Independence, accompanied the resolution of Richard Henry Lee, which was
adopted by Congress on the 2d day of July, 1776. This declaration was
agreed to on the 4th, and the transaction is thus recorded in the
Journal for that day:
"Agreeably to the order of the day, the Congress resolved itself into a
committee of the whole, to take into their further consideration the
Declaration; and, after some time, the president resumed the chair, and
Mr. Harrison reported that the committee have agreed to a Declaration,
which they desired him to report. The Declaration being read, was agreed
to as follows:"