Walking in Jefferson’s footsteps: Summer 1776
Published 8:17 am Thursday, July 5, 2018
By Bob Leith
The second Virginia Convention chose me as a delegate to the “Second Continental Congress” in 1775 in Philadelphia. On June 27, 1776, a fellow Virginian, Richard Henry Lee, introduced his famous resolution to the Congress.
“…That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states…”
Consideration of his resolution was postponed until July 1, 1776. However, the Congress, on June 11, 1776, had appointed “a committee to prepare declaration to the effect of the said [Lee] Resolution.” Its members were John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, Robert R. Livingston and I.
I urged John Adams to write the “Declaration,” but he refused, believing himself to be personally “obnoxious” to members of Congress and stressing that “Virginia should have to take the lead.”
I rented the second floor of the Jacob Graff Junior House at the corner of Market and Seventh streets for 35 shillings a week (approximately $4.25). The flies in this house were quite bothersome. To expedite my work, I dined out.
Between June 11 and June 28 of 1776, I labored there upon this “Declaration,” writing between 6 p.m. and midnight. I presented my “fair copy” to the Congress on June 28 after Franklin, Adams and the committee members had made changes to it.
On July 2, 1776, the states voted for independence from the British Empire 12-0, with New York abstaining. Congress then considered our “Declaration,” scrutinizing it “word for word” for two days. I sat there nervously silent, listening to the “mutilations” inflicted. The Congress made 89 changes in my “Declaration” and pared my text by about a fourth. To say the least, I was quite indignant.
On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted the “Declaration of Independence” and ordered it printed by John Dunlap, who produced 1,000 “broadsides.”
Only two people signed their names to the document on that day: John Hancock, President of the Congress, and Charles Thomson, the Congress’ invaluable secretary. The order for the formal document to be printed on parchment was placed on July 19. Fifty delegates signed it on Aug. 2. Six others signed it later.
The “Declaration of Independence” was first proclaimed publicly by John Nixon in the Pennsylvania State House yard in Philadelphia at noon on July 8, 1776, and three loud “huzzas” (cheers of approval) were given. On that day, bells were rung, people paraded, bonfires were built and guns were fired, despite the shortage of powder.
John Adams, who presented most of the verbal arguments for this document before Congress predicted in a letter to his wife, Abigail, that “the second day of July 1776, will be the most memorable epocha in the history of America.” He repeated this to me, and was quite sure of his prediction.
I consulted neither book nor pamphlet during the 17 days it took to complete my draft. I relied upon the thoughts of Aristotle, St. Thomas Aquinas, Cicero and John Locke, who had justified the British upheaval against the king in the “Glorious Revolution of 1688.” I felt I must hurry my draft as my wife, Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson, was pregnant and traditionally subject to severe hemorrhaging. I felt my place to be in Virginia at her side during this troublesome pregnancy since she had a tendency to miscarry. On June 30, I wrote to Edmund Pendleton in Virginia and begged him to find a substitute for me in Congress. I wrote Henry Lee, pleading him to come and take my place. My wife’s health crisis passed without my being able to be with her.
Despite the constant worry about my wife’s condition, I shall never forget the glorious day, July 4, 1776. I began this day by soaking my feet in a basin of cold water, as was my daily habit, to alleviate catching cold. After buying my beloved Martha seven pairs of gloves, it was time to meet the other delegates at the State House.
It was very hot on July 4. I recorded the temperature at 6 a.m. as 68 degrees F, and later registered it at 76 degrees F. During the late afternoon, the Congressmen approved the “Declaration of Independence.” The delegates rather quickly voted for approval. The swarms of horseflies in our meeting room were atrocious and attacks upon the delegates’ legs may have accelerated this most important vote. I must now try to return to Virginia.
Thomas Jefferson, Virginia Delegate
Postscripts:
• The “Declaration of Independence” contains 1,321 words, and counting the Graff House where it was written, the document has occupied 27 different locations in its history.
• Thomas Jefferson owned 200 slaves. Upon hearing of the “Declaration of Independence,” 23 of his slaves ran away. George Washington had 17 slaves run away after hearing of it.
• Jefferson’s wife died on Sept. 6, 1782. As Jefferson held her hand, he promised her that he would never marry again. He was only 39. Had his wife lived very much longer, it is possible that Jefferson may never have been President of the United States.
• In July of 1800, newspapers in the United States reported that Thomas Jefferson had died at Monticello. The first report of this occurred on June 30, 1800, in Baltimore. Members of his political party believed the news of his death to be a Federalist trick. Finally, Americans found out the truth. “A Thomas Jefferson” had indeed died in 1800. He was one of Jefferson’s slaves with the same name of his owner.
• July 4, 1826, was the 15th anniversary of the vote to approve the “Declaration of Independence.” In June 1826, Jefferson was asked to speak on the 50th anniversary. Very feeble and suffering from severe diarrhea, he had to decline the request. He had wanted so badly to be in Washington City. People of the United States were praying that both Jefferson and John Adams might live through the great day of celebration. Jefferson refused his medicine. Jefferson died at 10 minutes until 1 p.m. on July 4, 1826. John Adams died as the tide turned at sunset (6 p.m.) on the same day. Adams’ last words were: “Jefferson still surv—.” Jefferson was 83 and Adams, 90. Only Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, was left of the 56 signers.
Bob Leith is a retired teacher at Ironton High School and professor at Ohio University Southern and Rio Grande University