The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-07-10

between them and the state OF Great
Britain is, and ought to be, totally
dissolved: tina. measures should be
Immediately taken for procuring the
assistance Of foreign powers. and a
confederation be formed to bind the
colonies more closely to%gether.'
Hardly had he finished reading be-
fore John Adams OF Massachusetts,,
for many years an advocate OF Am
erican independence, rose to second
the motion. Next day the motion was
taken into consider alton and referred
to a committee of the whole. On June
10 it was voted that the consideration
of Lees resolution be set for Mond ay.
July l, and a committee be appointed
to draft q declar alton to the effect of
this resolution. On June IL the com.
mittee was named. 1t consisted OF
Thomas Jefferson, chairman: John
Adams. Benjamin Franklin. Roger
Sherman and Robert Livingston.
Since Richard Henry Lee had made
the resolution he should have been
named a. chairman Of this committee.
but his wife growing suddenly i'll. he
was called home the evening before.
Some hint that that there "a politics
back of it, too.
jefferson was appointed blythe other
members of the committee to write the
important document which would set
forth TO 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, Philadelph-
ia, and after a small wooden desk was
made for him, began the task OF voic'
ing the sentiments Of the people OF the
colonies in as brief a paper as pos
sible. MIR. Jefferson worked in a
front room on the the second floor OF
the Gratz residence, and was from
June II to June g in writing and re-
| vising this memorable document.
When completed the declaration con-
tanned 1,O42 words.
When the instrument had been fin
ished by Jefferson he submitted it frs,
to Adams and Franklin, who revised
it to some extent, changing or striking
| out about 100 words. 1t was then OF
fered the rest of the committee, who
took it as the three had framed it.
On June % the Declaration of indie
pendence was presented to congress,
read and ordered to lie on the table,
On July l congress resolved itself in
to a committee Of the whole and re-
sumed its consideration. There was
some dissension. Through the motor
Of Rutledge, of South Carolina, fur
Their voting was postponed. On July :
Richard Henry Lees motion was
adopted, making the day really the
Independence day Of the nation, fol
in that motion independence was for
mally declared. July 3 and i, as vel
as much Of the night OF the Sd wer'
spent in discussing the paper that tn
committee had framed. AT > o'clocl
on the afternoon of the 4th, the decla
ration with suudry amendments wa
adopted.
Much controversy has arisen owe
the first expressions OF Independence
in America. Massachusetts claim
that Christopher Gadsdens urged In
dependence when speaking agains
tyranny under the old Liberty Tree i
1864. Virginia claims that Patric
Henry first voiced it when making HI
famous speech in old St. Johns 9
Richmond in March, l775. Mort
Carolina presents her Meckelenber
resolutions of May 20, l7'5,Iand point
to the first armed resistance again'
England in the battle Of the Alamanl
=. in I'll, when North Carolina regul;
! tors went out against Tryon's mel
F.: The first step to advocate a gener'
: Declaration of Independence was mac
by North Carolina when, on April :
. 1876, she instructed her deleg ate
e congress ''to concur with those in Il
other colonies in decl airing indepen
ence.'