The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1916-06-29

u How the Immortal Docu-
- ment Was Put Through -
the Continental Congress
Although the, Fourth is the day that
IS celebrated BY many as that on which
the immortal Declaration of Indepen-
dence was signed. sealed and promul-
gated, as a matter of fact such is not
true. The great document was read
to the people on the Fourth after hav-
ing been approved by congress, but it
was not signed On that day. The facts
are these:
On July 2 Jefferson presented for
adoption the immortal Declaration aft
er congress had adopted a resolution
presented by Richard Henry Lee Of
Virginia. which had been placed be-
fore the body on June Z. 1776. This
resolution was as follows:
Resolved. That these united colonies are
and Of a right ought to be free and inde-
pendent states; that they are absolved
from all allegiance to the British crown
and hat all political connection between
them and the state. of Great Britain is m
ought to be totally dissolved.
This resolution was debated for near-
~ a month. and,ssowving' to the absence
Of Lee. who had,been called home, the
defense of it fells0n his colleague, JEFF
ferson. It needed defense, for in that
congress were able men who opposed
its passage and revolution. Great
therefore is Americas debt to Jeffer-
son and Lee. On. July 2 Lees resolu-
ton was adopted, and Je~fferson's draft
Of the Declaration: was adopted on
July 4, 1776. ,a.ss<
$, John Hancock. president Of congress.
and Charles Thompson. its secretary.
Immediately signed the document and
became thus the first official traitors
from an English point of view. 1t was
made public to the. citizens by John
Nixon, who read it to the citizens of
Philadelphia in Independence square.
On July Is it was ordered to be en-
crossed, and on this being done it was
ready for the signers. who appended
their names on Aug. 2.
Meanwhile there had been some
changes in the personnel of congress.
and many of those who had taken part
in the debate against its adoption were
displaced, some Of them at their own
request, and others who had no con-
nection with the ..historic discussion
signed the document. For instance.
John Dickinson. Edward Biddle. Thorn
as Willing and Charles Humphreys of
Pennsylvania fought the Declaration,
and the commonwealth sent Benjamin
Franklin, Robert Morris, George Ross
and James Wilson to congress in their
places to sign the great paper.
Precursor Of Hths Sane FOURTH
Philadelphia had q law against fire.
works ffty-fve. years before the Dec
laration of Independence was signed.
and the law is still valid and on the
statute books. in the opinion OF the
city's law department. The depart
men asserted that. there has been 4
long succession Of laws and ordinances
covering the sale apd;Ase Of explosives
since 1921. The opinion follows:
.sEver since t721 ,bayl' sSlrious statutes
and ordinances III MAkaAeen made I'M
lawful to set 6I1sde fireworks
Of any descrfptipli8 eMA city. The
act of Aug. 26s oSfa4l6Ebs.ylssar provided
that no person sh0uids make or cause
g; be made, orSsslkgutter q offer. OF
skxpose to sale. any sqnib rocket or
4 other fireworks. OF east..Fthrow or fire
any squHbs., Observation-Disclosures fireworks
within, the .citSs 81 sPhiladelphia WITH
osut.tbe, geye.aer,s4 Apeciaili license"
.s:,. & vi i. ~ % %.a H..
l<July,s Fourth TOO Years Ago.
l4New, York City. 1eo,yaarssa ago there
wa. 4aallY1ays q. large Jnglg 4 procession
in -yYheicht all the different societies tool
SEpar +; ;;ss II SweqpH9Afd IT, Wy Wsyy, slowly e
Fthe .eefty hall .aalbont. 4 o'clock, Theirs
the feading ef TIE Declaration, Of, ,1lnde,
peadehtlss and thss' c~6aanshfff2atio,ht 81 t y
Untede States tdS,k ! place. Prraayesftsi
were offered. ofatf6hs given: ana III It'll
words of 100 years xgoathe program
J included "A piece OF ssdienhn music b
1.-THE band and a piece OF soft music
fduring which collection VII III 'tlak<tnst