The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-06-28
OUR COUNTRY'S
First 18th of July
BY Alberta Plat.

Many people make mistake In quot
Ing the first part of tho second sen
tence I'm the declaration OF independ-
ence. The eorrcct version IL this: wv
hold these truths TO be self evident
that all men are created equal Re-
member the correct wording is created
equal In this fortunate land every
body. boys. girls and grown people.
ought every Fourth of July TO read the
noble declaration OF Independence.
In q curious way Thomas Jefferson
came TO be chosen TO write that i'm
committee OF i've was appointed By
the colonial congress. then assembled
In Philadelphia. To draft tho declara-
ton. They were Thomas Jefferson.
John Adams. Benjamin Franklin. Roger
Sherman and Robert II. Livingston.
The other four requested jefferson 20
undertake the task. He was In every
way fitted 60 accomplish it-that his
colleagues knew-but there was one
recommendation In his favor beyond
that possessed by any other really
great man In the congress. Thomas
Jefferson was called "the man without
an enemy" He was courteous and kind
~ to all. habitually n man OF peace
This gave him great power and infiu-
tuCG III kuoSt tTpuDltu ttttrE- Att WEots
the document. and his fellow commit
teemon. and afterward the whole con-
gTess. accepted IL. few slight altcra-
tons OF words being made.
That Fourth OF July. fTI6. when the
declaration OF Independence was
adopted In Philadelphia, was as hot as
any Fourth has been since. The con-
gress was In n little room next door To
n stable. The delegates were clad In
their best clothes. with knee breaches
and silk stockings. The room swarmed
with horse flies from tho stable. and
the ffies bit numerically the delegates
legs through their thin silk stockings
They wcre 80 tormenied that they Were
wild TO get away. so they passed the
declaration In a hurry. even though
they knew their lives might pay the
forfeit John Hancock. the grand look
Ing president OF the congress. signed II
and made his name very large and
prominent on purpose. saying:
king George can read that without
spectacles."
Around the table where the docu.
ment lay the great founders OF the
American repubiic-Hancock.F Franklin.
talked together. n little jestingly. "a
hide their deep. solemn feelings.
We must all hang together IN this
matter" said John Hancock.
Yes indeed" answered Benjamin
Franklin instantly. I'VE must all hang
together, OF assurediy we shall nli hang
separately"
Most OF the members signed that
same day, but not all. Most % them
got away from the flies quickly. After
ward the great paper was copied In
handsome style-''engrossed." AZ IL In
called-and on August 2, I've, was nm
ally signed by all.
on the Fourth OF July. Immediately
after congress passed the declaration.
the Liberty bell. which In called also
Independence bell, was rung for two
hours
Soon after It's passage by congress
the declaration OF Independence was
read to the people In the public square
OF Philadelphia IL did not seem TO be
nm event OF any Importance. Philadei-
phia was only n small city then. Imag-
Inc n man standing up I'm the public
square I'm an ordinary town and read
ing something aloud! Nobody would
come around him ut first except the
straggiers and idlers that hang about
such places. That was how IL was Mt
the FIRST public reading OF the immoral
tai paper which proclaimed this a ma
ton. Many rich and conservative eiti-
zens looked on the men who passed II
rs n lot OF reckless yet feeble political
schemers. who would quickly be sup
pressed by England. One or these gen
tlemen passed by where the crowd was
listening TO the reading OF the paper.
He looked sneeringiy Mt them n few
minutes. then went home and wrote:
There were very few respectable
people present"