Milford chronicle., 1930-07-04
VOTE OF SINGLE DELEGATE
ALTERED WORLDS HISTORY
ON NATIONS FIRST JULY 4
Continued. From First Page)

! dlG uAAO Ou6Ab " DC aAACS
and independent States; and that
the time had come to sever all con-
nections with the mother country
and that their political connection
with Great Britain is and should be
dissolved"
Voting by the colonies, the dele
gates passed the resolution by
vote of Z to 6.
John Hancock Immediately ap-
pointed a committee consisting of
Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Frank
lin, John Adams, Roger Sherman
and Robert Livingston to draft an
official declaration of independence.
On July l the committee reported
the results of its work and the Con-
gress resolved itself into commit
tee of the whole to consider the re-
port.
Morton Left Sick Bed
Delegates in favor of indepand-
ence recalled that when the original
Lee resolution was presented for
approval it was carried by the mar
row margin of z to 6.
The representatives from Pennsyl-
vania and Delaware found their
groups would be tied and that they
would lose their votes as colonies
as result.
John Morton, who had been i'll at
his home in Chester for 10 days, was
known to be a staunch believer in
separation. Judge Mexican knew his
stand and secretly dispatched an
express" to his home.
He urged him to return to Phila-
delphia by July to cast his vote
for independence.
When the messenger reached
Chester he found Morton seriously
ill in bed, but explained the urgency
of the situation and expressed Nc
Kean's hope that he might be in the
city the following morning.
Morton rose from his sick bed, had
his horse saddled and commenced
the J)ng ride under a broiling sun
up the Kings highway, now the
Chester pike, to Philadelphia in time
to cast his ballot for independence.
Arrival Broke Tie
With his arrival the tie in the
Pennsylvania delegation was brok-
en- and the vote of the colony was
recorded in favor of separation.
Dickinson and Morris, who had op-
posed the draft when it was present
ed on July 1; were absent ION the
fourth, leaving Humphries and Will
ling opposed with the other two in
favor. Mortin's fifth vote decided the
vote of Pennsylvania.
When Morton arrived Mexican
urged him to vote at once, but he
refrained until the arrival of Rod
ney, whose vote was needed to carry
the Delaware group.
Without Delaware the contest
would have ended in a tie vote of
six to six, with the two delegates of
the Blue Chicken State holding the
balance of power.
But Rodney came in time, the tie
was broken and Delaware cast the
seventh ballot in favor of independ-
ence.
Lees Daring Resolution
1t was a bombshell which Lee,
the oldest member of the Virginia
delegation, tossed into the gather
ing at Philadelphia, representing the
patriotism, intellect, and determjna- !
tion of all the Colonies when he rose
to his feet on June z and in his |
clear, firm voice proposed his reso- |
luton so daring, so reasonable in !
the eyes of the British Government, |
and so filled with danger to the au- I
thor if his identity should become
known that neither Lees name nor |
his words were entered in the min |
utes.
Not sound broke the stiffness of
the chamber as Lee took his seat. |
John Hancock, in the speakers |
chair, suddenly Strengthened, leaned =
back and was lost in the inner vision ,
the words evoked. The faces of the ,
delegates were grave and set, each |
alone with his thoughts. For 20 anx-
ious days of suspense, dread and |
hesitation they had debated the one !
right step to take in the grim crisis. !
This surely cut the Gordian knot of |
doubt and uncertainty by one clear, !
audacious stroke. Was it wise? Was {
it expedient? Was it inevitable? j
Some welcomed the resolution, some
still hoped for reconciliation, some
thought the step too radical. Who
would second the motion?
John Dickinson, of New York, who
still opposed independence, fixed his
eyes intently on Samuel Adams. The
latter, sensing the glance, turned,
frightened his lips and bowed signifi-
cantly to his younger colleague,
John Adams, who, in firm voice,
seconded the motion. ..
The tension was broken. There
was no discussion, but consideration
of the resolution was deferred. The
delegates passed out slowly into the
dusk of the common, now known as
independence Square. Each wanted
to be alone with his thoughts before
reaching a final decision.
For two long days, from early
until dusk, the resolution
was debated in secret session.
Although there is wide popular
belief that all the signers went into
action that day, the Fourth, actually
1nly two autographs were placed
lpon the document then, the authen-
.icating signatures of the President,
John Hancock, and the secretary,
Charles Thompson. Hancock, in {
scarlet coat, cooked hat and black
dipped his quill deep into ;
he historic ink-well on its silver {
tand and with full realization that !