The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1909-07-03

81 m'aut hh' nahht thibtf Nuth ttuucet
to United States. some Of them side
stepped IL, but the general drift Of nj
OF them was In the direction Of indie
pendenco. A few gloomy Uusses ha,
u fear that would not down that th.
people generally would not back up tn,
movement when the show down came
and the members Of congress themselye,
had u sneaking idea in the same direc
ton tough hopeful that II would all
come out right in the wash. Aud u
did, though many members of congress.
openly admitted that while they were
not afraid, they were considerably scar
ed about what England would do u
them when their in6delity became
known.
Al the convention Of the national as
sembly Of l776 many Of the members
had u bad case Of Buck ague. They
knew they were right, believed that the
Lord was on their side all right. but
knew they were going up against n
stinf game. Finally Richard Henry Lee
took u brace on himself and rose aud
read the resolution that ''These Unit.
cd Colonies are, and of n right ought
to be, free and independent states; aud
that all political connection between
us and the state OF Great Britain is,
and ought to be, totally dissolved. The
gentleman from Massachusetts,, John
Adams, Immediately seconded the res.
o~lution. The bunch was still scared,
and deemed IL wise to omit the names
Of the gentlemen from the minutes.
The consideration was deferred until
the next morning, but the resolution
was not taken up until three days af.
terward, June 10, 1875, when il was
resolved 10 postpone Its further con.
sideration until the FIRST day Of July
next; and in the meanwhile, that no
time be lost, in ease Congress agree
thereto, that a committee be appoint
ed to prepare aud declare u resolution
to that effect. This committee was
appointed the next day and consisted
of Thomas Jefferson Of Virginia, John
Adams OF Massachusetts, Benjamin
Franklin Of Pennsylvania, Roger Sher.
man of Connecticut aud Robert r.. Liv.
ingston OF New York. Mr.. jefferson
was made chairman Of the committee,
and to him was assigned the task Of
nTanaFtnn "A INufs 90 /. 1u... a.
he submitted TO congress. IL was
drawn with extreme care and was
adopted unanimously by the committee
after u few slight alterations aud cor
rections made Mt the suggestion Of
Adams and Franklin.
According to agreement, Mr.. Lee 5
motion was brought up ON July !, in
the Committee Of the Whole, Benjamin
Harrison Of Virginia being in the chair.
The draft VI the declaration was 70
ported at the same time. For three con.
secutiVe days IL was debated by para. |
graphs. Many alterations, omissions
and amendments were made.
The resolution Of Mr.. Lee, declaring
the Colonies "free and independent
- was adopted on July 2, and
that day rather than July Z, ought to
he celebrated as Independence Day. II
was the form Of the declaration that
was adopted On the latter day. The
real split from the mother country oc
Cured ON the end. Not that makes
any real difference except that 1t shows
We are indifferent TO the accuracy
OF history 10 long AS we cover the pur
pose of celebration.
Nor was II all smooth sailing in the
adoption Of the Declaration. The de
bates on 1t were lengthy and animated.
In the beginning there was little unani
nifty of opinion. The resolution was
favored by such men as Lee, the Adams,
DIR. WitberspoOn OF New Jersey and
Edward Rutledge Of North Carolina.
1t was valiantly opposed by John Dick.
enson of Pennsylvania. Not that there
was ever any question of its final adop.
ton, the bunch meant 10 DO that, but
not to slight man = natural love for
chewing the linen. II was feared, how.
by its friends, that they might
not be able to secure IA unanimous vote
VI the colonies, inasmuch AZ the Assem-.
blies Of Maryland aud Pennsylvania
refused 10 sanction the measure,
and New York, Georgia and South Caro-
lima were silent. But the delegates
from Maryland were unanimous in its
favor, an those from Pennsylvania were
divided. Finally, on June "a, the poo.
pie Of Pennsylvania, in convention rs
sembled, expressed themselves aa vii
ling TO have their delegates vote for
the measure. On the 2sth Of June the
NJ .ryland convention did the same
Thus when the anal vote was
taken on the Fourth Of July, q unani
nous vote was had Of the thirteen colo.
MES In favor Of the deelL ration which
pronounced them froe and independent
IL wa 2 o'clock In the after.
aeon when the fnsl decision wa al.
bounced, and the rest Of the day there
something doing in good old Phila
! don I propose here 10 inter
ieet any reference to the sublime grand
play Of Patrick Henry, or any
II the fables in regard TO LiDerty Ben,
which, while they sound good, have no
of fact. II rang nj right, and that
IN enough said. The declaration YES Inn