e
land and naval forces quit Charleston and went to New York, where board
was not so high.

July 4 was deemed a good time to write a Declaration of Independence and
have it read in the grove.

Richard Henry Lee, of Virginia, moved that "the United Colonies are, and
of right ought to be, free and Independent states." John Adams, of
Massachusetts, seconded the resolution. This was passed July 2, and the
report of the committee appointed to draw up a Declaration of
Independence was adopted July 4.

[Illustration: FAC-SIMILE OF DICTATION.]

The Declaration was dictated by Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the most
melodious English of any American of his time.

Jefferson had a vocabulary next to Noah Webster, with all the dramatic
power of Dan. He composed the piece one evening after his other work. We
give a facsimile of the opening lines.

Philadelphia was a scene of great excitement. The streets were thronged,
and people sat down on the nice clean door-steps with perfect
recklessness, although the steps had just been cleaned with ammonia and
wiped off with a chamois-skin. It was a day long to be remembered, and
one that made George III. wish that he had reconsidered his birth.

In the steeple of the old State-House was a bell which had fortunately
upon it the line "Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the
inhabitants thereof." It was rung by the old man in charge, though he
had lacked faith up to that moment in Congress. He believed that
Congress would not pass the resolution and adopt the Declaration till
after election.

[Illustration: RINGING THE LIBERTY BELL.]

Thus was the era of good feeling inaugurated both North and South. There
was no North then, no South, no East, no West; just one common country,
with Washington acting as father of same. Oh, how nice it must have
been!

Washington was one of the sweetest men in the United States. He gave his
hand in marriage to a widow woman who had two children and a dark red
farm in Virginia.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE BEGINNING OF THE END.

The British army now numbered thirty thousand troops, while Washington's
entire command was not over seven thousand strong. The Howes, one a
general and the other an admiral, now turned their attention to New
York. Washington, however, was on the ground beforehand.

Howe's idea was to first capture Brooklyn, so that he could have a place
in which to sleep at nights while engaged in taking New York.

The battl