Page 122 - JM Book 9/2020

Everyone watched as Bartlett walked to Hancock’s desk. He dipped the quill pen into the ink well and following custom signed his name on the extreme right side. New Hampshire had been the first colony to establish a new independent state government, to vote for the Declaration of Independence, and to sign the Declaration.
Minutes later John Adam’s name
was called. He proudly marched to
the front of the room where he shook
Hancock’s hand before he signed his
name. When he finished, he walked over to where Jefferson and Franklin were sitting and shook their hands.
The last New England delegate to sign was Stephen Hopkins of Rhode Island, who suffered from cerebral palsy. He signed his name with a trembling right hand that he held steady with his left hand. “My hand trembles,” he said in a loud, clear voice, “but my heart does not.”
The four middle colonies were the next to be called – New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. One by one the delegates went forward to add their names to the Declaration.
After months of uncertainty of whether or not they would be able to support independence, the New York delegation wanted to witness each other’s signature. When William Floyd’s name was called, all three delegates marched to Hancock’s desk. Floyd was the first to sign, followed by Philip Livingston and Francis Lewis. Lewis Morris was not present and would sign the Declaration later.
Benjamin Franklin limped to Hancock’s desk with the use of his cane when his name was announced. He
exchanged looks with Hancock while
he laid his cane on the desk. With his
weight balanced on his good leg, he
adjusted his bifocals and signed his
name with a flourish under Benjamin Rush’s name.
“We must all hang together,” said Franklin as he slowly walked back to his chair, “or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”
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