and
81 right ought to be. free and indie
pendent states: that they are ahsOlved
from all allegiance 20 the British
Crown. and that all political connection
between them and the state Of Great
Britain Is. and ought 20 b.. totally
dissolved"
FlHNEb ~ w 81
Concerning the actual date of the
Declarations signing. Mr.. Michari
says: Mr.. jefferson In his account
states that all the members present
except Mr.. Dickinson, signed the De-.
larati0n On the evening Of the Fourth
Of July. The Journal shows that no
one signed u that evening except Mr..
Hancock and Mr.. Thomson. The
Journal entry Is: signed. John Han.
cock. President. Attest. Charles Thom
son. Secretary On August
2. the Declaration. a. enErossed under
the order OF Congress. was signed BY
all % the members Of Congress
present"
What really did happen on July
Of that year Of years vas the fina
adoption % n draft Of the form q
announcing the fact 20 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
hBick house OF Hyman Graiz. at the
southwest corner Of 9TH and Market
streets. ION the outskirts Of the city"
The Penn National Bank nov occupy.
ing the site Of this dwelling. Is In the
very business heart Of PHILADELPHIA
WRITTEN LATE IN July.
But the original Declaration" whirh
all pilgrims 20 Washington formerly
gazed upon In ave and reverence. was
not ordered written for more than two
weeks after that long but unjustiy
hallowed July 4. On July 10. Con.
gTess ordered that the Declaration b.
fairly engrOssed on parchment" and
that the same. when ehgrossed, b.
signed by every member % Congress.
some time within the next two weeks
the beautiful pen work which thOus-
ands Of Americans have since mar
veled ~ and admired was executed
upon the great strip % sheepskih nov
locked away On the Department Of
state 40 Washington.
On August 2. iT7s. Just a month
after the real stroke % independence
this great sheepskin was unroIied In
the presence Of the Continental Con
grcss. IN Independence Hall. with the
wording % the corrected draft q was
taIttaliy cu4Ia1Nd ~ INC NAulS-
This formality zone through with.
u vas spread out upon a desk and
signed by all of the members % Con
greSs present. Fifty % these fathers
% the republic siTned on that day
Sir 81 the reverei "siTners.. did not
aflx their signatures until later dates
Georre wyths % yirrinla sirned
ahor' iuSus, -. Rirhari H~4-v tee.
virginia: Eidridre Gerry. Massachu.
sets. and Oliver wolc0tt. Connectieut
did not sign until snme time On So
temher. Matfhv Thornton. % New
Hampshire. did not add his name until
and Thomas McKean ~
Delaware. prohahly did not afix Ms.
the hnal signature. until Eve years
later. or i7s1. Matthew Thornton.
BY the wav. was not appointed % Con
gress until September. ana did not
take his seat until Novembef-four
mouths AFTER the adoption % The Dee
laratioa. Other sinners Who wers
not mambers 81 Congress On Iuiy :
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