1S98.] HAYS — DRAUGHT OF DECLARATIOX OF IXDEPENDEXCE. 91 



their happiness or misery will so eminently depend."^ The 

 preamble enumerated in strong terms the wrongs done to the United 

 Colonies ; the King's proclamation declaring them to be out of the 

 protection of the Crown ; and that there was no alternative but 

 abject submission or a total separation. The first resolution was as 

 follows : 



"That the delegates appointed to represent this colony in 

 the General Congress be instructed to propose to that respectable 

 body to declare the United Colonies free and independent States, 

 absolved from all allegiance to, or dependence upon, the crown or 

 parliament of Great Britain, and that they give the assent of this 

 colony to such declaration, and to whatever measures may be 

 thought proper and necessary by the Congress for forming foreign 

 alliances, and a confederation of the colonies, at such time and in 

 the manner as to them shall seem best ; Provided, the power of 

 forming government for, and the regulations of the internal con- 

 cerns of each colony, be left to the respective colonial legislatures."^ 



Richard Henry Lee, by appointment of the delegates from 

 Virginia and in accordance with the instructions conveyed in this 

 resolution, moved in the Congress on June 7, 1776 : 



"That these united colonies are, and of right ought to be, free 

 and independent States ; that they are absolved from all allegiance 

 to the British crown, and that all political connection between 

 them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be totally 

 dissolved." 



The resolution was seconded by John Adams, and was debated 

 from the 7th to the loth of June, Lee strenuously urging every 

 argument in support of his motion. The Congress finally on the 

 loth of June ordered the further consideration of the resolution 

 of independence to be postponed to the first day of July and " in 

 the meanwhile, that no time be lost, in case the Congress agree 

 thereto, that a committee be appointed to prepare a declaration to 

 the effect of the said first resolution." 



On the evening of that day, the loth, Lee received by express 

 intelligence of the dangerous illness of his wife at her home in 

 Virginia. He immediately asked for leave of absence and left Phila- 

 delphia on the nth, before the Committee was elected to draught 



1 The Virginia Conventio7i of 111! 6, by Hugh Blair Grigsby, Richmond, 1855, 

 p. 8. 



"^Ibid., p. 17. 



