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WLLARD
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1
ODA CRACKERS In lieu of cnnnon crackers; ginger snaps I:
place of toy cannons; tallow candles as substitutes for
Roman candles; dad's dark lantern swathed in mother's dis
carded red-flannel skirt instead of the red-fire display; sis
ter's powder putt Instead of puffs of real smoke from the
nozzle of a juvenile 13-inch gun, and positively no shooting
stars.
With precautions being handed him from every side, the
above is the small boy's vision of the glorious Fourth ot
July, nineteen hundred and nine.
From Washington, from the state capital, and from the
county and city government seats, the word went out weeks
ago that the current Independence-day celebration was
booked as "sane." In other words, the ban was placed on all
sorts of dangerous methods of paying tribute to the men who
affixed their signatures to the 6heepskin roll which guarantees our freedom.
In many parts of these United States this same ban has done service for
a decade, and has always returned with each Independence day in the
attempt to accomplish a sane Fourth of July, lint the American 6mall boy
is born with noise as his second nature the healthier the noisier and the
Fourth of July and Christmas morning are the most notable occasions of the
year to him.
Each year officials in the big cities of the country scratch from the firo
works dealers' lists certain dangerous explosives, and thus the casualty list
is being cut down from year to year, despite the additions of new inventions
in cannon crackers and what are known as "night fireworks."
Many communities have shown disposition to make their sane Fourt
July occasion for a public fete at
4 1 4 Wv
it:
the parks and gathering places,
where, as a result of public contri
butions, fireworks exhibitions are
given, much to the enjoyment of the
adult members of the place, but less
to their offspring, which see fun
only In skyrockets, Roman candles,
flower-pots, and the like, which are
sent heavenward by the touch of a
match in their own hands.
But for the small boy, the bore bf
a rane celebration is the morning
and afternoon, when only the small
est firecrackers are permitted. The
noiseless variety of tribute to the
signers of America's "Magna
Charta" consists of oratorical pyro
technics in the parks, public halls
and town meeting-places. In these
celebrations the men who have
made their marks in the world by
word of mouth are the chief partici
pants. From the day the Declaration of
Independence was signed, July 4,
1776, until July 4, 1909, not a year
has passed without some one con
tributing life to the business of cele
brating freedom. On July 4, 1776,
.the first casualty was recorded,
when the old bell-ringer of Inde
pendence hall, Philadelphia, fell
dead from heart disease while ring
ing out the Joyous Hews to willing
ears of the colonial patriots.
5
1?
'8,
i ilonies had voted
unanimously July
2. Twelve voted
for it on the 4th.
On the 9th the
New York mem
bers, having been
instructed by their
state to vote in
favor of the reso
lution, did so, thus
making the vote
unanimous so far
as the states were
concerned.
Congress, on the
19th of July,' or
dered the Declara
tion passed on the
Sli
Independence day! When Is It?
The question might very properly
be asked of the millions of firecracker-exploding
boys and girls
who have grown to manhood and
womanhood In the past and are
now developing into American citi
zenship, whose faith is complete
that independence was first thought
of, discussed, declared and won on
the Fourth of July. ,
But it would be more correct to
speak of Independence week or
month, or even year, than to settle
the whole of the glory upon the
Fourth itself.
The surrender of Cornwallis at
Yorktown was October 19, l"81t At
least one of the signers of the Dec
laration, with no thought, however,
to be on the safe side, signed the
document late in the same year.
Col. McKean of Delaware is himself
the authority for the statement that
he did not sign till 17S1. 'His name
does not appear in the first broad
side of the Declaration along with
55 other signers.
Jefferson himself, the author of
the immortal document, in a paper
on the manner of proceeding of the
continental congress, with respect
to independence, writes:
"The debates having taken up the
greater part of the second, third and
lounn uays or juiy, were in the
evening of the last closed. The Declaration was reported
by the committee, agreed to by the house, and signed by
every member present, except Mr. Dickinson."
The Journal, however, shows that only' John Hancock,
the president of the congress, signed, attested by Charles
Thompson, secretary.
But beyond the fact that the Declaration was not
signed on the Fourth, It Is also true that after the long
month of acrimonious discussion, beginning early in
June, the resolution for Independence itself was adopted
July 2.
The Virginia delegates, led by Richard Henry Lee.
who for more than a year had openly advocated Inde
pendence, instructed by the Virginia convention of May
17, 1776, to vote fur absolute freedom, brought forward
the resolution on June 7.
Mr. Lee's resolution read "That these united colonies
are, and of right ought to be, free and Independent states,
and that all political connection between them and the
state of Great Britain Is, and ought to be, totally dis
solved." John Adams seconded the resolution. It was the
north and the south Joining hands. Puritan and cavalier
shoulder to shoulder for liberty. The debate was on, and
Adams became the colossus in its defense.
Direct consideration of the question of Independence
was entered upon, according to the record, on the' morn
ing of the 1st tf July by the congress voting to resolve
It3elf Into a committee of the whole to take Into consid
eration the resolution introduced by Richard Henry Lee,
and to refer the draft of the declaration to this com
mittee. Benjamin Harrison of Virginia wag called to tho
chair, and the whole day the prolonged discussion raged
about the question, but at the end tho resolution was
adopted. The committee of tho whole then rose, Hancock
resumed the chair, a"d Harrison reported that toe com
mittee had adopted the resolution. It was late, the mem
bers were tired and anxious, and the house voted to post
pone action on the resolution until the next day, July 2.
Then, after a night's rest, the resolution was adopted.
Real Independence day Is therefore July 2.
But there was the matter of the draft of the Declara
tion, quite a different matter from the mere resolution.
Y:
ft.
was allowed to sign, despite the late dato.
Four other signers who had not even
been chosen delegates at the time of
tb ratification of July 4 were Benja
min Rush. James Wilson. George Ross,
George Clymer and (ieorge Taylor.
Five of the Pennsylvania delegates had
refused to vote for the resolution favor
ing independence. The provincial as
sembly of the state revoked the in
structions of June and elected new
delegates favorable to independence,
and these were among the signers of
August 2.
There was much facetiousness among
the members that August day while
the files bit. Charles Carroll of Mary
land was warned that he was Jeop
ardizing his Immense property, and
some one else said:
"Oh. King George will never hang
Carroll; thero are too many of them.
His majesty won't be able to Identify
him."
"True," said Carroll, and promptly f
wrote after his name "of Carrollton."
And it might easily have occurred
that Carroll and all tho others should
have met that Ignominious death. In tho assembly was
Doctor Zubly, a delegate from Georgia. Ho was the
Benedict Arnold of the congress. It began to bo whis
pered that Zubly was giving away tho secrets of execu
tive sessions. Chase of Maryland accused him of his
perfidy on the (loor. Zubly made an impassioned dental
and demanded proof. It was forthcoming, and tho guilty
delegate lied to Georgia with the intention of apprising
the crown governor of his state with what was going on
bohind tho closed doors of congress. Directed to follow
the traitor by congress, Mr. Houston, a patriot delegate
from tho same state, 6et out to circumvent him. By the
time they reached Georgia the crown governor had
already been deposed and had taken refuge In an armed
British vessel lying In Savannah harbor. Zubly's treach
ery came to nothing, but it deprived Houston of a chance
to immortalize himself by signing, and Georgia was cut
down to three signers, Gevlnnett, Walton and Hall.
They were a sturdy aud Interesting group of men
who had the temerity to throw off
King George, and representative of all.
kinds of vocations. One was a minis
ter of the Gospel, 24 were lawyers it
was Burke who had said, "You can't
subdue a nation of lawyers" 14 were
farmers, 4 physicians, 1 manufacturer,
9 merchants, and three others, who
prepared to preach, chose other avoca
tions. Their hardihood is shown not
less in their longevity. Poor Thomas
Lynch of South Carolina was drowned
at 30. His health failed after the try
ing congressional work, and, sailing iu
1779 for St. Eustatius, West Indies,
hoping thero to find a neutral vessel to
carry him to France, he was never
again heard from. But three of the
signers lived to be over 90 years of
age, ten over 80, eleven over 70, four
teen over 60, eleven over CO and six
over 44. It was Charles Carroll of
In
y,
v.
V
O-. OA
XiND OF- Py?OT. CHVCS
J ' iii
still to be considered, or the form of announcing the fact
of the adopted resolution to the world.
Discussion on the draft continued all through the
3d of July, and it was only on the 4th that it was agreed
upon, and the old bell In Independence hall bad the
honor of proclaiming liberty to the world.
The, exact hour of the adoption Is not determinable
from any record, and the important point of a unanimous
declaration still hung In the balance.
The adoption of July 2, though carried by a good
majority, was by no means that heart-whole affair which
was desirable to carry conviction tn all the 13 colonies.
All of New England that is, Massachusetts, Rhode Isl
and, Connecticut and New Hampshire with New Jersey,
Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina, voted for the
resolution, but Pennsylvania, in the metropolis of which
the delegates were gathered, and South Carolina voted
against it. One of Delaware's delegates, Col. McKean,
voted for It, and the other, George Reed, voted against It.
Rutledge of South Carolina requested the determination
might be put off to the next day, as he believed his col
leagues, though they disapproved of the resolution, would
join in it for the sake of unanimity. The ultimate ques
tion, whether the house wouM agree to the resolution of
the committee, was accordingly postponed to the next
day, when it was moved, and South Carolina concurred In
voting for it.
During the day of postponement the patriotism of Col.
McKean rescued the fame of Delaware. He managed to
get word to Caesar Rodney, who, by riding SO miles on
horseback, arrived In time for the two of them to carry
their state for the resolution on the next ballot.
In Pennsylvania popular sentiment was decidedly for
independence, and organized efforts were brought to bear
upon the delegates. Conditions changed suddenly. Frank
lin, Morton and Wilson voted for, and Willing and
Humphreys against the resolution. The other two dele
gates, Morris and D'sVinson. absented themselves, and
thus refrained from voting. All this time the New York
delegates declined to vote at all, as not having been In
structed. When the final vot was taken on the 4th. New
York still not voting, only three delegates voted against
the resolution. These were Willing and Humphreys of
Pennsylvania and Reed of Delaware. Nice out of the 13
4th, fairly en-
grossed on parch
ment with the title
and style of "The
unanimous Dec
laration of the
Thirteen United
States of America,
and that the same,
when engrossed, be signed by every member of con
gress." It was a sultry day In August, the 2d, when the order
was carried out. Jefferson, when in a genial, reminiscent
mood, was accustomed to say that the signing ws
hastened by swarms of flies that came Into the hall
through the open windows of the Stat housc from a
livery stable nearby. The day's business had been ardu
ous, it was hot and sticky, and the flies assaulted the silk
stockinged legs of the honorable members with vigor and
real Tory vlndlctlveness. With handkerchiefs and all
available papers, the fathers of liberty lashed the files,
but with no avail. The onslaught became unendurable,
and the members, capitulating, made haste to sign and
bring the momentous business to a close.
Of the 56 signatures not all were attached, even at
this date. Richard Henry Lee, after proposing his resolu
tion, had been called home by the illness of hia wife, and
It was that circumstance which gave Jefferson the chance
to frame the Declaratfcn. Lee was still absent when the
Flgning occurred, and he had no opportunity to affix his
name until the following September. Elbridge Gerry of
Massachusetts and Oliver Wolcott cf Connecticut also
signed in September.
Samuel Chase of Maryland, home on Important busi
ness, wrote to John Adams, under date of July 5, Inquir
ing: "How shall 1 transmit to posterity that I have given
my assent?"
: Adams replied on the 9th. explaining that:
"As soon as an American seal is prepared, I conjec
ture the Declaration will be subscribed by all the mem
bers, which will give you tho opportunity you wish for."
Chase was one of the 50 who blgned on the 2d of
August amid the flies.
Elbridge Gerry was also rery anxious about his sig
nature, and wrote to both John and Samuel Adams from
Klngsbrldge, N. Y., under date of July 21, desiring to
know if they could not sign his name as his proxy, but he
did so himself later.
George Wythe of Virginia signed August 27. Mat
thew Thornton of New Hampshire was appointed a dele
gate in congress September 15, 1776, and ok his scat In
November, four months after the adoption of the Declara
tion. He ImmedlateV declared himself In favor of it. and
T3
Carroll-
ton, who by
bI? v f a r a
survived all JULY FTff Sgjl?;
the signers. - "JV fgfc
He had been
the man who advised the owner of $" .
the Peggy Stewart, a tea ehip at 1 t
Annapolis, to burn the vessel,
which was done without disguise In broad daylight, onJ
he lived to see his country victorious in tho second waf
with Great Britain, dying in 1832.
The present solicitude for the preservation of tto
Declaration of Independence with all possible care dates
from a period somewhat prior to the World's Columbian
exposition, In Chicago, In 1893. It was proposed to trans
fer the Declaration to Chicago for exhibition, and a steel
Eafe. or "packing case," as it was then termed, was
specially constructed to serve as a repository for th6
document cn route and during the period of the fair.
While these preparations were in progress the officials
of the state department turned the matter over In their
minds, and eventually came to the conclusion that it was
risky business to have the nation's most honovd relic
carted about the country, even if the moving was dont
with all possible care. The president took this view of
the matter also, and so It was decided not to allow the
Declaration to be transferrdt to Chicago.
About the opening ;f the year 1902 John Hay, who
was then acting as secretary of state, asked the National
Academy of Sciences to carefully Investigate the condi
tion of the document and to make suggestions as to ways
and means for Its preservation. Accordingly. President
Agassi, of the National Academy appointed a special
committee, consisting of John S. Billings. Ira Remsen
and Charles F. Chandler, to confer with Secretary Hay
on the subject. Eventually this special committee was
given an opportunity to make a careful examination of
the precious Instrument, with the assistance of Mr. A. II
Allen, then serving as the chief of the bureau of rolls
and library of the state department, and also y:Hh the
aid of Dr. Wilbur M. Gray of the Army Medical MusJ.-ir.
It was found that the document had Buttered very
seriously from the very harsh tieatment to which It was
exposed during the earlier years of the republic. Folding
and rolling have creased and broken the parchment. The
wet press-copying operation to which It was subjected
about 1820, for the purpose of producing a facsimile
copy, removed a large portion of the Ink. Subsequent
exposure to the action of light for more than 30 yean
while the Instrument was placed on exhibition, has re
sulted in the fading ot ihe ink, particularly In sigatures.
