John Page, President of the Council of Virginia, in acknowledging to Hancock 112 the receipt of the Declaration, mailed on the 8th, writes, July 20th, that the people "have been impatiently expecting it, and will receive it with joy."

On the same day, the Council 113 Ordered, That the printers publish 114 in their respective Gazettes the DECLARATION . . . and that the sheriff of each county in this commonwealth proclaim the same at the door of his courthouse the first court day after he shall have received the same."

In pursuance of this "115 order of the Hon. Privy Council, the DECLARATION... was solemnly proclaimed" in Williamsburg on the afternoon of the 25th "at the Capitol, the Courthouse, and the Palace, amidst the acclamations of the people, accompanied by firing of cannon and musketry, the several regiments of continental troops having been paraded on that solemnity." Eleven days later (August 5th), 116 being court day," it was proclaimed in Richmond, "before a large concourse of respectable freeholders of Henrico County, and upwards of 200 of the Militia, who assembled on that grand occasion. It was received with universal shouts of joy; and re-echoed by three vollies of small arms, The same evening the town was illuminated, and the members of the Committee held a club, when many patriotic toasts were drunk. Although there were near 1000 people present, the whole was conducted with the utmost decorum; and the satisfaction visible in every countenance sufficiently evinces their determination to support it with their lives and fortunes."

The "goings on" in North Carolina — so far as they have come down to us-centered about Cornelius. Harnett.

On July 22d 11, the Council of Safety — having met at 8 o'clock in the morning- [NC] Resolved That the Committees of the respective Towns and Counties in this Colony on receiving the . . . Declaration 118, do cause the same to be proclaimed in the most public Manner in Order that the good people of this Colony may be fully informed thereof."

On the 25th, the same body, taking into consideration the fact that the "[NC] Declaration renders the Test as directed to be subscribed by the Congress at Halifax improper and Nugatory. Resolved, That a Test as follows be substituted in lieu thereof and subscribed by the Members of this Board: We the Subscribers do. Solemnly and sincerely promise and engage under the Sanction of Virtue honor and the sacred Love of Liberty and our country, to Maintain and support all and every the Acts, Resolutions and Regulations of the said Continental and provincial Congresses to the utmost of our powers and Abilities. In Testimony whereof we have hereto set our Hands at Halifax, this 24th day of July 1776. Corns Harnett, Willie Jones, Tho' Person, Whitmill Hill, Thomas Eaton, John Simpson, Jos. Jno. Williams, Thos. Jones, James Coor."

Again, on the 27th, they "[NC] Resolved, That Thursday the first day of August next be set apart for proclaiming the said declaration at the Court House in the Town of Halifax; the freeholders and Inhabitants of the County of Halifax are requested to give their Attendance at the time and place aforesaid."

119 On the appointed day an immense concourse of people assembled at Halifax to witness the interesting ceremony of a public proclamation of the Declaration of Independence. The Provincial troops and militia companies were drawn up in full array, to witness the scene and to swear by their united acclamations to consummate the deed. At mid-day Cornelius Harnett ascended a rostrum which had been erected in front of the Court House, and then as he opened the scroll, upon which was written the immortal words of the Declaration, the enthusiasm of the immense crowd broke in one swell of rejoicing and prayer. The reader proceeded to his task, and read the Declaration to the mute and impassioned multitude with the solemnity of an appeal to Heaven. When he had finished, all the people shouted with joy, and the cannon, sounding from fort, to fort, proclaimed the glorious tidings. The soldiers seized Mr. Harnett, and bore him on their shoulders through the streets of the town, applauding him as their champion, and swearing allegiance to the instrument he had read." Still further action remedial in its nature by the Council of Safety on August 6th. "[NC]. it appears that there is no Committee in the County of Cumberland, [they] Resolved, That Colonel Ebenezer Folesome and Colonel David Smith or either of them on receiving the said declaration call a General Meeting of the Inhabitants of the said County, and that they or either of them cause the same to be read and proclaimed in the most public manner in order that the good people of this State may be fully informed thereof. . .

was taken

as

was sent on by express,

and received on the last of July 122 in Charleston ", South Carolina.

Her Delegates Thomas Lynch, Sr., Edward Rutledge, Arthur Middleton, Heyward and Thomas Lynch, Jr.—wrote, in their letter, dated Philadelphia, July 9th: "Enclosed also, are some other occasional resolutions of Congress, and a very important Declaration, which the King . . . has at last reduced us to the necessity of making.12 All the Colonies were united upon this great subject, except New-York, whose Delegates were restrained by an instruction given several months ago . . . P. S. The express is to be paid for every day that he is detained in Carolina."

The time was especially propitious; for the battle of Fort Moultrie had occurred on the 28th 124 of June preceding, and the Colony had, therefore, at last, tasted some of the bitterness of war, with which the northern Colonies, directly or indirectly, had been long familiar.

120 The importance of this measure was duly appreciated by the civil authorities, and they determined that the announcement should be as imposing and impressive as possible. The civil 125 and military were all paraded, and the reverend gentlemen of the clergy of all denominations were invited, and did very generally unite to countenance and solemnize the ceremony. The Liberty Tree 126, in Mazychborough . . . was the favorite resort for all meetings of the people, with revolutionary objects, during the preceding ten or twelve years. The popular feeling for this tree associated with its name, induced the governor and council to select this as the place for the first declaration of independence. Thither the procession moved from the city, on the 5th of August, em

bracing all the young and old, of both sexes, who could be moved so far. Aided by bands of music, and uniting all the military of the country and city, in and near Charleston, the ceremony was the most splendid and solemn that ever had been witnessed in South-Carolina.127 It was opened by prayers, offered up to the throne of the Most High, by the Rev. Mr. William Percy, of the Episcopal Church. The declaration was then read in the most impressive manner by Major Barnard Elliott, and closed with an elegant and appropriate address by the same reverend gentleman, inspiring the crowded audience with piety and patriotism. It was followed by a universal burst of applause, by loud huzzas and animating cheers. The infantry responded with a general feu de joie, and the discharge of cannon echoed and re-echoed the general enthusiasm There were always secret enemies and informers in our country, and this ceremony was described soon after in the British prints with as much ridicule as possible. Among other circumstances, the day was said to have been very hot, and the reverend gentleman, while addressing the audience, was shaded by an umbrella, held over him by his servant, a negro man. As the crowd

pressed forward, and the orator became warm with his ardor of patriotism, his countenance also glowed with the actual heat of the weather, the ardor of sunshine. The black servant was then observed to be fanning his master, while holding the umbrella over him, and the British Narrator observed on the circumstance:

"Good Mr. Parson, it is not quite civil

To be preaching rebellion, thus fanned by the devil.”