George Washington is in the hall. The eyes of all Congress have turned toward him. He is surprised, confused, and embarrassed, leaves his seat and hurries into the library.
Congress spent two days considering Adams's motion, for there were other men who had hoped for the appointment; but finally, on the 15th of June, 1775, a ballot was taken, and Washington was unanimously elected commander-in-chief of the Continental Army.
On July 2, 1775, he took command of the army at Cambridge, Mass., and March 17, 1776, the British were expelled from Boston.
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We now come to the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776. It was written by Thomas Jefferson, at that time a young man of thirty-three. The committee of the General Congress appointed to draft it, consisted of the following: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston.
The strong feeling of Thomas Jefferson as he wrote the Declaration is indicated by his statement that, "Rather than submit to the right of legislating for us assumed by the British Parliament, I would lend my hand to sink the whole island in the ocean." Here also we get a glimpse of one of the most interesting and delightful characters in the history of this period--Benjamin Franklin. History records that while Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, a few verbal suggestions were made by Doctor Franklin, as the following conversation reported to have taken place between them would indicate: "Well, Brother Jefferson," said Franklin, "is the fair copy made?" "All ready, doctor," replied Jefferson. "Will you hear it through once more?" "As many times as you wish," responded the smiling doctor, with a merry twinkle in his eyes. "One can't get too much of a good thing, you know." Jefferson then read to Franklin the Declaration of Independence, which has been pronounced one of the world's greatest papers. "That's good, Thomas! That's right to the point! That will make King George wince. I wish I had done it myself." It is said Franklin would "have put a joke into the Declaration of Independence, if it had fallen to his lot to write that immortal document."
The Declaration of Independence went forth to the world signed by one man, John Hancock--which explains the expression you sometimes hear, "Put your John Hancock there." It was, however, signed later by all the members of that Congress--fifty-four in number. This immortal document has been carefully preserved and the original may be seen at Washington.
The Declaration was a notice to Great Britain and to all the world that the American colonists would no longer be subject to Great Britain; that henceforth they were to be a free and independent people, holding Great Britain as they held the rest of mankind, "enemies in war--in peace friends." This Declaration marks the birth of our nation.
Our government fathers fully realized the step they were taking. They knew it meant a final breaking with the home government of England, but--"with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence," in support of this {328} Declaration, they pledged to each other "their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor."
Following the expulsion of the British from Boston, the battle field of the Revolution changes to New York, moving to Harlem Heights and White Plains; then to New Jersey; Trenton, and Princeton; then to Pennsylvania; Brandywine, Westchester, Germantown, Valley Forge, and on to Monmouth.