Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1916-06-30

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OPUl4AR history has fastened upon
our impressionable minds poetic
N picture of the signing of the DecIara-
r. ~ ton of Independence as a graceful
and formal function, taking place
July 4. 1776. in q large, handsomely
furnished chamber in Independence
hall, Philadelphia. To give the nee
40 essary touch Of vlvacity to the pic
ture there is the scene Of the small
boy dartng from the door the last slgner sets
his autograph to the precious parchment and dash
ing down the street. calling to his grandfather to
"Ringl 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 was
signed behind locked doors. and was not general
ly signed upon the Fourth of July at ALL The city
was not breathlessIy 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 GallIard Hunt Lift. d. LII.
D., chief of the division of manuscripts in the
library OF Congress.
There is really no reason for our celebrating
the Fourth, of July more than July or August g"
said Doctor Hunt recently to an inquirer. 1T
not until the latter date that the document was
generally signed.
The Virginia bill Of rights, of which George
Mason was also the author, was 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. II is beyond doubt that this famous docu-
1nent, Of which his elderly friend was author was
largely drawn upon by Thomas Jefferson when he
wrote the Declaration of Independence
"The fundamental principles of government set
forth in Mason's bill of rights the same as
those in the English petitions to the king the acts
of the long parliament and magma charta.
stYOtf know NJ z xuor Ufr-
ginian, Richard Henry Lee, who presented to con-
gress on June z 17T6 set of resolutions contain
ipc the words, That these united colonies are and
OF right ought to be- free and Independent states.
and that all political connection between them
and the state Of Great Britain Is and ought TO be
totally dissolved.
1T n result Of the favorable voting upon
Lees resolutions that the well-known committee
composed of Thomas Jefferson John Adams. Ben
1amln Franklin. Roger Sherman and Robert r. Idv-
ingston, named to draft the document The
committee assigned the task of preparing the In
strument to the virglnan. Jeferson's was the
master political mind and 1t was by no mere
chance that he was called upon to write the docu-
ment which has been termed the bestknown pa-
per that has ever come from the pen of an indI-
vldua'
Drafting Of the Declaration
Thomas Jefferson was the personifcation of
method" remarked Doctor Hunt, "and Immediate
ly upon receiving his commission to write the
declaration he retired to the two rooms he rented
as n 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 attentions, which clearly shown in the
text, and Jefferson has written beside each change
the name Of It's author, making the document Of
inestlmable value
'rhe fair copy which he made for presentation
TO congress, and which bears the congressional
amendments and attentions is lost
"rhe latter is the formal Declaration of indie
nendence laid before congress June 2S 1776
IL was then read and ordered to lie on the table
until July 1. On July resolution was passed
declaring the independence of the United States.
although the exact form Of the proclamation as
prepared by Jefferson debated upon until July
A, when, with some alterations and amendments ii
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
find John Adams, whom Jefferson called the
colossus of the colonies, writing to his Wife Abb
gail in the following words:
" y esterdny the greatest question which was
ever debated in 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 same day, he
said; But the day is past July will be the
most memorable epoch in the history of America
am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by
succeeding generations us the anniversary festival
1t ought to be commemorated as the day of deliv
erance by solemn acts of devotion to God AL
mighty.
'There is little doubt but that the participant
in the event considered July as the true date Of
independence for the colonies but popular fancy
seized upon the 4th, the date of acceptance of JEFF
ferson's formal and detailed setting-forth as the
proper date Of celebration.
"John Trumbulrs famous painting Of the scene
hanging In the rotunda Of the capitol is a poetca
piece of work and gives many of the portraits O
the slgners with faithfulness, but 1t is somewha
fancful No silken hangings draped the Windows
Of that sitting room July A. 1776, and the beau
tful order in which the men are ranged up 70
signing the immortal document Is also fctional.