The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-07-04
Copyright by the s. 8. Mcclure COM
pany1

copyright BY the s. 8. Mcclure COM
4pany.1
(rhe portraits OF tho signers OF the Dec
iaration Of Independence In this article
are believed to be the most complete ever
published. The best portrait Of each sign
er has been selected- Portraits OF all the
signers save two were made. The ex-
ceptions are John Morton and Caesar
Rodney. OF the former there IL no au-
thentic portrait. and the latter. owing to
a scar on his face, never allowed his por-
trait painted. The autographs are rae
similes OF those on the engrossed copy OF
the Declaration Of Independence now III
the library OF the state department
Washington
~ HE Continental congress was
very busy in the spring OF
1875. Its daily sessions were
II taken up with tho reading OF
letters from the generals of its army.
accepting new companies OF militia.
directing battalions ard gunpowder
toward this or that province. disarm-
ing people who persisted in refusing
to night Great Britain. ordering cannon
cast, buying ,saltpeter. imprisoning the
suspected, voting money for raticas
and forage. establishing hospitals. for
bidding trade with England-in short.
with the carrying on of 6. vigorous war
against a country to which 1t sul
omcially acknowledged allie glance.
This condition OF affairs had existed
for more than a year. Occasionally. 1t
is true, congress had suspended hos
tilities long enough to protest that the
colonists were not rebels. only pet-
TONERS in arms" bent or 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 1t was pretty certain
that nobody would advocate another
petition. 1t was more likely that entire
separation from the mother country
was imminent II there were many
who dreaded such a step. there were
others who were doing their utmost to
hasten It, 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
subsidized when the news reached Phil
adelphia that the colonial legislature
Virginia had instructed its delegates
to congress to bring in resolution
declaring the united colonies free and
independent.
It was on June that Richard Henry
Lee. the spokesman of the Virginia
delegation. arose in congress. He had
been ordered. he said. by the unant-
nous vote OF the members OF the coun-
Gil OF Virginia to present the follow
.ng resolution:
THAT these united colonies are and
OF right ought to be free and inde-
pendent states; that they are absoived
Dpt% }c1,
crown: that all political connection
between them and Great Britain is
and ought to be totally dissolved"
Two other resolutions followed. con-
tingent upon the first, but It is not
necessary to consider them here.
Lee had not taken his seat before
there was a second" to his motion.
1t came from John Adams of Massa-
chusetts. A more welcome task could
not have fallen to man than this to
John Adams. A patriot by choice
from the day in 1861 when he. first
heard James Otis 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 conten-
ton with Great Britain. From the
time he entered the First congress OF
the colonies. in 1774. he had boldly and
necessarily advocated Independence
To see that congress felt 1t was
playing with IRE in considering Mr.
Lees resolution one has only to OK
anime the journal OF It's proceedings
for June Z. 1776. So hazardous was
the matter regarded for those taking
the initiative that in recording the
resolutions neither their substance
are mentioned. Certain resolutions"
says the journal. "being moved and
seconded, resolved that the considera-
ton OF them be deferred until tomor-
row morning and that the members
be enjoined to attend promptly at 10
o'clock in order to take the same into
consideration" They debated all the
next day. Saturday. and again all day
Monday on the question. Who spoke
and what was said are not certainly
known. as the journal has no record
John Adams and his cousin Sam,
Roger Sherman. Oliver wolcott. r. H.
Lee. George Wythe-these were un
doubtedly the great speakers for sepa-
ration.
The .chief opponent. Mr. Adams
leading antagonist. was John Dickin-
son of Pennsylvania. Dickinson 1T
this time was a man forty four years
Of age. three years older than Adams.
gentleman who had had as good al,
education as the colonies afforded and
who had followed it by a term in the
Temple. London
From the beginning Of the trouble
with England he had opposed her on
the ground that her acts were con-
trary to English law. =
It was Dickinson, then. who. when
the debate began on Lees motion. was
first on his feet. His most practical
arguments were that such a declara-
ton was premature. that the colonies
should wait at least until they had
perfected their military arrangements
and secured II possible the aid OF
France. with which country they were
then negotiating. The names OF all
who followed Dickinson we do not
know. but among them were able and
loyal men--John Jay. James Wilson
James Duane. Robert r. Livingstone
Edward Rutledge-but 1t was evident
from the beginning Of the debate that
they were In the minority. The dele
gates OF seven colonies-four in New
England. three in the south-were
either Instructed to vote for inde-
pendence or leaned toward 1t. Those
OF six colonies-New York New Jer-