Let's remember:

Thursday – July 1, 2010

Let’s remember:

On today’s date, in 1776, the first vote on the Declaration of Independence took place.

The entire committee reviewed the Declaration, after the changes that Franklin and Adam’s had made. There were 26 changes that were made from Jefferson’s original draft. The Committee presented it to Congress on Friday June 28th, which ordered it to “lie on the table.” Congress was called to order on July 1st at 9a.m. and the serious debate consumed the most of that hot and humid Monday. Late in the day, it was apparent that the delegates from Pennsylvania and South Carolina were not ready to pass the Lee resolution for Independence. Additionally, the two delegates from Delaware were split. So, debate was postponed until the following day. On July 2, 1776, both Robert Morris and John Dickinson deliberately “abstained” by not attending the session and the remaining Pennsylvania delegation voted for independence. South Carolina’s leader’s son Arthur Middleton chose to ignore his absent and ailing father’s Tory wishes changing the colony’s position to “aye.” Finally, the great patriot, Caesar Rodney, summoned by his fellow delegate Thomas McKean and suffering from a facial cancer and asthma rode 80 miles through the rain and lightening arriving in time to break the Delaware 1 to 1 deadlock by casting the third vote for independence. All 12 colonies voted by July 2nd and were able to approve the resolution introduced by Richard Henry Lee and John Adams, declaring independence from Great Britain.

A cover letter, written by John Hancock on July 6th 1776, was attached to the Declaration and it was then sent to the British authorities:

“Gentlemen, although it is not possible to foresee the consequences of human actions, yet it is nevertheless a duty we owe ourselves and posterity in all our public councils to decide in the best manner we are able and to trust the event to that being who governs both causes and events, so as to bring about his own determinations.

Impressed with this sentiment, and at the same time fully convinced that our affairs will take a more favorable turn, the Congress have judged it necessary to dissolve all connection between Great Britain and the American Colonies and to declare them free and independent States as you will perceive by the enclosed Declaration, which I am directed to transmit to you.”

This week and last week I have written about a conversation that resulted in a story. I have written about the importance of words, as we approach our July 4th celebration. Today, I presented a story on the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and the words that were used to convey what the document was and how it was presented to the British.

As I approach the first anniversary of Pinecone Conservatives, on the fourth, I am reminded of the humble beginnings of the country and the forefathers that brought freedom and liberty to us today by their words and their call to action. The word that I wrote about yesterday was desire. Without desire, we cannot accomplish goals. On that hot and humid July day, the colonists and our forefathers desire was to declare independence. They knew that their posterity, you and I would enjoy the gift of liberty and freedom. It was their desire to create a land of opportunity and a land where men could walk free and become prosperous.

I fear today that the word desire has been twisted by ideology and by a party that is corrupt with power and a distorted view of what occurred 234 years ago. I fear that the word Independence is something that some of us have forgotten about, because the definition is lost in some book that is never picked up anymore. I fear that the leaders that some of us voted for gave us a false representation of their capabilities and their intent of preserving liberty and extending freedom to yet another generation. I fear the story of Independence is not being taught, nor is the story of the importance of the desires of the forefathers and every patriot that has followed. I fear that the security of our wealth has disappeared as quickly as the Congress voted for stimulus.

Our forefathers would be drafting the same document today that was drafted yesterday, because of the words desire, liberty and freedom are not being spoken by our elected officials let alone endorsed anymore. This is why it is important to remember the story of Liberty and to continue the fight so that the desires of free men and women will not perish, but flourish in an America that will remember it’s beginnings for it’s posterity.

Gregory C. Dildilian
Founder and Executive Director
Pinecone Conservatives

A footnote: There are 124 days to restore the desire of freedom for our liberty and to remember the story that I have been writing about.