Page 61 - JM Book 9/2020

Friday, June 28, 1776
Congressional President John Hancock gaveled Congress into session promptly at nine a.m.
The first order of business was to authorize the payment of $750 for lumber and $117 for plated iron.
Next, Secretary Thomson read two petitions, one from Colonel James Easton and the other from William Poole. Hancock referred the petitions to the appropriate committee for consideration.
Congress then welcomed the delegates from New Jersey – Richard Stockton, Abraham Clark, John Hart, Francis Hopkinson and Dr. John Witherspoon. The colony of New Jersey had not been represented in Congress for several months. The instructions they carried from the Provincial Congress of New Jersey empowered them “to join with the Delegates of the other Colonies in Continental Congress,” to declare the colonies independent of Great Britain.
The new delegates asked if someone would review the arguments for independence. They said they were familiar with the pro and con arguments of the people of New Jersey, but they would like to hear what the citizens in other colonies thought.
South Carolina delegate Edward Rutledge urged John Adams to review all the reasons for and against independence. At first Adams refused, but finally consented after Franklin told him that he understood all the arguments better than anyone else. He took his time and began by explaining why many people oppose separation from Great Britain. Then he moved on to the positive reasons for independence. He concluded with a thorough discussion of the Virginia Resolution and the actions Congress had taken so far.
When Adams sat down, Dr. John Witherspoon stood and affirmed that they had been instructed to vote for independence. “The people of New Jersey
51