The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-30

hHE Continental Congress was very
 busy in the spring of 1776. It's
 4 daily sessions were taken up with the reading of letters from the generals of it's army, accepting new companies of militia, directing battalionS and gunpow- der toward this or that province, disarn- ing people who persisted in refusing to fight Great Britain, ordering cannon cast, buying saltpeter, imprisoning the sus- pected, voting money for rations and for age, establishing hospitals, forbidding trade with England-in short, with the carrying on of vigorous war against 8 country to which it still officially &C., knowledged allegiance.
 This condition of affairs has existed for more than year. Occasionally, it is true, Congress had suspended hostiities long enough to protest that the colonists were not rebels, only petitioners in arms bent on setting right their wrongs; but the futility of It's petitions and prayers had gradually worn out the patience and hope of even the most loyal of the members. When Congress came together in the spring of 1776, it was pretty certain that nobody would advocate another petition. It was more likely that entire separation from the mother country was imminent. s If there were many who dreaded such a step, there were others who were doing their utmost to hasten 1t. So strong were these latter that In May they even forced through Congress a resolution calling upon the colonies to form independent govern ments. The temper which had carried this revolutionary measure had not subsided when the news reached Philadelphia that the colonial legislature of Virginia had instructed its delegates to Congress to bring in resolution declaring the United States free and independent.
 It was on June that Richard Henry Lee, the spokesman of the Virginia dele gation, arose in Congress. He had been | ordered, he said, by the unanimous vote of the members of the Council of Virginia, to present the following resolution:
 '"rhat these United Colonies are, and Of right ought to be, free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown; that all the political connection between them and Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved"
 Lee hs not taken his seat before there was a 'second'' to his motion. It came from John Adams of Massachusetts. A more welcome task could not have fallen to a man than this to John Adams A patriot by choice from the day, in 176l, when he first heard James Otiss famous speech against the writs of assistance, he had for years sacrificed business, family, health peace of mind, to the American cause. He was one of the few who from the first believed that separation was the only outcome of the contention with Great Britain. From the time he entered the first Congress of the Colonies in 1714, he had boldly and necessarily advocated in- dependence. And now at last he had the supreme happiness of seconding resolu- ton offered by the leading colony of the thirteen, which brought before Congress directly the very policy for which he had sacrificed popularity and imperiled his head if Great Britain should succeed.
 To see that Congress felt 1t was play ing with fire in considering MT. Lees res olution one has only to examine the Jour nal of it's proceedings for June ', 17l6. So hazardous was the matter regarded for those taking the initiative, that in re- cording the regulations. neither thelr sub stance nor Mh Lees and Mir Adams names are mentioned. "Certain resolu- tlons,'' says the Journal, being moved and seconded. resolved that the consider ation of tham be deferred until tomorrow