sting and delightful characters in
the history of this period--Benjamin Franklin. History records that
while Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, a few
verbal suggestions were made by Doctor Franklin, as the following
conversation reported to have taken place between them would indicate:
"Well, Brother Jefferson," said Franklin, "is the fair copy made?"
"All ready, doctor," replied Jefferson. "Will you hear it through once
more?" "As many times as you wish," responded the smiling doctor, with
a merry twinkle in his eyes. "One can't get too much of a good thing,
you know." Jefferson then read to Franklin the Declaration of
Independence, which has been pronounced one of the world's greatest
papers. "That's good, Thomas! That's right to the point! That will
make King George wince. I wish I had done it myself." It is said
Franklin would "have put a joke into the Declaration of Independence,
if it had fallen to his lot to write that immortal document."

The Declaration of Independence went forth to the world signed by one
man, John Hancock--which explains the expression you sometimes hear,
"Put your John Hancock there." It was, however, signed later by all
the members of that Congress--fifty-four in number. This immortal
document has been carefully preserved and the original may be seen at
Washington.

The Declaration was a notice to Great Britain and to all the world
that the American colonists would no longer be subject to Great
Britain; that henceforth they were to be a free and independent
people, holding Great Britain as they held the rest of mankind,
"enemies in war--in peace friends." This Declaration marks the birth
of our nation.

Our government fathers fully realized the step they were taking. They
knew it meant a final breaking with the home government of England,
but--"with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence," in
support of this {328} Declaration, they pledged to each other "their
lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor."

Following the expulsion of the British from Boston, the battle field
of the Revolution changes to New York, moving to Harlem Heights and
White Plains; then to New Jersey; Trenton, and Princeton; then to
Pennsylvania; Brandywine, Westchester, Germantown, Valley Forge, and
on to Monmouth.

But here let us pause. It has been a terrible winter at Valley Forge.
While the British at Philadelphia, twenty miles away, have been living
in luxury, our Was