| Show A- A Hel edVin n. n lr By fly ELMO SCOTT WATSON Hi III Declaration of ot Independence lode Inde I Is II the charter charier of ot American freedom and the men who their r signatures to It In Philadelphia Phila delphia one hundred and four fifty years ago ngo are arc known n DM as Americas 1 fiO 0 Immortal S Strictly t r I c t 1 y speaking none of ot there rl M nil was liS no ton A American Amerlean for tor all 11 of ot them 1 us ua s of ot the British Colonies In North America were subjects sub silt d of ot Ills Majesty long King George eor e III of ot I England Hut But what hat la hr laeven even more Interesting Is II the fact tnt that right eight of ot them were not hot even enon born horn on American noil find and because of ot that fact It may be he accurately stated elated that eight foreigners helped win American Amer lean Icon Independence by hy their part port In III the event wo we celebrate on July 4 Of Ot these theBe eight foreigners three were horn born In lurid Ireland two tWI In Englund two In Scotland and one olle In lu Wales BO so every port part of ot the re thus thul contributed to the tho founding of ot a anew anew anew new nation which should he be deeply rooted In I the he tradition A Afew Alow tow low of ot them rendered other oilier service to the new lIew republic which guaranteed their being remembered by hy the tho nation which they helped to found but hul the most host of ot them lire are al all but hut forgotten now So It curt can 1111 be lie fairly said that their fume rests rears upon Ullon that one stroke of ot their pens l Curiously enough It Il Is the penmanship of ot one olle which has hils perpetuated tier per his mi mo und and made ille It familiar fa ra Ir to thou thousands of ot Americans Americana That man Is Owl who was WOI born In In 1732 the snore same year that George Washington was V born Lorn In this tills country After Arter being bang en engaged engaged n In business In for soy sev several oral eral years ho emigrated to Charles Charleston ton S. S C. C and then removed remond to Sa SHY SHY- annah On Ga a. a In to li 1703 1765 where re he became herome a general trader In 10 1770 he purchased a plantation on St. St Catherines Catherine's Island and became known knon n as 81 the lending leading agriculturist of ot the colony of or Georgia On January 20 W. W 1770 1170 was os apA apr appointed ap ap- A e t r to t hueT 11 pointed n 8 delegate to III the Continental conn congress s Ruth and us as u II representative e from Georgia l signed the t I of ot In dependence U was vos re elected In Oi 1770 appointed a U member of or the state government go of lit Georgia In February 1777 and Is hi s said to III t lm furnished tho beasts basis fur for the at state ute constitution that was V afterwards adopted tn In March of or that year he was II ul appointed dent of or the PW council but hul was Willi an unsuccessful candidate for tI goer go tr III nor r In hi Mil May He lie way was also nUo an unsuccessful candidate for the position u of lit brigadier general of ot the continental brigade ode to be levied Id In III I Km lur by this and Irritated h by other othe r Incidents In n which his hU successful opponent op up Hen Gen Lachland lc II lo eared challenged t to a duel It was as fought with pistols at a distance of lit I 12 13 feet on Ma May 15 1 1777 and both hoth were re wounded ln h tn- tn nett so seriously that he be died 1 12 Ila day later Years ars later luhr when autograph collectors tors began seeking complete sets u ulice of or orthe the lice autographs t of ot the Signers It wu 3 discovered that signatures by this s Georgia 0 statesman were practically nonexistent Ills 1 untimely death hul that 1 occurred before lit lie he had occasion tIlI t to a sign many public documents t tin I ii he hI e does not 1101 Seoul seem to have been I u a I prolific c letter writer As 11 fur far hack 11 as na tS-ll tS t u II autograph sold fur for SIS SISS IS Forty years jears ut t later one tIIt brought the Ih un on unheard heard of tt price Irle of vt J Hut but this 11 1 was y only the hl beginning A t-hi t rt rl I hue Niue late lahr r another s. s sold fur for stud mid In III March 19 1027 1 n II letter signed h by luU I wn- wn nett and the five other Signers w was wild soul o for tor The other English born burn 81 Signer was s Robert MorrN whose fume faun tests testa not nl t so touch much upon his signature either to tc i that document or any other oilier IS us upon ma his fits ter services Ices Ice's to 10 the patriot cause while which 1 gave him film the Hie title of or o olie of r f the lie He III 1 nus 1111 horn born In Liv January 20 O 1731 an and d upon emigrating to thin thle country a athe at III atthe t the age ae of lit thirteen entered the III count counting In ing ens house of ot dairies Charles lIllI a It Merchant he III obtained the training that was nus t tu 10 tube o be of ot such value ulue to Ills Ids i country country- later hatter the partner of or i s 's 1 sua son va s Thomas Morris Morrill soon rose rOlle tf to a po position post l. l than tion of or prominence In 10 the Quaker city and null because blIse of ot his opposition to the stump nt act t and other measures Involving lag ing colonial rights he was elected a delegate to I the he Continental congress which Issued the Declaration of ot Inde Independence lie Ill I was IIII III re elected In 1777 1117 und and again In 1778 As a n member of ot the tho ways 08 and means mean committee he be mil more to titan limn once saved thi the e Revolution HI from colI col col- I hase n 11 IP Hack of lit the brilliant campaign of ot Gen Gln Greene In 10 17 1780 liSO 30 a waa as all the Ibe sturdy n lIte of ot Morris who hud had supplied Greene with the mutt munitions muni duns of ot war wor and nOli lu in the same Bume year jear ear he raised rallied 0 which enabled Washington Wash WashIngton ington to make his dash t Corn Corn- 1 at nl Yorktown und find bring an end to the war Hooted Elected superintendent of ot r. r r finance In liSI 1781 he found the financial situation desperate The flee government o of ot the nt new nation was In debt and It seemed that It must full Cull even utter It hud had won wan its deuce dence Morris saved ed It by organizing the thank Hank of ot North orth America with a capital stock of lit of ot which Morris himself subscribed In 10 1780 1750 Morris w was as elected to the l legislature and In fn 1787 1737 sat lt III lu the convention on which framed the United States Constitution lu iu liS 1754 Pennsylvania honored him blue by electing him to 10 the first United States senate a U post which he tie held until 1705 He Ill hail had been offered the post of or secretary of lit tho the treasury tt In Washington's Wash lynch ington's cabinet l' but hut declined It Olle andrec and rec recommended Alexander Hamilton for tor forthe forthe the tho position He lie went Into Inlo the Ia Kust t Indian und and China trade with Gouverneur Gouty GoU Morris hut but his speculations II II 1111 ended end Ind ed ell IlIs disastrously And It Is to tu the eter eternal nut nal discredit of ur the nation V which be lie helped found nod and more mOIe than once saved ell that tar for several e years jears Robert Morris was u allowed to languish In to a debtors debtor's cell Ill He lie died In Philadelphia May slay 8 H. H i tW Oui Only a 11 little less Important his his- historically than II the two 1 born bar n o were re the two Scotch burn born Signers Signers- I net l- l 1 In i lies Wilson und and John Juhn Witherspoon both were Itt ii distinguished educators us liS well us liS I statesmen U Iti III en as liS president of r Princeton college ollege and aoud Wilson n us liS u a professor In the ell City colli col- col 11 li II go c or of which later merged Into eta the University of or i Penu enu h tl llon n was UR burn bom at ut St. St An diews tl Scotland Su September 14 H. H li-l li 1742 and emigrated to this country In lu From grunt the Ihl be III espoused the pu pa 11 Viol lot cau cauN e and utter lifter several It terms tern l lliS as liS provincial representative rt e was vats elms hlll en n to 10 the Continental ss II sa to III he be was r re lie Ih served tH on several commit tees lees of lit congress 1111 and was ants appointed p of Ir fc for Cr forthe r the III middle district t. t t At the 11 Ott eak aIh 11 of ut hostilities It Ie e colonel 1 of t a iI ale iII l I le III regiment of or to militia un and d served sered In to the New Ji j r y campaign o of or 1775 1770 but het sues soon 11 1 was S forced furcel I to J rt rca re- tile lire front from the Ihl Hold to Iu I intend It 1111 to III his hisman i man many civil chit II duties dailies After fter was won It be lit was tte elected to la 1 In I 17 1782 i and proposed l the fn-al fn pt in t I of If tit II taxation which was wal Ih the tot following ho tug lu year jear 1 In to tiie he t Constitutional i 1 convention III he sr tej pi direct pupil lair lur suffrage i and a 11 ahaL executive t u Dud and eser north t. t la in de dr Ih the I hUI a. a i of ut tile tic Con Clan lIt hi h I wrt-i wrt 41 d. 1 After rl r tile the II new lieu I K cc out lot allots un under ler tits the I 1 ils I ills ills' I A became a leader lender In the Federalist party and und in fn October li 1789 Washing Washington ton appointed him an associate Justice of ot the tho Supreme court a position which he lie held until his death In 10 Edenton N. N C. C August g. g 1703 liS John was born In ford tord Scotland February February Feb Feb- 5 G Ii 1722 The son lion of or a minister ler Witherspoon was graduated from T Til- Til university In li-l li 1742 He lie studied stud stud- let led theology and was 0 ordained minister min ister of or the punch parish of ot Belth In 1743 ll and Installed pastor at ot Paisley In 1 1737 1757 i 7 In li 1738 1755 he tie was moderator of ot the synod of ot OI Glasgow und and Ayr Ar He lie declined de lie- lined dined the tie prel presidency of ot Princeton college In 1700 liGO but accepted tie the second sec nod ond Invitation and canoe came to the United States and was Inaugurated president of ot Princeton In 1709 was the leader lender of ot the Presbyterians In this country and was ns Influential In attaching the Scotch und and Scotch Irish population of or the tie colonies to the patriot cause Because of ot his t efforts Torts In behalf ut of colonial rights which caused It to be said Balli of ot hint him that he was us liS high a 0 son 1100 of ot liberty as liS any man In America he ho was chosen a n member of ot the convention conven coO lion tion that trained framed New Ne Jerseys Jersey's first constitution a member of ot the provincial provin ln vial cial congress of ot New Tersey Jersey In III 1770 jiG an and delegate In the Continental congress congress con con- gress from 1770 to 1783 During turing the Revolution he W was I a II member of ot the secret COlli committee et of or the congress on the conduct of or the war ur and nd a n member mem ber her of ot the lie board of ot war In 1778 He lie was also a n member of or New Jersey council In 1780 of ot the 1700 1780 and 1101 of ot the New iI Jersey lersey convention con con- In 1787 1737 to raW ratify the federal Constitution lie He became blind In 17 liO nod and died near Princeton September 15 11 1794 I. Although Ireland contributed more of ot these eight foreigners ers who were Sl Signers ners none of or them subsequently rose to such lIuch positions of ot Importance In 10 the tie new nation as did the Englishmen English men and previously pre men Honed James Smith was born In Ireland Ire Ire- r N A 1 X IS fit ii At rte kj o oI I V i oJ k rc L tom t I land li 17 0 O coming to this country coun conn tl try try- In I 11 1 wl en Ms Lla father emigrated to the Ihl u country In iii Pennsylvania Penn sylvania t llla anlu I he became a II farmer Young Smith was Ins educated a III as the Col Cul College II fete lege e of studied 1 law liw laun and un settled sailed flat In as liS a II ala la lawver a or and lur surveyor sur and later In III Yorka York ork As a 11 evidence of lit huts his ver versatility Smith next nest Ina engaged In III the Iron manufacturing ing tog business ss anti and a was l a 1 man of or considerable con coni property at ul the outbreak of nt the Ihl Revolution In III 1774 IH he rills raised the first company in to Pennsylvania forthe for Cor forthe the be purpose of or resisting Great Britain anti and wits was chosen as us a 1 member r of lit the convention which wet met to 10 consider a II pulley policy of lr from Crom rota I ling n 1111 land 1 In 1770 1776 he wan teas elected elIhlI to 10 the provincial pro pro- conference 1 which net tret to 10 firn fora a 11 new III government U for tor Pennsylvania There lucre tie lie distinguished himself by b seconding SIC see the mutton motion of tit Dr tush Rasta In III tutor favor or of ut u II declaration of or In In- dependence This TIIs was unanimously adopted mind and presented to the Ihl lie outI impress Int a II few tl days s before till the D. of ur Independence was 19 of or He Ile was I a II member er of ur the tIt con con- thin that assembled In July 13 11 to 10 torte form n II i new list I for the state bluh and on July Juh 0 JO until II lii 1779 1773 It Having wing lo lost t his fortune in ill the lie war lIr Smith returned to 10 situ tho of or hits his profession In la 1 which h he until i iI 1 He lit died 1111 In lu York Ill Pa luly II U. U iS ISM IS M dingo jt reer ci-reer closely par lr allt Is that of tt Smith In Ii luau nun ii re rl III s. s 1 lie wits was born In III I Irrl Irel and 1111 In Ii 1711 He Ill HeU Ito U is mull to have have- heui 11 the son of lit a u lord and to r have received a aK K giad Md 1111 preliminary to 10 hl hi his study tudy of It medicine w which II lie 60 i t order t to to In America In int InI l t X J. Leaving ilI r i and i thus Ih he ki kno of hU hll parents tie II tuck took p I III t t y a II ivl 1 on Nu 11 II 11 III In him a If to au an iron roe roo I t c In Pa a fl Talor lor wis lS t el b to I to h ht t the e Iru Ial I l 11 chit Ht In to I II In III t I wi wua a ai- ai 1 taie hii l 1 to I le tIe n a gilt vinos and h tad tJ II a load p-o p is the It ch bate on fin this the re of lit tin lilt I charter He lie Ie was wal re elected successively until 1770 when he returned to tobis tits bis business which had turned out to tobe tobe tobe be unprofitable In Its new oe locution location so 80 he went back to Durham Again Agate he was sent to the provincial assembly and was also placed on 00 the committee of ot safety as the first rumblings of ot the lIe Involution were heard He Ile Ie was a member of or the committee appointed to dro draw w up Instructions for tor delegates to the Continental congress These In In- forbidding them to vote ote for s separation from England were revoked re re- re- re y In June 1770 1170 Because five e of ot the Pennsylvania delegates hesitated to agree to the Declaration of or Independence Independence Inde Inde- others were chosen In their theft place on July 20 Ta Taylor Talor lor was one of or these thee and anti taking his seat Beat the day of ot othis his fits election he had his chance to become be be- c come ome one one of ot the Immortals when llIn the engrossed rop copy of ot the Declaration was presented for the signature of ot the delegates del agates on August 2 He Ill retired from the lire congress In 10 1777 null died In Easton ton Pa Ia 23 liSt 1781 The third Irish born Signer was Matthew Thornton who was born s somewhere on the Emerald Isle lole about liB 1714 null and who emigrated with his faher father fa ta fa- fa t ther her to America two or three years l later Inter The Tire Thorntons first settled In Maine then removed to Massachusetts where Matthew was educated He lIe studied medicine In Leicester anal built up a profitable practice In Londonderry Londonderry Lon Lon- don derry N. N II During the tue French and |
