davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-29

to the record on the morning of the LIST OF
July by the Congress voting to resolve
itself into committee of the whole to take
into consideration the resolution introduced
by Richard Henry Lee and to refer the
draft of the declaration to this committee.
Benjamin Harrison of Virginia was called
to the chair and the whole day the pro-
longed discussion ragged about the question,
but at the end the resolution was adopted.
The committee Of the whole then rose.
Hancock resumed the chair and Harrison
the resolution. 1t was late, the members
were tired and anxious and the House voted
to postpone action on the resolution until
the next day, July 2. Then after nights
rest the resolution was adopted. Real In
dependence day is therefore July 2
Draft Of Declaration.
But there was the matter of the draft of
the Declaration, quite a different matter
from the mere resolution still to be con-
sidered, or the form of announcing the fact
of the adopted resolution to the world.
Discussion on the draft continued all
through the Sd of July and 1t was only on
the 4th that it was agreed upon, and
the old bell in Independence Hall, up till
that time called the State House, had the
honor of proclaiming liberty to the world
The exact hour of the adoption is not
determinable from any record and the i'm
portant point of unanimous declaration
still hung in the balance.
The adoption of July 2. though carried by
a good majority, was by no means that
heart-whole affair which was desirable to
carry conviction to all the thirteen colonies.
All of New England-that is Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Hamp-
shire-with New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia
and North Carolina, voted for the resolu-
ton, but Pennsylvania, in the metropolis
of which the delegates were gathered, and
South Carolina voted against it, One of
Delawares delegates, Col. Mexican, voted
for it and the other, George Reed. voted
against 1t. Rutedge of South Carolina re-
quested the determination might be put off
to the next day, as he believed his COL
leagues, though they disapproved of the
resolution. would join in 1t for the sake of
unanimity. The ultimate question whether
the House would agree to the resolution
of the committee was accordingly postponed
to the next day, when it was moved and
South Carolina concurred in voting for it.
During the day of postponement the patri-
otism of Col. Mexican rescued the fame
of Delaware. He managed to get word to
Caesar Rodney, who by riding eighty miles
on horseback, arrived in time for the two
of them to carry their state for the resolu-
ton on the next ballot.
In Pennsylvania popular sentiment was
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-29

decidedly for independence and organized
efforts We're brought to bear upon the dele
lin, Morton and Wilson voted for and
Willing and Humphreys against the resolu-
ton. The other two delegates, Morris and
Dickinson, absented themselves and thus
New York delegates declined to vote at all,
as not having been instructed. When the
final vote was taken on the 4th. New
York still not voting, only three delegates
voted against the resolution; these were
Willing and Humphreys of Pennsylvania
and Reed of Delaware. Nine out of the
July 2. Twelve voted for it on the 4th.
On the 9th the New York members,
having been instructed by their state
to vote in favor of the resolution. did so,
thus making the vote unanimous SO far
as the states were concerned.
Congress on the 10th Of July ordered the
Declaration passed on the 4th, fairly en-
crossed on parchment with the title and
style of The unanimous Declaration of the
Thirteen United States of America, and
that the same, when engrossed, be signed
! by every member of Congress"
When the Signing Occurred.
1t was sultry day in August, the I'd, when
the order was carried out. Jefferson, when
in a genial, reminiscent mood, was &C
customed to say that the signing was
FASTENED by swarms of files that came into
the hall through the open windows of the
state House from d livery STABLE nearby.
The days business had been arduous. it
was hot and sticky and the flies assaulted
| the silk-stockinged legs of the honorable
members with vigor and real tory vim
dictiveness. With handkerchiefs and all
available papers the fathers of liberty
dashed the flies, but with no avail. The
onslaught became uncomfortable and the
members captivating made haste to sign
and bring the momentous business to a
close.
OF the ffty-six signatures not all were
attached. even AT this date. Richard
Henry Lee, after proposing his resolution
had been called home by the illness of his
wife and it was that circumstance which
| gave Jefferson the chance to frame the
Declaration Lee was still absent when the
signing occurred and he had opportunity
| to affix his name until the following Sep
| tember Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts
and Oliver Wolcott of Connecticut also
| signed in September.
| Samuel Chase of Maryland, home on i'm
portant business, wrote to John Adams,
| under date of July 8, inquiring How shall
l transmit to posterity that l have given
my assent2"
| Adams replied on the 9th. explaining that:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-29
mocracy This book is affectionately dedi-

mocracy This book is arectionately dedi-
Gated"
Mr. Howe was commissioned by the De-
partment of Commerce and Labor at WASH
ington in 1905 to investigate municipal
ownership in Great Britain The unusual
opportunities which were thus afforded him
make his new book the most valuable and
accurate work of its kind ever published.
THE wOOING OF TOKALA. BY Frank
lin Welles Calkins. author of Two
Wilderness Voyagers." New York:
Fleming H. Revell Company.
The Indian of Anglo-Saxon romance has
been conceded to be very different being
from the actual tepee dweller. In "Ehe
Wooing of Tokala" really intimate revela-
ton has been made Of Indian personality.
His standards of bravery and Of honor, his
religion and his superstitions. the motives
of his actions, his poetry, are all convinc-
ingly presented. Mr.. Calkins has lived
among the red men as a friend and his
book shows it. His portraits have a vigor
and authority which are not often found.
Most interesting of all Is the matter of the
relation of the Indian lover to his maiden.
The reader gains an impression OF dignity
in the position of the Indian woman that
will perhaps contradict preconceived ideas.
SPIRIT LAKE. By Arthur Henning.
With illustrations by the author. New
York: The Macmillan Company.
Washington: Woodward & Lothrop.
| The spirit of the Canadian wilds, at the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-29

a committee was appointed to prepare a
declaration Of independence: The commit
Sherman, Robert R. Livingston and my
SELF This was reported to the House on
Friday. the 2sth of Tune. when it was read
and ordered to lie on the table,"
When 1t came up the discussion was heat
ed. Jefferson sat in hts seat and writhed in
agony, but not speaking. as he saw some OF
his most cherished paragraphs eliminated
Critics since have held that the Declare
ton lacked originality, that every idea was
hackneyed and that others had given ex-
preston to the same ideas in very similar
words. Jefferson said:
II did not consider it as any part of my
charge to invent new ideas altogether and
to offer no sentiment which had ever been
expressed before"
1.-THE faults which it has are chiefly those
of style says discerning critic, and are
due to the spirit of the times-a spirit bold,
energetic, sensible, Independent, in action
the very best, but in talk and writing much
too tolerant Of broad and high-sounding
generalization"
ing the king with melting reasonable in
surrections with our fellow citizens" that
he had carried on the slave trade, that he
had not assisted the colonies in establish
parliament was no part of our constitution,
and that part attacking the English people
for continuing In power the disturbers of
our harmony" Besides a good deal of what
was called purely rhetorical matter also
came under the knife.
Jefferson wrote:
1.-The pusillanimous idea that we had
friends in England worth keeping terms
with still haunted the minds Of many"
Preservation Of Original.
Curious as 1t may seem, the draft Of the
the Declaration made for printers copy"
1t Is generally believed that the copy in the
hands of Secretary Thompson at the close
Of the session on the evening Of July went
to the official printer, John Dunlop, and
was used by him copy. In making up
the journal the next day the secretary in
blank space left for the purpose wafered
in a copy of the first broadside print. Con-
gress ordered this broadside distributed to
the several assemblies, conventions or
councils Of safety and to the several COM
manding officers Of Continental troops,
and proclaimed in each of the United
States and at the head of the army" Gen.
George Washington, July 8. ordered it pro-
claimed at the head Of all the Continental
regiments.
DUNLOP to meet the tremendous demand,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-29

"As soon as an American seal is prepared,
I conjecture. the Declaration will be sub
you the opportunity you wish for"
Chase was one of the fifty who signed on
the "a Of August amid the flies.
Elbridge Gerry was also very anxious
about his signature and wrote to both John
and Samuel Adams from Kingsbridge, N.
Y, under date of July 81, desiring to know
II 5hey but seq hs d n9t s sI hs ap " his
o. Matthew Thornton Of New Hampshire
was appointed a delegate in Congress Sep
vember, four months after the adoption Of
the Declaration. He Immediately declared
himself in favor Of 1t and was allowed to
Other .signers who had not even been
chosen delegates at the time of the ratifica-
ton of July were Benjamin Rush, James
Wilson, George Ross, George Clymer and
George Taylor. Five of the Pennsylvania
delegates had refused to vote for the reso-
luton favpring independence. The pro-
vincial assembly of the state revoked the
gates favorable to independence, and these
were among the signers Of August 2.
There was much Righteousness among the
members that August day while the flies
bit. Charles Carroll of Maryland was
warned that he was jeopardizing his i'm
mense property, and some one else said:
"Oh, King George will never hang Car
roll; there are too many Of them. His
majesty won't be able to Identify him."
True" said Carroll. and promptly wrote
after his name "of Carrollton."
Traitor to Congress.
And it might easily have occurred that
Carroll and all the others should have met
that ignominious death. In the assembly
was Doctor Zubly, delegate from Georgia
He was the Benedict Arnold of the Con-
gress. 1t began to be whispered that Zubly
was giving away the secrets of executive
sessions. Chase of Maryland accused him
of his perfidy on the floor. Zubly made an
impassioned denial and demanded proof
1t was forthcoming and the guilty delegate
fed to Georgia with the intention of ap-
prising the crown governor of his state
with what was going on behind the closed
doors of Congress Directed to follow the
traitor by Congress- Mr.. Houston patriot
delegate from the same state, set out to cir
cumyent him. By the time they reached
Georgia the crown governor had already
been deposed and had taken refuge in an
armed British vessel lying in Savannah
harbor. Zubly's treachery came to moth
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-29

piece by S. H. Vedder. New York: B.
w. Dodge & Co. Washington: Wood
ward & Lothrop.
PEACE GIVEN AND THE WORLD CIV
ETH; or, The Portsmouth Treaty and
its First Years Fruits. By John Bige-
low. New York: Baker & Taylor
Company. Washington: Ballanlyne &
Sons.
WRITING FOR THE PRESS, manual.
By Robert Luce. Fifth edition. re-
written. Boston: Clipping Bureau
Press
IN THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM. BY Ar
thur w. Marchmont, author Of by
Wit Of Woman" With Frontispiece
by Archie Gum. New York: Freder-
ick A. Stokes Company.
DISINHERITED. By Stella M. During,
author Of The Springtime Of Life"
With Frontispiece by Paula L. Him
melsbach. Philadelphia: ]. B. Lippin-
colt Company.
THE JOURNAL OF AMERICAN HIS
TORY. A quarterly. relating life sto-
ries Of men and events that have en-
tered into the building Of the north
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-29

ing, but it deprived Houston of chance
to immortalize himself by signing and
Georgia was cut down to three signers,
Qevinnett, Walton and Hall.
They were sturdy and interesting group
Of men who had the temerity to throw off
King George and representative Of all kinds
gospel twenty-four were lawyers-it was
Burke who had said, You can't subdue a
nation of lawyers fourteen were farmers,
merchants and three other who prepared
to preach chose other avocations. Their
hardihood Is shown not less in their
longevity. Poor Thomas Lynch of South
Carolina was drowned at thirty. His health
failed after the trying congressional work,
and, sailing In ITO for St. Eustatius, West
Indies, hoping there to find neutral vessel
to carry him to France, he was never again
heard from. But three Of the signers lived
to be over ninety years Of age. ten over
eighty, eleven over seventy, fourteen over
sixty, eleven over fifty and six over forty
four. 1t was Charles Carroll of Carrollton,
wholly six years-survived all the signers.
He had been the man who advised the
owner of the Peggy Stewart, tea ship at
Annapolis, to burn the vessel, which was
done without disguise in broad daylight.
and he lived to see his country victorious
in the second war with Great Britain, dying
in 1882.
Criticism Of Document.
DO Curious as 1t may seem, the draft of the
Declaration has been much criticised. AS
has been said, the honor of writing it, in
Richard Henry Lees absence. fell to Jeffer-
son. The sage of Monticello was lodged
in a house at the southwestern corner Of
Market and 7th streets belonging to a Mr.
Grat1, a merchant.
In a letter to DR.. James Mease of Phila-
delphia, written September 16, 1925. Jeffer-
son says:
"At the time Of writing that instrument I
lodged in the house Of a Mr.. Gratz, a new
brick house, three stories high, of which
l rented the second floor, consisting of a
parlor and bedroom ready furnished. In
that parlor I wrote habitually, and in 1t
wrote this paper particularly" The curious
folding lap-desk, with side drawer, on
which the Declaration was written is still
preserved.
According to Jefferson as early as June
10 1t had become apparent from the de-
bates that New York. New Jersey, Penn
sylvania. Delaware. Maryland and South
Carolina were not yet matured for falling
from the parent stem and it was thought
prudent to wait for them and to postpone
the final decision until July /. but that this
might occasion as little delay as possible,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-29
~

printed several editions differing somewhat
In style from the first broadside. and in
ton and one at Salem. Preachers read it in
their pulpits, teachers to their classes and
town halls echoed with it. Soon all the
their treasure and their blood to uphold it.
At the first celebration OF 1t. August 8,
1776. In the State House grounds, the great
Declaration to large concourse OF peo-
pie. Great enthusiasm prevailed and the
kings arms were taken down in the court
| room Of the State House and with bonfires
and bells 1t became Independence Hall.
The original engrossed copy of the Dec
laration as signed Is now In the keeping
Of the Secretary Of State. The document
was in the Patent Office from 1S41 to 1871.
as that department was believed to be fire.
proof. 1t is now, since 1894. kept hermeti-
cally sealed in a frame and placed in steel
Constitution. 1t Is no longer shown to any
one except by express order of the Secre-
tary. Being on parchment, WHICH shows
probably to the making of a fac-simile
dored by President James Monroe In 1928
than to age or handling, the document Is
the signers are no longer legible. Two
pages of JefYerson's original draft, with
few interlineations by Adams and Franklin.
are also preserved at the Department Of
State. The facsimile which was ordered by
President Monroe was made for the pur-
pose of giving copy to each of the signers
then living ana their helrs.
Indissolubly connected with the Declara-
ton of Independence is the bell of the State
House which first announced liberty. Every
one has heard the story of how the old bell
ringer, when he heard the long-delayed
proclamation of liberty, could no longer
content himself with mere ordinary living
and died of joy. But not every one knows
the curious coincidence about the bell itself
1t had been cast in England for the
State House, which, WREN completed in 1874
at cost of $4,000. was considered the
most extravagant public building in the
land. The bell in being brought from the
ship in 1852 was injured. Isaac Norris,
speaker of the state assembly. ordered the
bell recast, which was done by Pass and
Stow. Norris with peculiar prophetic in
tuition, of which he did not dream, sug-
gested motto for the bell. What he had
cast on the bell fulfilled and during
the struggle for freedom the bell was buried
in the Delaware river to escape seizure.
When independence was won 1t was
placed in Independence Hall. where its
motto may still be read
Proclaim liberty throughout the land
to all the inhabitants thereof
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-29

independence day, When is it? The
question might very properly be asked of
the millions of neutrality-suspicious. boys
and girls who have grown TO manhood and
womanhood in the past and are now devel-
oping into American citizenship whose faith
is complete that independence was first
thought of, discussed, declared and won on
the Fourth OF July.
But it would be more correct to speak or
Independence week or month or even year
than to settle the whole of the glory upon
the fourth itself.
The surrender of CORVALLIS at Yorktown
was October 10, 1871. At least one of the
signers of the Declaration, with no thought,
however, to be on the safe side, signed the
document late in the same year. Col. Nc
Kean OF Delaware is himself the authority
for the statement that he did not sign till
1871. His name does not appear in the first
broadside OF the declaration along with
ffty-five other signers.
Jefferson himself, the author of the i'm
mortal document, in paper on the manner
OF proceeding of the Continental Congress
with respect to independence writes:
The debates having taken up the greater
part of the second, third and fourth days
of July, were in the evening of the last
closed. The Declaration was reported by
the committee, agreed to by the house and
signed by every member present. except
Mr. Dickinson"
The journal, however, shows that only
John Hancock, the President of the Con-
gress, signed. attested by Charles Thomp-
son. secretary.
But beyond the fact that the Declaration
was not signed on the 4th it is also true
that after the long month of acrimonious
discussion beginning early In June the reso-
luton for independence itself was adopted
July 9
The Virginia delegates. led by Richard
Henry Lee. who for more than a year had
openly advocated independence. instructed
by the Virginia convention OF May II. 17T6
TO vote for absolute freedom, brought for
ward the resolution on June Z.
Mr.. Lees resolution read that these
united colonies are, and of right ought to
be. free and independent states and that all
political connection between them and the
state of Great Britain is, and ought to be,
totally dissolved
John Adams seconded the resolution. II
was the north and the south Joining hands
Puritan and cavalier shoulder TO shoulder
for liberty. The debate was and Adams
became the colossus in its defense.
Direct consideration of the question OF
indsUendence was entered upon. according
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-29

his own existence. and in so doing found a
reasonable measure of success and quiet
content.
FELICITY; The Making of Coincidence.
By Clara E. Laughlin. illustrated by
Alice Barber Stephens. New York:
Charles Scribners Sons. Washing ton.
Woodward & Lothrop.
Miss Laughlin is an alchemist In charac-
terizations. She has the subtle instinct that
penetrates the guises of individual manifes-
tation, and divines the basic humanity m
all types. Her power lies pre-eminently in
having clearly in focus the elemental quail
ity that Is transmitted by environment, cir
cumstance Or chance into the endless diff
ference of personality. There seems to be
in the gallery of persons in Felicity no
need for exhaustive analyses in order TO
present sharply distinguished types with
dramatic realization of the salient, the
most definite or symbolic trait of each per-
sonage; each picture is presented with in
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-29

The following is a selection from the
new books recently added to the District
Public Library:
America: Description.
Auer, H. A. The North Country. IocG. Gs2o-
ter.y sn S Tae q isis q
James. Henry, jr. The American Scene. 1907.
sound dns 1867. Gst4 S Mss4. discovery OIL 'se'
Paine. R. d. Greater America. 1907 ESQ.,
wallace, Dillon. The Long Labrador Trail.
Europe: Description.
Ansted. Alexander. The Riviera. 1894 G27'
BeeIe. Louis. Sketches From Normandy. 1907.
Elson. L. C. European "reminiscences. 1896.
Gsllieham; Mrs. C. @. Moorish Cities in Spain.
and % o Life in
MeCracken. W. D. italian Lakes. 1907. Gao-
Msnpss Dorothy Paris ,sOs
Studying in Paris. 1907. GseP-w67es
Great Britain: Description.
Gould, s. B. Yorkshire Oddities. 1900. G4oY-
,I Hs s ,sy s. .Rs Mis a M Week at Kill
Historical and Typographical. 1900. G45L-H35ei.
lanes and Amusements.
Glasfurd, A. /. r. Rifle and Romance. 1905.
vE-G483r.
Gossip, G. H. D. Chess Players Text Book,
Granger, A. D. skat and How to Play 1t. 1907.
VN-G784s.
Stevens A. W. Practical Rowing With Scull
and Sweep. 1906. vG-st4S3p.
For Boys and Girls.
should idef Know. IS31. jPE, B5s2bi. '' oH'A
Chfldrens Wonder Book by Popular Story-tellers.
1896. jY9C435.
Finn. F. ]. The Best Foot Forward and Other
Stories 1900.
Plutarch. Greek Lives From Plutarch, tr. by @.
e. Byles. 1907. tE-9P7g.
Williams, Archibald. How 1t Works. 1907.
jLA-W676h.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-29

in no small degree to the absolute simple
ity of the style. The story of the making
of the great comedienne from a simple lit
tie village girl has an intrinsic charm en-
tirely free from deliberate ornament or
grace of style and artifice of plot Not
even occasional intrusion of the didac-
tic spirit delays the course of a story that
moves with convincing reality and dramat-
ic force