The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-07-08
Just Among Ourselves
Passing Comment Considered or lneonsiderats

As every schooboy knows, or used 10 know, the
Declaration Of American Independence was agreed
to, engrOssed on paper and signed by John Han
cock president of the Continental Congress on
July a. 1916. Later, the great Declaration was done
on parchment, and signed by John Hancock
and ffty-four representatives of the thirteen
original states.
And so July has come to be Independence
Day. But John Adams, who had very great deal to
do with the Declaration, was Of the opinion that
July would he the day forever dear TO American
hearts Adams of committee Of five
jefferson, Adams Sherman. Livingstone, Franklin,
who were designated by the Congress to draw up
document declaring that the colonies were now
free and independent states and giving the
world the causes which impel. them to the sep
araton."
The work of composing the document was largely
that of Thomas jefferson, but the other commit
teemen had their full say in determining what went
into it. Certainly John Adams had plenty to
say For John Adams and his cousin Sam
ue Adams were of all the colonial statesmen most
obnoxious to the English King If George III could
have slenced these two, he firmly believed his
troubles with the American colonies would be at an
end Adams mighty important man, com
pIecIy artculate, and no member of the committee
outranked him in influence
~
draft of the Deciara ion wes completely and its
terms adopted by the committee And busy day
it must have been. For ii was not until July that
John Adams most diligent in. communicating with
his wife Abigail found opportunity to sit him down
and write to her as follows: Yesterday the greatest
question was decided which ever was debated in
America: and a greater perhaps was, nor will
be decided among resolution was passed
without one dissenting colony that these United
States are and of right ought to be free and inde-
pendent States" One notes the very phrasing of
the Declaration itself in that last sentence. Did
John Adams suggest that set of words to Jefferson
or did he adopt Jeffarsons phrasing in his letter
home?
Continuing Adams wrote: The second of July
l776 will be the most memorable epocha In the
history of America am apt to believe that it will
be celebrated by succeeding generations as the
great anniversary festival. II ought to be commem-
Grated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts
of devotion to God Almighty II ought to be sol
emnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games,
sports guns, bells. honfireS, and llluminat1ons.
from one end of this continent to the other from
this time forward for evermore"
From Adams's letter it appears that the com
mttee's action in adopting the Declaration in its
rough form July second had that same day,
some sort of approval of the Congress at large.
For Adams says, "a resolution was passed without
one dissenting colony" Now, the colonies represent
ed on the committee were Virginia, Massachusetts,,
Connecticut, New York, and Pennsylvania. Adamss
phrase could mean, of course that not one of
these five diSsented; yet his statement seems gen
era as including the eight remaining colonies.
However that may be Adams was wrong in
SuppoSng that July second would be the lndepend-
ence Day of succeeding years. Yet the logic of the
situation justifies his expectation July was the
day which formal approval of the Declaration
was given by Congress- and John Hancock, presi-
dent of that body affixed his single signature. The
general signing by representatives of all the new
states did not come until the document was EN-
crossed parchment"as we see IT now IN its
place of honor in the Congressional Library in Wash
ngon, July second saw the real work done.
Adams missed the day, but he did not mistake
the character of the observance. There arc STILL,
in spots, if not y,-"solemn acts of deVo-
tion to God Almighty to commemorate, on the
Fourth, our independence of political Scrvitude,
And certainly there the solemnItieS of pomp
and parade; there shows, games sports, guns,
bells, honfireS, and uminationS. Psychological
progress has added refining items TO this list of
celebrations and we have, in addition to Adams's
suggestions wrecks brawls, booze, explosions, death
and destruction,
When We celebrate, celebrate, At no time
before our own and perhaps in no other country
than ours could solemn Statsticans calculate before
hand the number of people to he ktlfed-a horrible
human Sacrifeer-n celebration of "the most mem
prable epocha in the history of America" And cal
culate mark you, with amazing accuracy. They must
be sad fellows, those Stastlcans, for they know
quite well, they twiddle their shde-ruleS and
punch their calculating machines, that the grsly
figures they publish will not carry the weight of
argument warning, but will serve the public
only cold objective information.
Many historians tell us, when remarking upon
our national expansion that in John AdamS'S day,
no one enpsioned notable multiplication of states
that no one even thought that day the Union
would stretch from Atlantic to Pacific But IL this
be SO how shall explain what Adams says, IN
the letter quoted above about the way in which
independence Day ought to be observed? He says,
1t ought to be Soiemnized FROM end of
this continent to the other from this time forward
for evermore"
To be sure John Adams may have felt that the
whole continent would feel the inspiration, and
the material benefit of American independence.
But then why limit the whoop.a to the North Amer
ican continent The sneaknr notion persists that
Adams had some dream nf great torrotorial expan-
sion and of our appointed destiny