Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-01
STORY RET0[D OF
BIRTHDAY Of NATION
History Of the Drafting Of the
Resolution in the Con-
tinentaI Congress.
ORIGINAL DOCUMENT NOW
KEPT IN AIR-TIGHT CASE
It Is Stated That of the Fifty-Six
Signers More Than One-Fourth
Were Not Present July 4, 1776.

Signers More Than One-Fourth
Were Not Present July 4, 1776.
In view of the fact that the forty
eight states of the Union. together with
Porto Rico. Hawaii and Alaska. Will
celebrate the Fourth OF July as indie
pendence day. it is interesting to note
how this nationwide holiday came to
be celebrated. and what it should sig
Nifty to all Americans.
July the fourth is now a holiday COM
memorating the birthday of the nation,
for on that date in 177s the Continental
Congress of the thirteen colonies OF
America adopted the Declaration of In
dependence which proclaimed them free
and Independent states absolved from
all allegiance to the British crown
The original of this birth certificate,
written by hand on parchment, ana
now much worn and faded. rs presefN-
ed carefully in an air-ught and ilght-
proof case in the library of the Depart
ment of State. Only facsimiles are eX-
hibited today. the original being FAR
100 precious document to RISK IN the
light and air.
\
exhibition in the division of history IN
the older building of the National Mu-
scum a Washington, where tnefe are
also preserved personal feiicS ana
lnementos of several OF the members
of the second Continental congress
who signed this great resolution.
Text of the Resolution.
The history of the origin and drafting
of the Declaration is of considera BILE
interest In the second Continental
CONGRESS- which was meeting in Ptila-
deIpbia. Richard Henry Lee Of Virginia.
on June :. l116. introduced the foi'o"
ing resolution. which was seconded by
John Adams:
Resolved. That these United Colonies
are, and of right ought to be. free ana
independent states; that they are an
solved from all allegiance to the BRUSH
crown. and that ali political connection
between them and the state OF ''Iea'
Britain is, and ought TO be to'ais MS
THAT it is expedient forthwith to take
the most effectual measures for forming
foreign alliances.
That n plan Of confederation be pre-
pared and transmitted TO the respective
colonies for their approbat ton.
Consideration of this resolution was
postponed and June IL, Thomas LET
ferSOn,
Roger Sherman and K. X Livingston
were appointed committee to prepare a
deCia ton 10 serve as preahlpie 10
this independence resolution. This COM
mittee known as the jefferson commit
tee submitted draft of the Declaration
June IS which was laid on the table for
later consideration. July l. congress,
sitting as a committee of the whole TO
consider the resolution respecting III
dependence, agreed thereto, and reported
il to Congress.
July the resolution itself was adopted
by Congress. and the Declaration was
whole, being again taken up the next
day, July 3.
Resolution Adopted July 4.
July { the Declaration. which included
the first paragraph Of the resolution. was
agreed to by the committee of the whole.
reported 10 Congress and adopted. The
independence Of the United Colonies was
thus declared, and thereupon Congress
Immediately ordered that the Declarati ton
be authenticated and printed under the
supervision of the committee previously
appointed to prepare it. and that copies
thereof he distributed to all state as
semblies and to the commanding officers
of the army.
In accordance with the above order the
Declaration was issued as printed
broadside July ;, with the heading: "in
Congress- July 4, 1916. a Declaration by
the Representatives of the United States
of America in General Congress AS
sembled.' It bore the name in print of
John Hancock. President of the Congress.
and was attested by Secretary Charles
Thomson, but bore no other names.
July 10 it was resolved in Congress:
That the Declaration passed on the
4th. be fairly engrossed on parchment.
with the title and stile (style) of The
nj # h.
United States Of America and that the
same. when engrossed, be signed by
every member of Congress"
1t could not have been headed "unani-
nous July T. for the New York dele
gates had not then been authorized TO
agree to il. and it not until July
10 that il announced in the Cont
mental Congress that the assembly Of New
York had approved the Declaration, and
thus made it unanimous
Signatures Affixed August Q.
On August ., 1716, the Declaration of
Independence. being engrossed and com
pared. was signed by the members; those
who were not present August 2 af-
fixing their signatures at later dates all
but one signing before January is, l777.
1t has been ascertained that of the fifty
six signers more than one-fourth were
NO. present On July - ~ ana seven
of them-Thornton. Williams, Rush, ely
mer. Smith, Taylor and Ross-were not
members on that date. On the other
hand. seven members of that date
George Clinton, John Alsop. r. r. Liv-
insston, Henry Wisner, Thomas Willing.
Charles Humphreys and John Rogers
had not the privilege Of becoming sign
ers." for the membership of all but one
had ceased prior to August 2.
The first official issue of the Declaration
bearing the names Of the signers was
printed broadside in Baltimore, I'M
der the resolution of January Is, l777,
ordering that copies be sent to each of
the United States. There are only four
copies of this issue known to exist,
one Of which is in the Library of Congress
at Washington. 1t is authenticated in
writing by John Hancock as President
Of the Congress, and attested by Secretary
, Thomson.
Little Done to Perpetuate Memory.
Contrary to popular opinion, there
fore. 1t is seen that the Declaration
was not signed July 4. the day it
passed, but between August >, 1776
and January is. 1771, after it had been
engrossed and compared and then by
only hfty-hve members, all of whom
were ordered to do so by the resolu-
. tr.,, Itt1x