From the Files: 2 July 1776. The 3rd of 70 items, All to be Shared in the Future

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Author/Year:

[1872] Richard Frothingham, author of the foremost scholarly history of the Revolutionary era to have been published in America in the 19th Century.

Source:

The RISE of the REPUBLIC of the UNITED STATES (Boston: Little, Brown & Co, 1872. 640 pp.).

Quotation:

"On the seventh day of June, Richard Henry Lee, in behalf of the Virginia delegates, submitted to Congress resolves on independence, confederation, and foreign alliances. His biographer says that ‘tradition relates that he prefaced his motion with a speech,’ portraying the resources of the colonies and their capacity for defense, dwelling especially on the bearing which an independent position might have on foreign powers, and concluded by urging the members so to act that the day might give birth to an American Republic." (Pp.513-14)

"In the last days of June the agitation on the question of independence ceased in every colony except New York. Ten colonies expressed their will in direct action upon it; while Georgia and South Carolina gave commissions to their delegates which covered the power to vote for it. Thus twelve of the United Colonies authorized their representatives to join in making a declaration of independence; and hence designated Congress to perform this high act of sovereignty."

(p.530)

"On the twenty ninth day of June some in Congress might have read a fresh and most spirited expression of the public feeling in an article in a Philadelphia newspaper, denouncing in severe terms those who thought of reconciliation; and, with the remark that Americans could not offer terms of peace with Great Britain until they had agreed upon a name, suggesting that the contemplated power be called The United States of America." (p.532)

"On the second day of July, probably 50 members were present in Congress. After disposing of the business of the morning, it resumed the consideration of the resolution on independence, and probably without much debate proceeded to vote. The twelve colonies united in adopting the resolution. And now John Adams wrote, in a generous enthusiasm: ‘The greatest question has been decided which ever was debated in America, and a greater perhaps never was or will be decided among men.’

The United Colonies were then decreed the political unit of the United States of America." (p.538).

 

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