The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-07-02


ton. of Virginia. - M
Those Sc men Were responsible for
the severance of the ties with the moth
er country. That seems asfsmaIl num-
Der for so grave an act; andythe Sc votes
represented something near 1000, 900 of
people. A moment with AZ lead pencil
will show that those 56bevotes were
twice as representative of the people
yes, nearly three times astirepresenta-
tive-as the Congress of ufthe present
day is. Each signer represented on an
average something over 10000 inhab-
itants; to-day a member of Congress
represents something over 100000.
Even at that early day it was Amer
leans for America" for every signer of
the Declaration was born in the Colo
MES except eight, and among those for
eign to the soil were Robert Morris
Witherspoon and Wilson. The Eastern
Colonies gave Is of the signers; IA were
born in the Middle Colonies and Is in
the Southern.
where They Were Born.
Of those born abroad. two were Eng
fish, three were Irish, two were Scotch
and one was from Wales. OF those
born in this country, Maine gave one,
New York three, Massachusetts nine,
Rhode Island two. Connecticut four,
New Jersey four, Pennsylvania five,
Delaware two. Maryland five. South
Carolina four and Virginia nine.
The Oldest member of the signers was
20 years of age, and the youngest men,
Der was %; AZ of the Sc were between
the ages of 80 and so. AT least % of
the Sc We're college graduates. nearly
half the whole number, and seven of
them were graduated at Harvard. Some
20 of the others had an academic edu-
cation, and at least 26 of them had trav-
eled abroad and been in Institutions of
learning there. Most of the signers
were men of means; some were rich
for that day, notably Hancock, Carroll
and Morris. Samuel Adams was the only
poor gentleman" among the lot. 1t Is
something to know--this fact that most
of the signerS were men of means-for
it must be remembered that they
pledged their lives. their fortunes and
their sacred honor" in behalf of that
tremendous act. They were all honor
able men, men of high honor, and a
shows that not one was false to his
pledge. Each name took on brightness
as the gloom of war settled over the
Colonies, and the wrath of the mother
country was visited upon them. Each
stood fast even unto death, tho some
lost all they had in the world, some
were imprisoned as well, and two or
tITec uleu lEOiH ndFusilip CHRONOLOGICAL.
In this connection statement of
William Elery, one of the signers for
Rhode Island. is interesting. He often
spoke in his later years of the signing
of the great document; some signed it
with a feeling OF awe, he said. some
the expediency. but he declares
not one exhibited any fear.
How They Signed.
Il was determined" he used TO say,
ito see how they all locked as they
signed what might be their death war
rant. I placed myself beside the Score
tary, Charles Thomson, ard eyed each
closely as he affixed his name to the
document. Undaunted. resolution was
displayed in every ceanteEance." MIR.
Ellery was wonderful man in a quiet
way and was part of the backbone of
the Colonies in Congress during the
troubled years that followed. He died
at the age of %. sitting in his chair and
reading Cicero without glasses.
Nearly one-half of that body of sign
ers were members of the legal profess
sion; 10 of the signers were planters
and farmers. men of affiuence; nine
were merchants; FIVE physicians; two
were mechanics; one "A surveyor; one a
Clergyman; one a mariner. H.
There was strong difference of Qpin-
ion among the signers as to the right
thing to do, and many of them were
averse to the Declaration, but their bet
ter judgment told them that something
must be done. and this seemed the most
expedient thing at the time. Once the
signature was affixed doubt fled. All
stood fast.
1t is somewhat remarkable that most
of the signers rose to high position in
the States or in the Nation. Thomas
jefferson, who is credited with making
the rough draft of the Declaration, and
John Adams, both extremely active in
the work to cut loose from England. be-
came the third and second Presidents
of the United States.
Two of the signers met tragic fate.
Button Gwinnett, of Georgia, who
was born in England "of respectable
parents" SO his biography states, evil
IDENTIFY had a good deal of English preju-
dice at first, and was little lukewarm
as to breaking away from his native
country, but once his interests We're
cast with the Colonies he was jealous
and unwearied in his exertions in the
common cause. He rose to the Presi-
dency of the Provincial Council, and
then by a concatenation of circum-
stances his political star began to wane.
Believing that Gen. Mcintosh was the
cause of his downfall, Gwinnett chal-
lenged him to a duel, ard fell mortaliy
wounded when only As years of age.
Thomas Lynch, native of South
Carolina, being in failing health after
the close of the Revolution, sailed with
his wife for France to recuperate. and
the vessel went down with all on board,
and was never heard from afterward.
Carroll of CarroIIton.
Charles Carroll of Carrollton, born in
Maryland, was the Oldest survivor and
the last survivor of the signers, the last
link between the old and the new gen
Grafton. On the 4th day of July, 1926,
but three of the signers were living, and
before the sun set that night, which was
the 50th anniversary OF the day on
which they had signed the Declaration,
two, Jefferson and Adams, had passed
on, leaving Carroll the only survivor of
that illustrious crowd of men. On Nov |
H. 1892, at the age of 92, Carroll was
gathered to the fathers
Caesar Rodney, of Delaware, was the
champion rough rider of his day in all
probability. He was a man of affairs,
a Brigadier-General Of his Province and
a member of the Continental Congress
He was away on leave Of absence when
the vote was about TO be taken on the
question of independence messen-
ger was sent to him, and REACHED him
in the midst of business affairs of great
Importance TO him. Put he hesitated
not second, and mounting his horse
started on the 90-milef trip, which he
made in time to enter the Hall of Con-
gress in muddy Clothes, and to east the
vote which made the vote of the States
unanimous for Independence.
Some Errors Corrected.
The Dripted Journals of ConpreSc