2107. DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, Action in Congress.—[further continued].
On Monday, the 1st of July, the House resolved itself into a committee
of the whole, and resumed the consideration
of the original motion [to declare the
Colonies independent States] made by the
delegates of Virginia, which, being again debated
through the day, was carried in the affirmative
by the votes of New Hampshire,
Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island,
New Jersey, Maryland. Virginia, North Carolina,
and Georgia. South Carolina and Pennsylvania
voted against it. Delaware had but
two members present and they were divided.
The delegates from New York declared they
were for it themselves, and 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
and reported their resolution to the House.
Mr. Edward Rutledge, of South Carolina,
then requested the determination might be put
off to the next day, as he believed his colleagues,
though they disapproved of the resolution,
would then join in it for the sake of
unanimity. The ultimate question, whether
the House would agree to the resolution of
the committee, was accordingly postponed to
the next day, when it was again moved, and
South Carolina concurred in voting for it.
In the meantime, a third member had come
post from the Delaware counties, and turned
the vote of that Colony in favor of the resolution.
Members of a different sentiment
attending that morning from Pennsylvania
also, her vote was changed, so that the whole
twelve Colonies, who were authorized to vote
at all, gave their voices for it; and within a
few days (July 9) the convention of New
York approved of it, and thus supplied the
void occasioned by the withdrawing of her
delegates from the vote.—
Autobiography. Washington ed. i, 18.
Ford ed., i, 24.
(1821)
