The Benson signal., 1916-07-01

| and formal function taking place
| July f. 1776. in large, handsomely
furnished chamber in Independence
| hail. Philadelphia To give the nee
80 esSary touch Of vvacty to the pic
ture there is the scene of the small
boy darting from the door as the last sgner sets
his autograph to the precious parchment and dash
ing down the street, calling to his grandfather. to
Ring Oh ring for liberty!'
Our ideal proclamation of the charter Of Amer
lean freedom must be shattered in the cause Of
truth: The Declaration of Independence
signed behind locked doors, and was not general
fy signed upon the Fourth of July at all. The city
was not breathlessy awaiting the event outside
nor did the Liberty bell peal forth on that day
the triumphal note Of freedom.
The accredited historian of the United States
department of state is Gaillard Hunt. Lift D.. ILL.,
d.. now chief of the division of manuscripts in the
Library Of Congress.
"1'here is really for celebrating
the Fourth Of July more than July August g."
said Doctor Hunt recently to inquirer at
not until the latter date that the document was
generally signed.
"The Virginia bill of rights of which George
Mason was also the author. drawn up and
adopted In the last colonial assembly in Virginia
prior to the Revolution. The bill Of rights is in
effect part Of every constitution in the land to-
day. 1t is beyond doubt that this famous docu-
snent, of which his elderly friend author
wrote the Declaration of Independence.
1.-THE fundamental principles of government set
forth In Masons bill of rights were the same as
those In the English petitions to the king the acts
Of the long parliament and magma charta.
"You know, perhaps, that 1t another Vir
ginian Richard Henry Lee, who presented to con-
gress. June Z 1776, set of resolutions contain
ing the words. That these united colonies are, and
of right ought to he, free and independent states
and that all political connection between them
and the state of Great Britain is and ought to be-
totally dissolved
ut was result of the favorable voting upon
Lees resolutions that the well-known committee
composed of Thomas Jefferson John Adams Ben
Jamin Franklin, Roger Sherman and Robert r. Liv-
ingstOn, was named to draft the document The
committee assigned the task of preparing the in
strument to the Virginian Jefersons was the
master political mind and it was by no mere
chance that he was called upon to write the docu
ment which has been termed the best-known pa.
per that has from the pen of an indi-
vidual'
Drafting Of the Declaration.
Thomas jefferson the personiicatlon Of
method" remarked Doctor Hunt "and immediate.
Iy upon receiving his commission to write the
declaration he retired to the two rooms he rented
working place at Seventh and Market place.
Philadelphia. and prepared to give his country
one OF the greatest monuments of human freedom
"The department of state owns the first draft of
the Declaration which Jefferson presented to the
committee for its approval. His cOnfreres made
few alterations which clearly shown in the
text. and Jefferson has written beside each change
the name of it's author. making the document of
fnestimable value
"fhe fair copy which he made for presentation
to congress. and which bears the congressional
amendments and alterations. is lost
"1'he latter is the formal Declaration of Inde
pesdence laid before congress June 2S 1776
It then read and ordered to lie the table
until July l. On July u resolution passed
declaring the independence of the United States
although the exact form of the proclamation as
prepared by Jefferson debated upon until July
4. when. with some alterations and amendments. it
was signed by John Hancock president of the
congress. and the signature attested by Charles
Thomson. secretary of congress.
"July actually the date Of separation of
the colonies from the mother country On July 3
we find John Adams. whom Jefferson called the
colossus of the colonies. writing to his wife. Abb
gail. in the following words:
"'1 eSterday the greatest question which
ever debated 10 America was decided. and great
er perhaps never was nor will be decided among
men,
Great Day Was July 2.
"In second letter. written the day, he
said: But the day is past. July will he the
most memorable epoch in the history of America
I am ant to believe that it will he celebrated by
succeeding generations as the anniversary festival
1t ought to he comlnemorated as the day of deliv-
erance by solemn acts Of devotion to God AL
mighty.
"There Ia little doubt but that the participants
In the event considered July as the true date Of
independence for the colonies. but popular fancy
geiZed upon the 4th the date of acceptance Of JEFF
eerson's formal and detailed Setting-fOrth as the
proper date of celebration.
"John Trumbulls famous painting Of the scene
hanging in the rotunda of the capitol, is poetica
niece of work and gives many Of the portraits Of
the signers with faithfuness. but 1t Is somewhat
fanciful NO silken hnngings draped che windows
of that sitting room on July 4. l776. and the beau
4,ful order in which the men are ranged up for
signng the immortal document Is also hctlonal.