The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-07-04
WAS NOT DOUBTED
John Dickinson Known as Pa.
triot, Despite Actions.
Refused to Sign Declaration o. indie
pendenee, but Fought for Cause
Both In Field and In Coun-
ellis Of State.

I John Dickinson, patriot member Of
the congress Of 10, who opposed the
Declaration Of Independence, died a,
Wilmington. Del. on February a. 1908,
mt the age Of seventy-four.
Dickinson came Of English Quaker
stock. his ancestors having left Eng.
land In 1854 to escape Imprisonment
ms nonconformists. observes the Wash.
ington Post. They settled FIRST in vir.
gina, later removed to Maryland, and
still later to plantation near Dover,
Del. William Killen, a young Irish.
man. who afterward became chief Jus
tice OF Delaware, had the direction
of young Dickinson's education until
he was sent abroad to study law In
the Middle temple, London. His first
public service was as a member OF the
assembly from the 'Iower counties"
as Delaware was then termed, and
later as delegate from the city Of
Philadelphia.
During the initial years Of the war
for independence he was delegate
from Delaware to the Continental Con.
gress and was recognized leader.
Few contributed more TO the move
ment for separation from the mother
country than did Dickinson, and espe-
cially through his writings as "a Penn
sylvania farmer" and yet he denounced
the Boston tea party as revolutionary
and contended that the tea destroyed
should be paid for. Notwithstanding
all this. his patriotism was never
doubted.
He drafted The famous declaration
Of causes for taking up arms" also
drafted the first letter to the king
and the address to the people Of Amer
lea He opposed the Declaration Of
Independence on the ground that 1t
would not strengthen the colonies "by
one man or by the least supply; that
It would expose the soldiers to new
cruelties; that without some trial Of
their strength they ought not to risk
an alternative where to recede would
be injury and to persist might be de-
struction.' He declared the document
to be "a menace to England. an affront
to France. and cause Of dissension
among the colonies themselves"
When the crucial moment came the
opposition melted away. but Dickinson
simply absented himself and persist
emily declined to sign the immortal
document. His opposition to 1t de-
feated his reelection to congress, and
when, at a following election Della.
ware named him, he declined to serve.
He did not sulk, however, but strove
for the cause both In the councils and
In the field.
As president Of the Annapolis con-
vention he was the author Of a report
to congress commencing a constitu-
tional convention. and rs a delegate to
that convention insisted on the States,
regardless of area or population, being
equally represented In the senate. He
had several important military COM
mands, and rendered efficient service
as an officer In the field
His voice was ever against slavery
and he was an early advocate of the
emancipation Of the slaves of Della
ware and against the extension OF the
institution In the territories. Dickin-
son was positive character, and en-
countered greater personal risk In the
cause Of freedom than many who
championed the cause.