The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-08-01
WAS nut DOUBTED
John Dickinson KnoWn as Pa
triot, Despite Actions.
Refused TO Sign Declaration of indie.
pendence, but Fought for Cause
Both in Field and in Coun-
ellis of State.

John Dickinson a patriot member of
the congress Of '76, who opposed the
Declaration Of Independence, died at
Wilmington, Del, on February IA, 1903,
ut the age of scyenty-four.
Dickinson came Of English Quaker
stock, his ancestors having left Eng
land in 1901 to escape imprisonment
rs nonconformists, observes the Wash
ingt0n Post. They settled first in Vir-
EiHia. later removed to Maryland. and
sillt latcr to q plantation near Dover.
Del. William IIllcn. a young Irish
man. who afterward became chief JUS
tice of Delaware, had the direction
| of young pickinson'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 lower counties"
rs Delaware was then termed. and
| later MS q delegate from the city of
| Philadelphia.
| During the initial years Of the war
for independence he was 4 delegate
from Delaware to the Continental Con-
gress and was a 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 50 Penn
sylvania farmer" and yet he denounced
the Boston tea party as revolutionary
md contended that the tea destroyed
| should be paid for Notwithstanding
oil 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 It
would not strengthen the colonies "by
one man or by the least supply; that
1t would expose the soldiers to new
crucltics; that without some trial Of
their strength they ought not TO risk
IN alternative where to rcccde 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 n cause Of disSension
among the colonies themselves"
When the crucial moment came the
opposition melted away. but Dickinson
simply nbscntcd himself and persist
emily declined to sign the immortal
document. Ills opposition to it dc
feated his reelection to congress. anC
when, at a following election Della
ware named him, he declined to serve
He did not sulk. however, but strov'
for the cause both in the councils ant
in the field.
AS president of the Annapolis con
vention he was the author Of a rcpor
to congress commencing constitu
tional convention. and as delegate t
that convention insisted on the States
regardless of area or population, beini
equally represented in the senate. III
had several important military com
mands, and rendered efficient servic
as an officer in the field.
His voice was ever against SLAYER
and he was an early advocate of tn
emancipation of the slaves of Della
ware and against the extension of tn
institution in the territories. Dickir
son was a positive character, and er
countered greater personal risk in tn
cause of freedom than many VIII
championed the cause.