PART V
MONDAY, JULY 1, 1776
Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field(DOCID+@lit(jc00522)):
http://makeashorterlink.com/?G2BB51028
Page 504
A resolution of the convention of Maryland, of the 28 June, was also laid
before Congress and read, wherein it is resolved:
In Convention, 23 June 1776.
Resolved, Unanimously, That the Instructions given by the Convention
December last, (and renewed by the Convention in May,) to the Deputies of
this Colony in Congress, be recalled, and the Restrictions therein
contained, removed; and that the Deputies of this Colony, attending in
Congress, or a Majority of them or of any three or more of them, be
authorized and empowered to concur with the other United Colonies, or a
Majority of them, in declaring the United Colonies free and independent
States; in forming such further Compact and Confederation between them; in
making foreign Alliances, and in adopting such other Measures as shall be
adjudged necessary for securing the Liberties of America; and this Colony
will hold itself bound, by the Resolutions of a Majority of the United
Colonies, in the Premises; Provided, the sole and exclusive Right of
regulating the internal Government and Police of this Colony be reserved to
the People thereof.
Extract from the Minutes,
G. Duvall,
Clerk.
The order of the day being read,
Resolved, That this Congress will resolve itself into a committee of the
whole, to take into consideration the resolution respecting independency:
Resolved, That the Declaration be referred to said committee.
The Congress resolved itself into a committee of the whole, ∥After some
time,∥ the president resumed the chair. Mr. [Benjamin] Harrison
reported, that the committee have had under consideration the matters
referred
Page 505
to them, and have agreed to the resolution, which they ordered him to
report, and desired him to move for leave to sit again.1
[Note 1: 1 A letter from the Provincial Congress of New York to the New
York Delegates, dated June 11, against their authority to vote for
independence, was read before the Congress in Committee of the Whole. The
letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 67, I, folio 228.
The vote of the Maryland Convention was laid before Congress this day,
"just as we were entering on the great debate; that debate took up most of
the day, but it was an idle mispense of time, for nothing was said but what
had been repeated and hackneyed in that room before a hundred times for six
months past. In the Committee of the Whole, the question was carried in the
affirmative, and reported to the House. A Colony desired it to be postponed
until to morrow, when it will pass by a great majority, perhaps with almost
unanimity; yet I cannot promise this, because one or two gentlemen may
possibly be found who will vote point blank against the known and declared
sense of their constituents." John Adams to Samuel Chase, 1 July, 1776.
"I am told that Maryland insists upon one of our delegates having in a
manner promised when the point of declaring independence was in debate,
that the back lands should be a fund for supporting the war. I have [heard]
that a rhetorical expression to that purpose was used by a gentleman on
that occasion. [But we] can balance that that account at least bye very
serious question more in point, debated in Congress in 1775, when the
delegates from Pennsylvania and Virginia proposed that a garrison of 400
men be raised and kept at common expense at Pittsburg to awe the Indians.
It was warmly opposed from Maryland upon this ground, that it was a
[scheme] of those two States merely to guard their own frontiers in which
the others were not concerned, and therefore the expense must be incurred
by the former. Their objections prevailed, the motion was rejected, and the
two States raised the 200 men [each for] that service soon afterwards."
Edmund Pendleton to James Madison, 25 September, 1780.]
The resolution agreed to by committee of the whole being read, the
determination thereof was postponed, at the request of a colony, till to
morrow.
Resolved, That this Congress will, to Morrow, resolve
Page 506
itself into a committee of the whole, to take into their farther
consideration the declaration respecting independence.
Adjourned to 9 o'Clock to Morrow.
***********************************
OTHER SOURCES
JULY 1, 1776.
On July 1, 1776, Congress reconvened.:
http://www.archives.gov/national_archives_experience/declaration_history.html
----------------------------------------------------
On Monday, the 1st of July the house resolved itself into a committee of
the whole & resumed the consideration of the original motion made by the
delegates of Virginia, which being again debated through the day, was
carried in the affirmative by the votes of N. Hampshire, Connecticut,
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, N. Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, N. Carolina, &
Georgia. S. Carolina and Pennsylvania voted against it. Delaware having but
two members present, they were divided. The delegates for New York declared
they were for it themselves & were assured their constituents were for it,
but that their instructions having been drawn near a twelvemonth before,
when reconciliation was still the general object, they were enjoined by
them to do nothing which should impede that object. They therefore thought
themselves not justifiable in voting on either side, and asked leave to
withdraw from the question, which was given them. The committee rose &
reported their resolution to the house.
***********************************
TUESDAY, JULY 2, 1776
Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field(DOCID+@lit(jc00523)):
http://makeashorterlink.com/?K12C42028
The Congress resumed the consideration of the resolution agreed to by and
reported from the committee of
Page 507
the whole; and the same being read, was agreed to as follows:
Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and, of right, ought to be, Free
and Independent States; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the
British crown, and that all political connexion between them, and the state
of Great Britain, is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Charles Thomson. is in the
Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 23, folio 17.]
Agreeable to the order of the day, the Congress resolved itself into a
committee of the whole; ∥and, after some time,∥ the president
resumed the chair. Mr. [Benjamin] Harrison reported, that the committee
have had under consideration the declaration to them referred; but, not
having had time to go through ∥the same,∥ desired leave to sit
again:
Resolved, That this Congress will, to morrow, again resolve itself into a
committee of the whole, to take into their farther consideration the
declaration on independence.
Adjourned to 9 o'Clock to Morrow.∥
***********************************
OTHER SOURCES
JULY 2, 1776
.. . . the Lee Resolution for independence was adopted by 12 of the 13
colonies, New York not voting. Immediately afterward, the Congress began to
consider the Declaration. Adams and Franklin had made only a few changes
before the committee submitted the document. The discussion in Congress
resulted in some alterations and deletions, but the basic document remained
Jefferson's.. The process of revision continued through all of July 3 and
into the late afternoon of July 4. Then, at last, church bells rang out
over Philadelphia; the Declaration had been officially adopted
http://www.archives.gov/national_archives_experience/declaration_history.html
***********************************
WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 1776
Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field(DOCID+@lit(jc00524)):
http://makeashorterlink.com/?M16C23028
Agreeable to the order of the day, the Congress resolved itself into a
committee of the whole, to take into their farther consideration, the
Declaration; ∥and, after some time,∥ the president resumed the
chair, and Mr. [Benjamin] Harrison reported, that the committee, not having
finished, desired leave to sit again.
Resolved, That this Congress will, to morrow, resolve itself into a
committee of the whole, to take into their farther consideration, the
Declaration.
Adjourned to 9 o'Clock to Morrow.
***********************************
JULY 3 1776
John Adams Letter to Abigail Adams on the Occasion of the Declaration of
Independence
July 3, 1776
[EXCERPTS]
Yesterday the greatest question was decided, which ever was debated in
America, and a greater, perhaps, never was or will be decided among Men. A
resolution was passed without one dissenting colony "that these United
Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states, and as
such they have, and of right ought to have, full power to make war,
conclude peace, establish commerce, and to do all the other acts and things
which other states may rightfully do." You will see in a few days a
declaration setting forth the causes which have impelled us to this mighty
revolution and the reasons which will justify it in the sight of God and
man. A plan of confederation will be taken up in a few days.
But the day is past. The second day of July, 1776, will be memorable epocha
in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated
by succeeding generations, as the great Anniversary Festival. It ought to
be commemorated, as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to
God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp, shews, games, sports,
guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of the continent to
the other, from this time forward forever.
John Adams
***********************************
.
|
