Page 125 - JM Book 9/2020

The Declaration of Independence was now official. America was now embarked on the road to freedom. The first step had been completed – independence had been declared. The second and final step was to win a military victory over the superior British forces. Then, and only then, would America be able to establish an independent government for the United States of America.
After all the signatures were in place, Charles Thomson recorded this simple statement in the Journal of the Continental Congress: “The declaration of independence being engrossed and compared at the table was signed [by the members].”
All the delegates were not present when the Declaration was signed. Elbridge Gerry, Oliver Wolcott, Lewis Morris, Thomas McKean and Matthew Thornton would sign later.
Robert Livingston, a member of the Committee of Five, never signed the Declaration of Independence. He had been recalled back to New York by the Provincial Assembly to serve on the committee to write a constitution for the new State of New York.
It would take more than six months before the general public would learn the names of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence. The copies printed by John Dunlap did not include the names of all the signers, only John Hancock’s name. Finally, in January 1777, Mary Katherine Goddard, editor of the Maryland Journal, published the names of all fifty-six signers for the world to see.
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“Mr. Jef-fer-son!” . . . “Mr. Jef-fer-son!”
Jefferson heard his name called. He stopped, turned around and saw Ike running towards him. He was carrying Jefferson’s biscuits wrapped in a white cloth.
Jefferson was walking to his rooms after spending the evening at Benjamin Franklin’s house. When Congress adjourned that afternoon, Franklin had invited Jefferson, John Adams, John Hancock and Sam Adams to his house for
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