Page 62 - JM Book 9/2020

sent us to Philadelphia to vote for independence, and that is what we will do. Our five votes will be cast in favor of the Virginia Resolution.”
The pro-independence delegates enthusiastically clapped.
The next item of business was to consider a recommendation from the Board of War to authorize the Committee of Safety of Pennsylvania to employ Monsieur Le Chevalier de Kirmovan to construct a fortification on the Delaware River at Billingsport.
After the Billingsport fortification was approved, President Hancock called on John Adams to present Jefferson’s draft of the declaration of independence that the Committee of Five had approved.
The night before, Jefferson had made what he called a “fair copy.” He completely rewrote the declaration with all the corrections and changes that Adams and Franklin had requested.
Adams walked to Hancock’s desk and handed him the declaration. Hancock took a minute to look at the document before he gave it to Secretary Thomson with instructions to read it aloud.
Charles Thomson stood, cleared his throat and began to read. The delegates sat quietly and listened. No one spoke when he finished reading.
Finally, the silence was broken when someone made a motion to table consideration of the declaration until after the Virginia Resolution had been voted on. Thomson called the roll and everyone agreed. He made the following note in the Congressional Journal: “The committee appointed to prepare a declaration brought in a draft, which was read: Ordered, to lie on the table.”
Hancock adjourned the session until nine o’clock Monday morning.
z
Unknown to the members of Congress while they were conducting congressional business, a major battle was taking place in South Carolina with 1,200 American patriots trying to defend Charleston Harbor from an invasion by the British fleet that included nine warships and a ground force of 2,900 Redcoats.
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