Like most Americans, I imagine, the submission and adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia would seem the be the last time the Declaration was discuss. Sure, the British refused to recognize American independence for decades and the war continued for several more years, but I never thought to ask how the British responded to the Declaration of Independence.
I’m sure it comes as no surprise that King George III condemned the Declaration and considered it illegal and an act of treason. King George even mentioned the Declaration when he addressed Parliament on October 31, 1776, calling the American renunciation of their allegiance to the Crown “daring and desperate.”
King George commissioned John Lind to write a formal rebuttal to the Declaration of Independence, and boy did Lind write one! Lind’s response to the single piece of parchment that simply stated the Colonists’ intension of becoming independent was a 132-page pamphlet!
Lind argued against the idea of natural, God-given rights and disputed the king’s crimes and acts of barbarity that were listed while using a tone of condescension and mockery to refer to the Founders and Congress.
However, I doubt the Founders gave these sneering rebuttals much thought; they likely would have expected such cruel and arrogant statements as that was the nature of the foe from which they were separating.
Here are a few quotes from the founders leading up to the Declaration of Independence:
“The country shall be independent, and we will be satisfied with nothing short of it.”
— Samuel Adams, March 9, 1774
“On you depend the fortunes of America. You are to decide the important question, on which rest the happiness and liberty of millions yet unborn.”
— Joseph Warren, March 6, 1775, from Boston Massacre Oration
“The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind. Many circumstances hath, and will arise, which are not local, but universal, and through which the principles of all Lovers of Mankind are affected, and in the Event of which, their Affections are interested.”
— Thomas Paine, January 10, 1776, from Common Sense
What I do find quite interesting is that some of the Founders recollected the Declaration of Independence after its adoption and shared some of their thoughts looking back:
“I thank God that I have lived to see my country independent and free. She may long enjoy her independence and freedom if she will. It depends on her virtue.”
— Samuel Adams, August 1, 1776 (paraphrased portion from speech)
“As there is not a more distinguished event in the history of America than the Declaration of her Independence — nor any, that, in all probability, will so much excite the attention of future ages, it is highly proper that the memory of that transaction, together with the causes that gave rise to it, should be preserved in the most careful manner that can be devised.”
— John Hancock, January 31, 1777, in a letter to Delaware Assembly (excerpt)
“The independence and liberty you possess are the work of joint counsels, and joint efforts of common dangers, sufferings, and successes.”
— George Washington, September 19, 1796, Farewell Address (1796)
“Do you recollect your memorable speech upon the Day on which the Vote was taken? Do you recollect the pensive and awful silence which pervaded the house when we were called up, one after another, to the table of the President of Congress, to subscribe what was believed by many at that time to be our own death warrants? The Silence and the gloom of the morning were interrupted I well recollect only for a moment by Colonel Harrison of Virginia who said to Mr. Gerry at the table, ‘I shall have a great advantage over you Mr. Gerry when we are all hung for what we are now doing. From the size and weight of my body I shall die in a few minutes, but from the lightness of your body you will dance in the air an hour or two before you are dead.’ This Speech procured a transient smile, but it was soon succeeded by the Solemnity with which the whole business was conducted.”
— Benjamin Rush, July 20, 1811, in a letter to John Adams (excerpt from first paragraph)
“…for if ever there was a holy war, it was that which saved our liberties and gave us independence.”
— Thomas Jefferson, November 6, 1813, in a letter to John W. Eppes
“But what do we mean by the American Revolution? Do we mean the American war? The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people; a change in their religious sentiments of their duties and obligations… This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people, was the real American Revolution.”
— John Adams, February 13, 1818, in a letter to H. Niles (excerpt)
“When forced, therefore, to resort to arms for redress, an appeal to the tribunal of the world was deemed proper for our justification. This was the object of the Declaration of Independence. Not to find out new principles, or new arguments, never before thought of, not merely to say things which had never been said before; but to place before mankind the common sense of the subject, in terms so plain and firm as to command their assent, and to justify ourselves in the independent stand we are compelled to take. Neither aiming at originality of principle or sentiment, nor yet copied from any particular and previous writing, it was intended to be an expression of the American mind, and to give to that expression the proper tone and spirit called for by the occasion… All its authority rests then on the harmonizing sentiments of the day, whether expressed in conversation, in letters, printed essays, or in the elementary books of public right, as Aristotle, Cicero, Locke, Sidney, etc…”
— Thomas Jefferson, May 8, 1825, in a letter to Henry Lee (abridged)
What quote from the Founding Fathers on the Declaration of Independence is your favorite?
Onward American 🇺🇸
Source: Samuel Adams Quotes on Independence
Source: Letter from John Hancock to Delaware Assembly
Source: Common Sense, Thomas Paine
Source: Thomas Jefferson, ‘If ever there was a holy war’
Onward American 