n that body he introduced a resolution
setting forth the necessity of a declaration of independence of the
mother country. His resolution was referred to a committee, of which he
was made the chairman, and this committee having reported affirmatively,
the resolution was unanimously adopted by the Conference, and was
communicated to the Continental Congress, then in session in
Philadelphia, about the last of June, 1776. When it became evident that
the Congress would declare the independence of the colonies, five
members of the Pennsylvania delegation withdrew from that body. Their
places were at once supplied by Rush and four others, and when the
Declaration was finally adopted Benjamin Rush affixed his signature to
it as a delegate from Pennsylvania.

In 1776 Dr. Rush was married to Miss Julia Stockton, daughter of Richard
Stockton, of New Jersey, also a signer of the Declaration. In April,
1777, he was made Surgeon-General of the Continental army for the Middle
Department, and in July, 1777, was made Physician-General. He devoted
himself to his duties with energy and intelligence, and succeeded in
placing the affairs of his department in as satisfactory a condition as
the means at the command of the Congress would permit. He was not able,
however, to arrange every thing as his judgment assured him was best,
and was subjected to many annoyances and great inconvenience by the
incompetence and mismanagement of other officials, whom he could not
control. The management of the hospital supplies of the army was
especially defective, and was the cause of much suffering to the troops.
He made repeated efforts to effect a reform in this particular, but
failing to accomplish any thing, and indignant at the wrongs inflicted
upon the soldiers, he resigned his commission and retired to private
life.

During his connection with the army, he had watched the course of
affairs in his native State with the keenest interest, and in a series
of four letters to the people of Pennsylvania, called their attention to
the serious defects of their Constitution of 1776, the chief of which he
declared to be the giving of the legislative power to one house only.
His appeals had the effect of bringing about an entire change in the
form of State government, which was subsequently accomplished by a
general convention of the people. After the close of the war Dr. Rush
was elected a member of the State Convention which ratified the
Constitution of th