Such a detailed analysis will not be attempted here except insofar as it becomes necessary to establish the character and relationships of the first three documents in the present series. With the aid of these copies, the one at an early stage and the others at a later, it has been possible to determine the evolution of the text with more or less precision. Shortly after the adoption of the Declaration, Jefferson made copies of the “Rough draught” and sent them to distant friends, including Richard Henry Lee, Edmund Pendleton, George Wythe, Philip Mazzei, and probably John Page. The earliest and most important of these is the copy in John Adams’ handwriting, probably made before Jefferson had shown the text to Franklin but after a few minor changes had been effected (this copy is reproduced in Boyd, Declaration of Independence, together with all known texts in Jefferson's handwriting). It would be difficult if not impossible to say at what stage or by whom these various changes had been made if it were not for the fact that several contemporary copies of Jefferson's text were made. Almost all of these were indicated on the “Rough draught,” and one minorchange was made even after Congress had adopted the final text (Boyd, Declaration of Independence, 1945, p. In all there were eighty-six alterations, made at various stages by Jefferson, by Adams and Franklin, by the Committee of Five, and by Congress. Some of their suggested alterations, if not all, were made in their own handwriting on the draft that Jefferson later endorsed “original Rough draught.” The Committee itself apparently made few changes, but Congress excised about a fourth of the text, including the famous passage concerning Negro slavery. He did so, submitting it first to Adams and then to Franklin. The Committee selected Jefferson to prepare a draft. Yet the main outlines are clear and indisputable. The procedure of the Committee of Five between 11 and 28 June became the subject of some difference of opinion between Adams and Jefferson in 1823. The signing of the engrossed parchment copy took place on 2 Aug. On 19 July Congress ordered the Declaration to be engrossed and signed. The question as to whether it was signed on 4 July is discussed in the notes to Jefferson's Notes of Proceedings in the Continental Congress, 7 June to 1 Aug. Jefferson's Declaration was debated on 2-4 July and was, after considerable revision, adopted on the last day. It was for this reason, doubtless, that the Declaration as adopted on 4 July bore the title “A Declaration by the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress Assembled,” whereas the engrossed parchment copy of the Declaration was entitled “The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America.” This, however, was not a unanimous vote, since the delegates of New York were bound by their instructions and abstained from voting (they were released by the New York Convention on 9 July). Congress, sitting as a committee of the whole on 1 July, debated the Lee Resolution for nine hours without interruption this was the decisive debate but the Resolution was not put to vote by Congress until the following day, when it was adopted. The draft of the Declaration agreed upon by the Committee was reported to Congress on 28 June. On 11 June this Committee of Five was appointed, consisting of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Since this delay was apparently caused by the desire for unanimity and since the act of independence was a foregone conclusion, Congress decided to avoid further delay by appointing a Committee of Five to draft a declaration that would announce to the world and at the same time justify the act. On 8 and 10 June Congress considered this Resolution, and on the latter date postponed action on it to 1 July. under date) instructing its delegates in Congress to propose independence and the consequence was Richard Henry Lee's Resolution of Independence, 7 June 1776 (q.v. On the Virginia Convention unanimously adopted the Resolutions (q.v. Nevertheless, the transcendent importance of this charter of national liberties and the recent discovery of additional information respecting Jefferson's drafting of it require special presentation, though this cannot be as detailed and as comprehensive as the studies of Hazelton and others. Boyd, The Declaration of Independence: The Evolution of the Text, Princeton, 1945. A Study in the History of Political Ideas, N.Y., 19 and Julian P. Hazelton, The Declaration of Independence: Its History, N.Y., 1906 Carl Becker, The Declaration of Independence. A full analysis of the many textual changes made in the Declaration of Independence from the time it was drafted by Jefferson to the time of its final adoption by Congress has been made in the following: John H.
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