The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-12-24
BIRTH OF A nation
Facts About the Declaration OF
Independence.
SIGNING OF THE DOCUMENT.
The Last Name, Thomas Mexican, to
Go on the Precious Parchment Was
Not Appended Until 1781-The Meek
!enburg and Maryland Declaration.


Not Appended Until 1781-The Meek
!enburg and Maryland Declarations.
liked their signatures TO the Declare
lion OF Independence. a document that
heralded the birth or a nation. to the
support OF which they pledged their
lives. their fortunes aud their sacred
honor. none was SO old as 10 he liza
bile 10 "A suspicion OF senility and
cused OF immatnrity OF Judgment.
Even John Hancock, rather n rowing
blade and none too stable In his per
sonal habits and predictions. was
thirty-nine years old when the general
congress met in Independence hall.
Philadelphia, TO sit In Judgment upon
the wording Of the historical document.
The oldest man In the assemblage
was Benjamin Franklin, then six
months past his SEVENTEEN birthday.
and the youngest was Thomas Lynch,
Jr.. OF South Carolina. who was born
Aug. 3, l149, aud was therefore a
month short or being twenty-seven
years old
The hrst OF he signers OF the Dec
laration to die after the execution OF
the instrument was Button Gwinnett
of Georgia. who passed away on May
~ OF the following year. Charles Car
roll Of Carrollton. Nd, lived the longest
after the memorable date. He remain-
ed until Nov. IL, 49,.
James Smith of Pennsylvania was
the only signer who lived to a more ad-
yanced age than Charles Carroll. He
was ninety.six years old when his life
ended on July IL. 1906. There We're
three others who became %nonagena-
rians-John ADAMS OF Massachusetts,
who passed away at ninety-one years:
William Ellery of Rhode Island, at
~ninety-three years, and Francis Lewis
If New York. ut ninety-one years of
age. The Youngest to die was Arthur
Middleton OF South Carolina. who was
only forty-fonr years old at his demise
on Jan. /. 11SS.
or the fifty-six signers but seven had
advanced past the age of sixty years
on July 4, 1916 Nine We're between
fifty and sixty. there were nineteen
between forty and fifty, the same mum
Der. nineteen, between thirty and for
~ and two below the age OF thirty
years. The average age was 1897
years.
But. contrary to popular belief. the
Declaration OF Independence was not
signed on July 4. iT16. AS a matter OF
fact. the last signature was not ap-
pended until five years later, in 1871.
Thomas Mexican. a member from Del
aware. who had been present on July
4. 1I16. but absent with the army at
the general subscription OF said instru-
ment." applied for permission TO sign.
An act was then passed permitting him
TO affix his signature, and 'he added
thereto the date of such subscription"
Another delegate. Matthew Thornton
OF New Hampshire. who had been
present at neither the reading on July
4 nor at the later date OF general sub
scription. presented his credentials on
Nov. 4. 1776. and was permitted to
sign.
II vas the first reading OF the Dec
laration OF Independence that occurred
on July 4, and the tentative draft pre-
scented by the committee previously ap-
pointed to draw vi such a document
was approved by all the members pres
ent. No resolution was passed until
July 10. when Ii was Resolved, That
the declaration passed On the 4th be
fairly engrossed on parchment, with
the title. etc. and that the same, When
~engrossed, be signed by every member
OF congress-" Two weeks later. the
engr0ssing having been duly accom-
plished, the members OF congress then
present signed 1t.
Another fact In connection with the
Declaration Of Independence which we