Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-05
DEVELOPMENT OF DECLARATION
SHOWN IN DOCUMENT DISPLAY
Historic Papers of Assemblies Trending
Toward independence Open to Public
In Library of Congress.

s. Final copy of Jefferson's plan Of
government for Virginia-Another and
final fair copy was drawn off from
No. 81, and this document, 4 photostat
of which Is shown tthe original being
in the New York Public Library. was
the one intruSted to George wythe,
who set out from Philadelphia on June
IS for the Virginia Convention at Will
liamsburG. wythe reached the con-
vention too late. as that body had al
ready decided upon 4 constitution for
Virginia, but when Jefiersons plan was
read his preamble met with such ap-
proval that 1t was incorporated as an
introduction to the constitution which
the convention had already adopted.
Z. Resolution of independence offered
by Richard Henry Lee in the CONT
mental Congress: Meanwhile. on June
T. in Philadelphia, the Virginia dele
gates in Congress, in obedience to the
instructions from the convention mo
D. moved 4 resolution that the United
Colonies were free and independent
states. The resolution was drawn up
and offered by Richard Henry Lee. en-
bodying the words of the instructions
Of the convention OF May IS. The mo-
ton was debated and, as It was plain
to Congress that Lees resolution must
eventually pass, a committee was APP
pointed on June IL to draft 4 declara-
ton Of independence In preparation for
the adoption Of Lees motion. This
committee consisted of Thomas ,Ieffer-
son. John Adams. Benjamin Franklin.
Robert r. Livingston and Roger Sher-
man. It was left 10 jefferson to draw
up the form of declaration. He i'm
mediately set TO work and as the politi-
cal situation demanded speedy action
Jefferson most naturally seized upon the
idea Of revising his preamble to the Vir-
ginia constitution aS the best method
of introducing and justifying the action
OF the Congress in assuming independ-
ence. A comparison of the charges
against the king In the Declaration OF
Independence and those in the pream-
BILE to the Virginia constitution CNos.
and 10) will be found most interest,"
ing.
=. The resolution Of independence
July 2, 1776: The resolution as reported
TO Congress by the committee Of the
whole, was evolved from Richard II.
Lees motion OF June Z. It is in the
writing of Charles Thomson, secretary
OF the Continental Congress, and shows
the vote by States.
=. The hrst publication of the move
LOT Independence: The news Of the ac-
ton Of Congress on July z. 1776 was
nrst published in the PENNSYLVANIA Eve
ning Post of that day, q photostat of
which Is shown.
10. Jeferson's draft Of the Declare
tlon OF Independence: This manuscript
In Je1erson's handwriting is the eobv
which he retained for his own files. In
the text he has inclosed in brackets
those parts Of his draft which were
stricken out by Congress in the course
OF tne oeDate on the subject, when sit
q ARTa3N -
the margins Jefferson has noted A feU
OF the alterations made by BENJAMIN
Franklin and John Adams, who were
apparently the only members of the
committee TO suggest changes. It was
from this document, 1t is believed. that
JEFFERSON drew of a fair" copv which
was submitted TO Congress as the report
OF the committee for form of the Dec
laration of independence. This fair
copy mas never come to light and is
presumed 10 nave been destroyed. Con-
JEFFERSON draft and made but one addi-
tion-that of the Resolution OF Inde-
pendence adopted on July 2. The al-
tered draft was immediately sent to
John Dunlap, the printer of CONGRESS-
TO be set up in printed form.
il. Journal Of the Continental Con.
gress showing the Declaration and part
OF the proceedings to July 4, 1776:
rather than copy out the long Declare
tlon, or perhaps because the only avail
able copy was then in the hands of the
printer, Secretary Thomson waited until
the next day duly 50 and wafered into
the Journal of july 4 one Of the printed
tbroadside) copies. which were ready
that day
On July 10 Congress ordered that the
Declaration be engrossed on parchment
and signed by the delegates This
parchment was ready on August 2, and
most OF the signatures were affixed on
that day. Others were added later.
ms signed parchment, which is the
Declaration of independence. is on ex-
hibition in the permanent shrine built
for II and for the original manuscript
OF the Constitution of the United States.