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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (June 27, 1940)
If Caesar Rodney Had Not Made His Heroic Ride, Americans Might Not Now Be Celebrating the Fourth of July! By ELMO SCOTT WATSON (Released by Western Newspaper Union.> HANKS to the poets, the story of the rides of Paul * Revere and Gen. Phil Sheridan are an imperish able part of American tradi tion, But, so far, no bard has sung of the heroic ride of Caesar Rodney—at least, none has given us a poem about it so familiar as those of Henry W. Longfellow and Thomas Buchanan Read. Yet here is truly an epic theme — the story of how death rode in the saddle with this heroic horseman and how history might have been changed if he had failed in his mission. The events leading up to Caesar Rodney’s ride were these: On June 7, 1776, a resolution introduced by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia in the Continental con gress, declaring that ‘‘these Unit ed Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independ ent States,” was accepted in a committee of the whole by repre sentatives of seven of the colo nies—a bare m^ority of one. If this revolutionary step of sever ing the ties which bound the coi onies to the Mother Country was to be taken successfully, there must be greater unanimity among them. So the leaders in the move for independence set about to win over those who hesitated to take such a radical step. Jonathan D. Sargent hurried across the Delaware river into New Jersey where delegates were being chosen and succeeded in securing the election of men pledged to independence. A few days later the Maryland conven tion, which had previously been opposed to the idea of declaring for independence, reversed its po sition and adopted resolutions in structing its delegates to vote for the Lee resolution. Next South Carolina was won over, as was Pennsylvania, although its dele gation was split on the issue. The delegates from New York, though personally in favor of independ ence, could not vote for it until receiving approval from the con vention in their colony, though it was certain that such approval would be forthcoming. A Divided Delegation. There now remained only the vote of Delaware to make the decision of the Thirteen Colonies unanimous. She had three dele gates to the congress—Thomas McKean, George Read and Cae sar Rodney. McKean was one of the most outspoken advocates of independence but Read, influ enced by John Dickinson of Penn sylvania, was opposed to declar ing for freedom at this time. This left the deciding vote in the Del aware delegation to Rodney, who was also speaker of the Dela ware assembly and had returned to Dover to preside over it. On July 1 the Lee resolution came up for discussion and all during that day and far into the next the momentous decision was the subject of a hot debate. Late in the afternoon of July 2 it was put to a vote. Eleven of the col onies, by the votes of the ma jority of their delegates, cast their ballots in favor of independ ence. The votes of two—New York and Delaware—were not re corded. If such a decisive step were to be taken, it must be unani mous, else the results might be disastrous. Meanwhile a com mittee headed by Thomas Jeffer son was drafting a Declaration of Independence, and Thomas McKean was making an impor tant decision. He knew that Rod ney was also in favor of inde pendence and if he were brought to Philadelphia he could break the deadlock in the vote of the Delaware delegation. At his own expense he hired a messenger and sent him speeding to Dover to explain the situation to Rodney and urge him to come j to Philadelphia at once. It was nearly midnight of July 1 when the messenger started for Dover 80 miles away and he did not arrive there until 24 hours later. Rodney was at his home a few miles further on, so it was not until the early morning hours of July 3 that he was aroused from sleep and given McKean’s mes sage. At daybreak, mounted on the strongest horse in his stable, Rodney was on his way to Phila delphia. For years Rodney had suffered with a cancer on his face. Be fore the opening of the Revolu tion he had been urged to go to England in search of relief from the dread disease, but his sense .of duty to his colony in the trou bled times ahead kept him in America. In a letter to his sis ter he described his case as “tru Jy dangerous, and what will be the event God only knows; I still ^ ^ Q ^1;> ^— J&ycsj&^y*****>>? ^ K /P~4*’^f'Jrr yy**rr/s£ ^S^yiS-lUtSjfe’ S^* JU^, T*ff~#s7s**tf ^i**eS /t*lfi>+*/#~/£t s&S S*rn sls'y 'sy£'St& /fs?*f <k7 y~/S/Vt rx/— •^A4++t0 1^6/db Qsj£^ i^< ^f*~t**Q* r- *-+tO sll****yS^p, Ai^A'rVt />W /^»yf “wy** >1 rtv/f ✓$& Qt^z*Jkx*. +3 tj*'jfr-J*y{y>»v£x s> 7&*yj£*>* S'.—' £*~< /'*yfs£jL»'**-4-^/y£5^^- ‘itf'/t^y && y y**s%. £? {$+».&. *0 s£~y/£'^r<£z*”^*' yy*+ /&z€fnsJf£fi- & <0yZi*'6£s^2) *r OtSf^r- y?*^* '"^ f/t y£->-?n— - — C%*>* ^-D £a-uy&sX,^+zs<s/-s+«.) S&jfc ly*z*TS$&~) - The only surviving letter, dated July 4, 1776, written by any signer of the Declaration of Independence and referring to that docu * '®nt. It is Caesar Rodney’s and it refers only briefly to his heroic ride. live in hopes and still retain my usual spirits.” Rodney’s Modest Story. So it took courage of the high est kind for him to set out upon the hasty 80-mile trip to Phila delphia, because the exertions of such a journey might easily cause his death. Apparently he never thought of that—his only thought was that his presence was need ed in the Continental Congress where a momentous decision was about to be made. In the letter (reproduced above) which he wrote after completing his jour ney, he makes little mention of the hardships of that journey. It says: Phllad.a July the 4th. 1776 Sir: In have Inclosed you a summons di rected to the Sheriff to (Call) Summon the Members for our County to meet in Assembly at Newcastle on the 22d. day of this Instant which I hope you will have put Into hls'hands as soon as possi ble after it comes to Yours—I arrived in Congress tho Detained by Thunder and Rain; time enough to give my Voice In the matter of Independence—It is now determined by the Thirteen United Col onies without even one dissenting Col ony—We have now got through with the whole of the Declaration, and ordered it to be printed so that you will soon have tne pleasure of seeing it—Hand-bills of It will be printed, and sent to the Armies. Cities, County Towns etc. to be published or rather proclaimed in form.—Don't neglect to attend closely and carefully to my Harvest and You'll oblige Yours— CAESAR RODNEY Being ‘‘detained by Thunder and Rain” was probably the least I ■ II — III __ of his difficulties, for we know by contemporary accounts that the weather was extremely hot and the necessity for haste must have taken a heavy toll of the energies of both man and beast. Where Rodney stopped for the rest and food that was absolutely necessary for both is unknown but since he did not arrive in Philadelphia until the morning of July 4, it is evident that he must have paused somewhere along the way for a brief breathing spell for his horse and a few mo ments of relaxation from the sad dle for himself. Meanwhile Jefferson, John Ad ams and Benjamin Franklin had drafted the Declaration of Inde pendence and the final vote on it was set for the morning of July 4. It is not difficult to imagine the anxiety of McKean as the hour for the congress to assemble drew near. Would Rodney ar rive in time to support him in casting Delaware’s vote for inde pendence? He hoped that he would but he could not be sure. According to one account, Mc Kean was striding up and down the brick walk outside Independ ence hall after the other members of the congress had filed in when he saw a horseman speeding along the dusty street toward him. A moment later this rider drew up in front of the hall and, as he swung wearily down from the saddle, McKean recognized the dust-covered, grimy-faced man as Caesar Rodney. There was a brief handclasp, then the two men entered the hall, Rodney still “booted and spurred and travel-stained.” A few minutes later the roll call on the adoption of the Declara tion of Independence began. It started with New Hampshire, the most northerly of the colonies and proceeded through Massa chusetts, Rhode Island, Connecti cut, (New York was passed for the time being, although her dele gates were favorable) to Penn sylvania. The Crucial Vote. So far the vote of these colo nies has been for adoption of the Declaration. The Pennsylvania delegation is divided but by a vote of three to two her voice speaks for independence. Then comes the crucial vote of Dela ware. As was expected McKean votes in favor of adoption of the Dec laration and Read votes against. When Rodney’s name is called, some of the delegates turn in sur prise—it is the first intimation they have of his return. They know how important his vote is, so they hang on his words. Those words made such an indelible im pression upon some of them, among them McKean, that they remembered them for years aft erwards. He said: “As I believe the voice of my constituents and of all sensible and honest men is in favor of independence, my own judgment concurs with them, I vote for in dependence.” So Caesar Rodney cast the de ciding vote for Delaware and Delaware's vote was an all-im portant one. The rest was a fore gone conclusion. Delegates from the remainder of the colonies also voted for the charter of liberty and thus the Declaration of In dependence was adopted. So Cae sar Rodney’s heroic ride had not been in vain. Had he not made it, July 4 might not have been the important date that it is—in the history of the United States and of the whole w'orld! But his fame does not rest en tirely upon this one act. Eleven years earlier he had been a mem ber of the Stamp Act congress which met in New York to pro test against the acts of parlia ment w’hich were to lead eventu ally to the Revolution. Rodney was among those who urged the appointment of George Washington as commander-in chief of the Continental army and he became one of Washington’s most valued friends. He entered the war as a brigadier-general of the Delaware militia, was with Washington at the Battle of Tren ton and despite the ravages of cancer, served throughout the Revolution. He came out of the war a major-general and lived to see the country win the free dom for which he had cast his historic vote. He died at Poplar Grove, Delaware, June 29, 1784. Brims Are Wide, Wider, Widest In Chic and Flattering Ways By CHER IE NICHOLAS \I7HAT a merry chase fickle fash ’ » Ion is leading us this season in regard to the hats we wear. Starts us off at the dawn of spring with flower or fabric-drape toques so tiny (some of them) as to be almost amusing, yet withal so flattering and so chic, even the new broad brims cannot eptirely wrest their well earned honors from them. And then what does capricious fashion do— suddenly announces brims so tre mendously wide they fairly amaze one. Which, summed up, means every fashionable wardrobe of hats this summer must necessarily in clude both types to be worn as time and occasion demand. As to the new broad-of-brim vogue so full of promise for the coming months, no matter how big your hat with a brim, it will be none too large, according to fashion’s way of thinking. None too dramatic either, since the new brims are daring in deed, and to make them appear the more so they are worn with a dash and a go that adds infinitely to their style. The wide-brimmed, strictly tai lored felts which proved themselves so definitely good-looking with the new spring suits continue to have a firm hold on the affections of well dressed women. Outstanding among these striking felts are the simple, huge, sailor types, the stunning, large Bretons and the very new rip pled or pleated, soft, flaring, felt brim that, to be perfectly chic, must be worn far back on the head. Of course the latter are necessarily dedicated to youth, for who but the ingenue smooth of brow dare ven ture so striking a fashion? The fact that the off-the-face broad brims are essentially a young so phisticate item should not by any means imply that the vogue for enormous brims is confined to the teen-age and debutante set. On the contrary, the off-face wide brim is merely one phase of the matter, for whether you are in the “life begins at forty” class or not, the message of the wide brim is all-inclusive, for certain it is and true, there’s flat tery a-plenty in the new wide brims, whether you are sweet sixteen or “plus.” The new wide-brimmed summer straws are everything you want them to be. The stunning hat worn by the smart young woman, stand ing above to the right in the illus tration, speaks in accents of red, as also does her belt, which is a brilliant red patent leather, for be it known that fashion is making a sen sational splurge of red this summer, red hats being a pet hobby just now. Broad of brim and utterly fasci nating is the hat which the young sophisticate standing below to the left in the picture is carrying. It is made of raffia in colors matching those of her gay plaid frock and still gayer raffia sandals. The vogue for white millinery came early and is going to stay late. Women of fashion have been wearing white hats in accordance with style dictate since early spring and as the summer advances the popularity of white headgear is rush ing along at a crescendo scale. The white straw breton pictured above to the left flaunts a cluster of straw berries nested in its crown—another instance of the flair for red with white. Black holds its own in spite of the tremendous play being made on col or this season. See the off-face Bret on below to the right in the group. A crisp white bow and head-band en livens the black to perfection—just the type hat to wear with prints and summer town clothes. (Released by Western Newspaper Union.) Good Shoe News Hear, hear ye the good news! It’s about an exciting innovation—an in nersole of a new synthetic material named Onco Insole-ated, which has recently been developed by Vincent De Liso. In creating this new in nersole a slim layer between the outer sole of a shoe and the lining completely insulates the foot against the heat and cold of city pavements. Mr. DeLiso says this insole-ated sole is so deep and resilient it practical ly caresses the foot, causing the shoe to be molded at the first wear ing, to the individual contours of the foot. Summer Black In the midst of all the welter of color shown for summer wear, sheer black, and black and white, zoom to an important place for hot weather. ‘Companionate’ Is Aim in Accessories More and more fashion encour ages the idea of companionate ac cessories. This season, more than ever, much ado is being made over establishing a family relation be tween this and that of one’s cos tume. Such as for instance a cos tume ring to match the lapel gadget or clip. Also the idea of wearing flower costume jewelry to which is matched the color of your nail polish. You can get blouses with hats of the same material and designers have even gone so far as to make gloves of the identical fabric. Costumes that ensemble from head to foot include dress, hat, para sol and gloves of the same material. This is being carried out beautifully in the very fashionable cottons, especially flowered prints. Dark Linen With Lingerie Frills New on the style program and strikingly chic is the black or navy linen redingote dress the skirt of which flares open at the front re vealing starch white petticoat frills, the very feminine treatment further carried out in dramatic collar and cuffs of matching snow-white em broidery and lace. Fashion-alert women are also set ting the pace with costumes of dark green linen with which red acces sories complete a costume of out standing mode. With dresses of lin en in the new browns hats and de tails in the much talked about cocoa shades achieve pleasing contrast. t AROUND THE HOUSE To get rid of stains on tea cups i rub gently with a paste of baking soda and water. * * * The illusion of depth is created by building bookcases on either side of a wide doorway leading from living room to dining room. * • • Salt added to potatoes when nearly boiled insures their flaki ness and prevents them from go ing to pieces in the boiling proc ess. * • • The yolk of an egg mixed w'ith warm water and used as you would soap will remove coffee stains. Hot sudsy water will quickly remove the yellow of the egg. ^"VinpHrHr^njV] Wealth Possesses Men The lust of avarice has so totally seized upon mankind that theii wealth seems rather to possess them, than they possess theii wealth.—Pliny. OUTSTANDING BLADE VALUE 10 for 10 Cents CUPM.KS CO., ST. LOUIS, MO. --. — WNU—U26—40 Do and Forget He who receives a good turn should never forget it; he who does one should never remember it.—Charron. For that marvelous can't-be-copied FLAVOR SAY BEFORE YOU SAY CORN FLAKES! ^ Switch to , something you'll like! Copr. 1940 by Kellogg Company Dangerous Insincerity Of all the evil spirits abroad at this hour in the world, insincerity is the most dangerous.—Froude. Search for Good No good book or good thing of any sort shows its best face at first.—Carlyle. I I Note the benefits of delicious oranges Government nutritionists say: Fully half our families get too few vitamins and minerals to enjoy the best of health! So make it your family rule to enjoy oranges every day. Just peel and eat them for grand summer refreshment. Or keep a big pitcher full of fresh orangeade handy. An 8-ounce glass of juice gives you all the vitamin C you nor mally need each day. Also adds vitamins A, Bi and G, and the minerals calcium, phosphorus and iron. This summer the wonderfully juicy California oranges are plenti ful in all sizes. Those stamped “Sunkist”on the skin are Best for Juice and Every use! Order them today. Copyright, 1940, Califorui* Fruit Grower* Exchange «««—