On this day 250 years ago at the Statehouse (now Independence Hall) in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress again voted on the Resolution for Independence introduced by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia. The Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Delaware delegations all changed their votes to support Independence, so the Congress by the unanimous vote of all delegations voting, and New York still abstaining, adopted the Resolution for Independence. July 2, 1776 is actually the birthdate of the United States although we for good reasons celebrate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence two days later.
Although the United States of America that day resolved that it was independent of Britain, readers of this blog will know that each of the thirteen American states had already ejected the British from control of their states. On July 2, 1776, each state had ejected its royal governor from the capitol (or in the case of Connecticut, the royal governor joined the Patriots) and had replaced the governor and Crown officials with a new albeit interim governing body. British troops had been forced from each state except for tiny toeholds on Long Island (now Isle of Palms) in South Carolina (where Generals Clinton and Cornwallis were waiting to evacuate their troops after the defeat at Fort Sullivan), Gwynn’s Island, Virginia (where Governor Lord Dunmore’s small army of British troops and Loyalists were under siege by Virginia forces and dying of smallpox), Staten Island in New York where General William Howe began unloading troops 250 years ago today, and three British outposts in northern New York on the border with Canada — at Fort Niagara, Oswego and Oswegatchie. The British controlled nothing else. America had made itself independent before the Congress declared America Independent.
Sources: Hogeland, Declaration at 172-73 and lots of others.
On this day 250 years ago in Burlington, the New Jersey Convention adopted a Constitution for the state. Some of the provisions of the New Jersey Constitution adopted that day are:
WHEREAS all the constitutional authority ever possessed by the kings of Great Britain over these colonies, or their other dominions, was, by compact, derived from the people, and held of them, for the common interest of the whole society; allegiance and protection are, in the nature of things, reciprocal ties; each equally depending upon the other, and liable to be dissolved by the others being refused or withdrawn. And whereas George the Third, king of Great Britain, has refused protection to the good people of these colonies; and, by assenting to sundry acts of the British parliament, attempted to subject them to the absolute dominion of that body; and has also made war upon them, in the most cruel and unnatural manner, for no other cause, than asserting their just rights-all civil authority under him is necessarily at an end, and a dissolution of government in each colony has consequently taken place.
And whereas, In the present deplorable situation of these colonies, exposed to the fury of a cruel and relentless enemy, some form of government is absolutely necessary, not only for the preservation of good order, but also the more effectually to unite the people, and enable them to exert their whole force in their own necessary defence: and as the honorable the continental congress, the supreme council of the American colonies, has advised such of the colonies as have not yet gone into measures, to adopt for themselves, respectively, such government as shall best conduce to their own happiness and safety, and the well-being of America in general:-We, the representatives of the colony of New Jersey, having been elected by all the counties, in the freest manner, and in congress assembled, have, after mature deliberations, agreed upon a set of charter rights and the form of a Constitution, in manner following, viz.
. . .
IV. That all inhabitants of this Colony, of full age, who are worth fifty pounds proclamation money, clear estate in the same, and have resided within the county in which they claim a vote for twelve months immediately preceding the election, shall be entitled to vote for Representatives in Council and Assembly; and also for all other public officers, that shall be elected by the people of the county at large.
Under Article IV, in New Jersey, in contrast to other states, Women, Blacks and White inhabitants inhabitants could vote, even if they did not own real property, provided that they were “worth fifty pounds proclamation money.”
XVIII. That no person shall ever, within this Colony, be deprived of the inestimable privilege of worshipping Almighty God in a manner, agreeable to the dictates of his own conscience; nor, under any presence whatever, be compelled to attend any place of worship, contrary to his own faith and judgment; nor shall any person, within this Colony, ever be obliged to pay tithes, taxes, or any other rates, for the purpose of building or repairing any other church or churches, place or places of worship, or for the maintenance of any minister or ministry, contrary to what he believes to be right, or has deliberately or voluntarily engaged himself to perform.
XIX. That there shall be no establishment of any one religious sect in this Province, in preference to another; and that no Protestant inhabitant of this Colony shall be denied the enjoyment of any civil right, merely on account of his religious principles; but that all persons, professing a belief in the faith of any Protestant sect, who shall demean themselves peaceably under the government, as hereby established, shall be capable of being elected into any office of profit or trust, or being a member of either branch of the Legislature, and shall fully and freely enjoy every privilege and immunity, enjoyed by others their fellow subjects.
On This Day In The Revolution 