end punctually at ten o'clock in order to take the same
into their consideration. Jefferson says the reason of postponement was
that the House were obliged to attend to other business. The record
indicates that no speech was made on that day.

"The next day was Saturday. John Hancock, the President, was in the
chair; and Charles Thompson was the Secretary. The resolves were
immediately referred to a Committee of the Whole, in which Benjamin
Harrison presided--the confidential correspondent of Washington, and
subsequently Governor of Virginia. They were debated with animation
until seven o'clock in the evening, when the President resumed the
chair, and reported that the Committee had considered the matter
referred to them, but, not having come to any decision, directed him to
move for leave to sit again on Monday.

"In Congress, on Monday, Edward Rutledge moved that the question be
postponed three weeks. The debate on this day continued until seven
o'clock in the evening. Not a single speech of any member is known to be
extant. Jefferson at the time summed up the arguments used by the
speakers during both days. The result may be given in his words: 'It
appearing, in the course of the debates, that the colonies of New York,
New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and South Carolina were
not yet matured for falling from the parent stem, but that they were
fast advancing to that state, it was thought most prudent to wait awhile
for them. It was agreed in Committee of the Whole to report to Congress
a resolution, which was adopted by a vote of seven colonies to five, and
this postponed the resolution on independence to the 1st day of July;
and 'in meanwhile, that no time be lost, a Committee be appointed to
prepare a declaration in conformity to it.' On the next day a Committee
was chosen for this purpose by ballot: Thomas Jefferson, of Virginia;
John Adams, of Massachusetts; Benjamin Franklin, of Pennsylvania; Roger
Sherman, of Connecticut; and Robert R. Livingstone, of New York. [Such
was the Committee that prepared the Declaration of Independence.] On the
12th a Committee of one from each colony was appointed to report the
form of confederation, and a Committee of five to prepare a plan of
treaties to be proposed to foreign Powers.

"When Congress postponed the vote on independence, the popular movement
in its favour was in full activity. Some of the members left this body
to engage in it. Others promoted it by th