Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1915-07-01

lasted over until the next and so July s would
have become the birthday instead of July a.
Toward evening the discomfort ot the as
semby was increased on account of the swarms
of flies which came from nearby livery stable
into the hall of legislature These pests were SO
audacous in assaults upon the statesmen that
Jefferson said their annoyance helped bring the
matter to a conclusion, and Harrison reporteu
the declaration to congress as accepted thousn
in the minutes of that day the declaration was AT
first left out on account of the vengeance o' hhe-
land. $50
Today Independence hall, in the old state house
IN PHILADELPHIA. remains about as 1t was on tnat
July a. and so as far as the setting OF tne staee
the drama is complete. but the drama nsen ID
left for us to supply.
All that we have left Of the record OF tna.
memorable day is the text of the Declaration VI
Independence and that represents ~hat Ill
brave American colonists were ready to lay down
their lives for and what should be handed down
m us and guarded as courageously as IL hao
heen won. the Fourth of July has amply served
its purpose and deserved its lone monument
"The Spirit Of Liberty for ALL
Whether or not the Declaration Oh nue.
nendence was signed on July A, 1776, by any put
Hancock as president of the Contnental coh-
gress and Thompson, as secretary Is matter
of doubt for the journal entry records signed
NV order of and in behalf of congress- Jener-
son himself made conflicting statements regaru'
ing this question. ,s,
Some contend that the delegates met inrormai-
" on the morning of July and signed the oocu'
ment Whether or not the signatures were al
fxed nm July A. congress- act was official on tnat
day that Jefferson's Declaration OF independence
was declared acceptable to every colony ANA SO
II resolved that copies should be sent throughout
the new-formed republic
The general assemblies conventions, councils
committees Of safety and the commanding omcers
of the Continental army had to be INFORMED VI
the independence Of the United States These
copies we're signed by Hancock and thompson.
The Congressional Record of July 10 shows that
a resolution was introduced in the national as
semblv to the effect that the declaration snould
he engrossed on parchment and presented for the
signature of every member on August q
This fact therefore, serves as authority that
the parchment copy signed on that day In August
after IL had been compared with the falr copy
and the latter destroyed is the copy Of the Dec
laration of independence which was considered
for so many years the original draft OF the great
bill of rights of the American people. 1t is SAID
that even this signing entered Into with rear
and trembling"
Satisfied that the signed parchment was
lasting evidence of the birth OF the new nation
congress took no further official action regarding
the instruments itself until January. 1777
BY that time the new republic began to feel It's
strength and congress decided to promulgate
the names of the sgners OF the Declaration OF In
dependence by ordering that printed copies OF the
document should be made, with the names OF the
signers added
Mary Katharine Goddard, woman who car
ried ON the printing business on Broadside Bal
tmore, probably never heard Of woman's rights,
vet It so happened that 1t became her right TO
nrint these copes of the American bill of rights.
From these copies numerous others were soon
made until before long every home boosted at
least one copy of the original document which
gave life to our republic