Here's a story you may or may not know about the signing of our nation's Declaration of Independence. You see, before it was written and signed, the delegates from every state had to vote to write and sign it..make sense? Anyway, here is the great story taken from a wonderful book we have The American Patriot's Almanac:
This is the story of Caesar Rodney, one of Delaware's three signers of the Declaration of Independence. Rodney was a well-to-do planter who served in Delaware's legislature, led protests against the Stamp Act, and organized the Patriot militia before being elected to the Continental Congress. Despite such activity, he was a man of poor health. He suffered from asthma as well as skin cancer that had left his face so disfigured he often hid one side of it behind a green silk scarf. Yet, as John Adam's noted there was "fire, spirit, wit, and humor in his countenance."
Rodney was in Delaware on the evening on July 1, 1776 when he received an urgent message from Philadelphia. Congress was ready to vote on the issue of independence. Of the two other Delaware delegates, one favored and one opposed a break with England, so Rodney's vote would decide which way the colony would go--if he could get there on time.
He rode through the night, in thunder and rain, to cover the 80 miles to Philadelphia. The next day, just as Congress prepared to vote, the delegates heard hoof beats on the cobblestones, and a mud-spattered Rodney strode into the hall, still wearing his spurs, exhausted but ready to brake the tie in his state's delegation by voting for independence.
On July 2, 1776 the Continental Congress made the momentous decision to break free from England. "Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states." Two days late, it adopted the Declaration of Independence.
This is Ella, only a few months older than Savannah at the time…crazy how time flies!
God bless America, and God bless the men and women who were willing to live their lives in such a way that they had enough courage and integrity to do what needed to be done when it needed to be done. Happy 4th!
