The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-07-01
BY ELMO SCOTT WATSON
SIX the average American WI

A SIX the average American what
"A took place on July 4, 1915,
AA and he, with somewhat
Nv vague recollection of what
he once learned in the his
II tory books at school and a
IU similar remembrance of what
KIP he saw in the painting "Sign-
w Ing the Declaration Of indie
pendence" by John Trumbull, prob
ably will answer you In something Of
this fashion:
"Why, that was the day that we
declared our freedom from England,
when Thomas Jefferson, the author Of
the Declaration Of Independence, wrote
that immortal document In which he
said that all men are born free and
equal. After he had written 1t he pre-
scented 1t to the Continental congress
and John Hancock signed 1t In that
bold handwriting which the king Of
England could read without spectacles.
Then the members of congress-, Wash
ington and Franklin and John Adams
and all the others signed 1t. After that
they read it to the people outside
Independence hall and the patriots
cheered and rushed away to ring the
Liberty bell until 1t was cracked"
That, of course, Is a rather free
translation Of a composite American
idea about the historic events which
gave US our greatest national holiday,
the one hundred flfty-frst anniversary
Of which is being celebrated all over
the country on July 4, 1927. Like so
many other composite ideas, usually
characterized as popular beliefs" 1t
is also a composite of fiction and fact.
Despite all that has been written
about the Declaration Of Independence
and the signing thereof, few Amer
leans, unless they be professional his
torians, have q clear-cut idea Of just
what did take place on that day. And
even among the professional historians
there is some disagreement, caused by
difference in the Interpretation of
words and phrases. Here are few
facts and a bit Of chronology which
may make the matter clearer:
Richard Henry Lee certainly has
some claim to share the title Of
'"Author of the Declaration of indie
lpendence" with his fellow Virginian,
Thomas Jefferson, for on June Z, 1776,
he presented to the Continental con-
gress his resolution which begins:
Resolved, That these United Colonies
are, and of right ought to be free and
independent States; that they are alb
solved from all allegiance to the Brit
nection between them and the State
of Great Britain Is and ought to be
totally dissolved.
This, as one historian has pointed
out, was a pure declaration Of indie
pendence" 1t was promptly seconded
by John Adams of Massachusetts,, but
when considered by a committee Of
the whole, no action was taken upon
it because some of the members felt
that the colonies were not yet ready
for so radical step. On June 10
congress voted to postpone final action
on the resolution until July 1. On
June IL committee composed Of
Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin,
John Adams, Roger Sherman and
Robert R. Livingston was appointed to
prepare a formal declaration Of indie
pendence and have 1t ready In case 1t
was wanted.
1t was at the time of the postpone
ment Of action on a resolution Of in
dependence that Franklin uttered one
of his most famous sayings. When
the postponement was proposed, in
order to give certain delegates time
TO receive instructions from their col
onies as to what their attitude toward
independence should be and to make
sure of the necessary unanimity Of
action on the matter, Franklin re-
marked dryly, "We must all hang to-