The Washington herald., 1907-07-04

One hundred and thirty-one years ago
to-day a half hundred earnest men, rep
resentIng thirteen oppressed and restless
colonies declared those colonies free and
independent States. Il was a grave step
to take, but Englands King had forced it
on them By continued enactment of op-
pressive measures and by disregarding
the rights that the Magma Charta guaran-
teed all subjects OF his realm. On June
Richard Henry Lee. representing the
people Of Virginia, the leading colony of
the New World, rose in the old State
house in Philadelphia. where Congress
was sitting, and moved, as instructed
by the general assembly of his colony,
THAT these united colonies are, and OF
right ought 10 be, free and independent
States; that they are absolved from all
allegiance to the British Crown, and that
all connection between them and the gov
ernment Of Great Britain is, and ought
TO be- totally dissolved; that measures
should be Immediately taken for procur-
ing the assistance OF foreign powers,
and q. confederation be formed 10 bind
tAAF AyAbAlAi1 A4tNAt flf0Fig AbHfttAft.
Hardly had he finished reading before
John Adams, of Massachusetts, for many
years an advocate Of American inde-
pendenCe. rose to second the notion
Next day the motion was taken into CON
sideration and referred TO a committee Of
the whole. On June 10 It was voted that
the consideration Of Lees resolution he
left for Monday. July I. and a committee
be appointed 10 draft a declaration TO
the effect Of this resolution. On June II
the committee was named. Il consisted
of Thomas Jefferson, chairman; John
Adams, BENJAMIN Franklin, Roger Sher-
man, and Robert Livingston. Since
Richard Henry Lee had made the resO-
luton he should have been named as
chairman of this committee. but his
wife, growing suddenly III. he was called
home the evening before. Some hint
that there was politics back of It. too.
Jefferson was appointed by the other
members of the committee to write the
important document which would set
forth 10 the world the specific reasons
why the colonies should throw off the
yoke Of England. He repaired TO the
home Of Mr.. Gratz, on the corner Of High
and Seventh streets, Philadelphia. and
after a small wooden desk was made for
him, began the task Of yoicing the senti-
ments Of the people of the colonies in as
brief a paper as possible. Mr. Jefferson
worked in a front room on the second
floor of the Gratz residence. and was
from June II to June 2S in writing and
revising this memorable document When
completed the Declaration contained 1,0i2
words.
II is q simple, powerful document we
hold these truths to be self-evident' he
wrote that all men are created equal;
that they are all endowed by their Crea-
tor with inherent and inalienable rights;
that among these are life, liberty. and the
pursuit of happiness"
Enemies Of jefferson have contended
that il lacks originality, but he claimed
no originality for it. He merely embodied
in ii the crystallized thoughts and senti-
ments Of the masses in. the colonies vOic-
ing the spirit of revolt and resentment
against tie unjust taxes. the wTits Of as
sistance, the sending cf merceaaries 20 be
quarteTed on the colonists, and other like
wrongs. Followers Of Tom Paine have
arisen to say that the instrument so re-
vered by. Americans IS nothing more nor
less than a digest Of Paine's Common
sense, and that jefferson was merely a
copyst When the instrument had been
finished by jefferson he submitted il first
To Adams and Franklin, who revised it 10
some extent. changing or striking out
about 100 words. Il was then offered the
rest Of the committee, who took it as the
three had framed il.