Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1919-06-27

1776, the delegates from New York
felt some diffidence in voting, as they
had no instructions. Wisner, however,
did cast a vote in favor of independ-
ence, and before August 2 New York
had instructed her delegation to agree
to the Declaration.
There was a hearty response when
it became known that signatures were
to be appended TO the document. Sam
uel Chase of Maryland was absent
from congress on July anC the next
day he wrote from Annapolis to John
Adams, "How shall | transmit to pos
terity that l gave my assent? On
the ninth Adams replied, "As soon as
an American seal is prepared L t'on-
lecture the Declaration will be sub
scribed to by all the members, when
will give you the opportunity you wish
for of transmitting your name among
the votaries of independence"
Elbridge Gerry of New York had to
leave Philadelphia two weeks after
the Declaration had been adopted, and
he wrote TO John and to Samuel Adj
ans, pray subscribe for me We Dec
laration of Independence if We same Is
to be signed as proposed. l thiTk we
ought to have We privilege when neces-
sarily absent of voting and signing by
proxy
OF the signers who did not vote for
the Declaration because they were not
members at that time William Will
Hams of Connecticut was not elected
until July II; Rush, Clymer, Smith.
TAYLOR and Ross of Pennsylvania were
not elected until July 20 Charles Car
roll of Carrollton, as we'll as Chase,
was attending q meeting of the Mary
land convention on July 4. George
Wythe of Virginia on the same day
was chairman of the committee of the
whole of the Virginia convention, and
Richard Henry Lee was i'll the conven-
ton. having been compelled to return
from Philadelphia on account OF sick
ness in his family, having left on June
IL. William Hooper of North Caro-
lima was absent from Philadelphia at
least as late as July s. Yet all of these
members signed the Declaration, al
though some of them, it has been
shown. were not even members at that
time. and four members were absent.
Thomas Mclean of Delaware was
the last to sign and did not do so until
five years after the adoption Of the
Declaration and at a time when the
war virtually was at an end. 1t was
through no fault of Mclean. His name
was omitted from the printed copy in
the journal.
| The popular, traditional idea of the
signing of the Declaration of hide
pendence presents it as graceful and
formal function taking place July 4.
! 1776. in a large handsomely furnished
chamber in Independence hall, Phila-
delphia To give the necessary touch
| of vivacity to the picture there is the
scene of the small boy darting from
| the door as the last signer sets his
autograph to the parchment and dash
| ing down the street. calling to his
grandfather to Ring! Oh, ring for
liberty"
AS matter of fact the Declaration
| of Independence was signed behind
| locked doors. The city was not breath
! lesSly awaiting the event outside, nor
| did the Liberty Bell peal forth on that
! day the triumphal note of freedom.
| From these facts it appears that the
Fourth of July might with good rea-
! son have fallen upon either July > or
August 2 instead of upon July f.