was on the east wall of No. 700, below the middle second-story window, Mr. Dallett, I think, received. It is a curious fact that while this building was being torn down there were no relic hunters about and no curiosity evinced by spectators. A few antiquarians called and confirmed No. 700 as the house. The only person who asked for a relic was Mr. Augustus R. Hall, of Hall & Carpenter, No. 709 Market street, and he got a joist out of No. 700 Market street house. It was cloudy for five days after the destruction of the building began and no photograph of it was taken. The 'kodak' was not in general use then. I saw Mr. F. Gutekunst, the eminent photographer, about taking some views of it, but it could not then be done . . . The fourth day of the tearing down revealed what I all along had suspected : that No. 700 Market street was the house in which Mr. Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, because it was the first house built on the Graff lot. Mr. S. Hart, Mr. Thomas Little and Mr. Robert Gray were present when I knocked some of the plaster off the west wall of No. 700 Market street, which was the inside of the east side of No. 702 Market street, the house recently claimed 2 to be the one in which Mr. Jefferson wrote the Declaration. We found that it was the outer wall of No. 700 Market street when it was a single unattached building, because the joints between the bricks were struck joints to resist the weather as well as for appearances, a thing which was then never done on an inside wall." # The desk upon which Jefferson wrote the Declaration" is now in the Library of the Department of State. 45 It was presented by Jefferson himself to Joseph Coolidge, Jr., in 1825, as shown by a letter of Jefferson, also in the Library of that Department: [S] Th: Jefferson gives this Writing desk to Joseph Coolidge jun! as a memorial of affection. it was made from a drawing of his own, by Ben Randall 46, cabinet maker of Philadelphia, with whom he first lodged on his arrival 47 in that city in May 1776. and is the identical one on which he wrote the Declaration of Independance. Politics, as well as Religion, has it's superstitions. these gaining strength with time, may, one day, give imaginary value to this relic, for it's association with the birth of the Great charter of our Independance. Monticello. Nov. 18. 1825.48 On April 28, 1880, Congress resolved: "[D1] That the thanks of this Congress be presented to J. Randolph Coolidge, Algernon Coolidge, Thomas Jefferson Coolidge, and Mrs. Ellen Dwight, citizens of Massachusetts, for the patriotic gift of the writing desk presented by Thomas Jefferson to their father, the late Joseph Coolidge, upon which the Declaration of Independence was written. And be it further resolved, That this precious relic is hereby accepted in the name of the Nation, and that the same be deposited for safe keeping in the Department of State of the United States." Jefferson's draft, with the minor amendments by John Adams and Franklin, was reported to Congress, Friday, June 28th. The Journal says: The Come 49 appointed to prepare a declaration &c brought in a draught 50 which was read Ordered to lie on the table VII THE LAST DAYS 1 [PHM] Fine sunshine, grew very warm, wind Southerly came on a thunder gust with rain, cleared up by six moon, light and pleasant. [MsJ] hour 9-0 A. M. 7- P. M past 10 fine On July 1st (Monday), the Journal tells us, The order of the day being read Resolved That this Congress will resolve itself into a committee of the whole to take into consideration the resolution respecting independency Resolved That the Declaration be referred to said Committee Congress resolved itself into a committee of the whole. The Mr Harrison reported that the committee have had under them consideration the matters to them referred to and have to a resolution 2 therwhichthey and agreed him report ordered to but not hav ing come to a conclusion desired him to move for leave to sit again Λ to the determination thereof The resolution agreed by committee of the whole being read, was postponed at the request of a Colony till to Morrow Resolved that this Congress will to morrow resolve itself into a committee of the whole to take into their farther consideration the declaration respecting independance Adjourned to 9 o Clock to morrow. July 1st, therefore, saw the final debate in the committee of the whole upon the initial resolution of June 7th and the adoption of it by that body. Of the debate, we have no report. It is certain, however, that Dickinson and John Adams took the "leading roles ". Adams, in his Autobiography, says: [Qy] The Subject had been in Contemplation for more than a Year and frequent discussions had been had concerning it. At one time and another, all the Arguments for it and against it had been exhausted and were become familiar. I expected no more would be said in public but that the question would be put and decided. Mr Dickinson however was determined to bear his Testimony against it with more formality. He had prepared himself apparently with great labour and ardent Zeal, and in a Speech of great length, and all his eloquence, he combined together all that had before been written in Pamplets and Newspapers and all that had from time to time been said in Congress by himself and others. He conducted the debate, not only with great Ingenuity and Eloquence, but with equal Politeness and Candour: and was answered in the same Spirit. No Member rose to answer him : and after waiting some time, in hopes that some one less obnoxious than myself, who was still had been all along for a Year before, and still was represented and believed to be the Author of all the Mischief, I determined to speak. It has been said by some of our Historians, that I began by an Invocation to the God of Eloquence. This is a Misrepresentation. Nothing so puerile as this fell from me. I began by say ing that this was the first time of my Life that I had ever wished for the Talents and Eloquence of the ancient orators of Greece and Rome, for I was very sure that none of them ever had before him a question of more Importance to his Country and to the World. They would probably upon less Occasions that [than] this would have begun by solemn Invocations to their Divinities for Assistance but the Question before me appeared so simple, that I had confidence enough in the plain Understanding and common Sense that had been given me, to believe that I could answer to the Satisfaction of the House all the Arguments which had been produced, notwithstanding the Abilities which had been displayed and the Eloquence with which they had been enforced." Mr Dickinson, some Years afterwards published his Speech. I had made no Preparation beforehand and never committed any minutes of mine to writing. But if I had a Copy of M' Dickinsons before me I would now after eight and nine and Twenty Years have elapsed endeavour to recollect mine. Before the final Question was put the new Delegates from Dr Witherspoon and M Hopkinson laughing New Jersey came in 10, and M' Stockton, one of them a very respectable Characters expressed a great desire to hear the Arguments. All was Silence: No one would speak: all Eyes were turned upon me. Mr Edward Rutledge 11 came to me and said, Nobody will speak but you, upon this Subject. You have all the Topicks so ready, that you must satisfy the Gentlemen from New Jersey. I answered him laughing, that it had so much the Air of exhibiting like an Actor or Gladiator for the Entertainment of the Audience, that I was ashamed to repeat what I had said Twenty times before, and I thought nothing new could be advanced by me. The New Jersey Gentlemen however still insisting on hearing at least a Recapitulation of the Arguments and no other Gentleman being willing to speak, I summed up the Reasons Objections and Answers, in as concise a manner, as I could, till at length the Jersey |