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Show THE BULLETIN If HOW T9. SEw Caesar Rodney Had Not Made His Heroic Ride, Americans Might Not Now Be Celebrating the Fourth of July! By VIRGINIA VALE (Released by Western Newspuper Union.) to the poets, the -- 7 THANKS the rides of Paul Revere and Gen. Phil Sheridan are an imperishable part of American tradition. But, so far, no bard has sung of the heroic ride of Caesar Rodney at least, none has given us a poem about it so familiar as those of Henry W. Longfellow and Thomas Buchanan Read. Yet here is truly an epic theme the story of how death rode in the saddle with this heroic horseman and how history might have been changed if he had failed in his mission. The events leading up to Caesar Rodney's ride were these: you see version of Joseph Conrad's "Victory" (directed by John Cromwell, Frederic March and Betty Field), you'll see d some of the film ever shown. Scenes were shot in Sourbaya, on the island of Java, in the Dutch East Indies; then the by Western Newspaper Union.) On June 7, 1776, a resolution introduced by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia in the Continental congress, declaring that "these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States," was accepted in a committee of the whole by representatives of seven of the colonies a bare majority of one. If this revolutionary step of severing the ties which bound the colonies to the Mother Country was to be taken successfully, there must be greater unanimity among them. So the leaders in the move for independence set about to win over those who hesitated to take such a radical step. Jonathan D. Sargent hurried across the Delaware river into New Jersey where delegates were being chosen and succeeded in securing the election of men pledged to independence. A few days later the Maryland convention, which had previously been opposed to the idea of declaring for independence, reversed its position and adopted resolutions instructing its delegates to vote for the Lee resolution. Next South Carolina was won over, as was Pennsylvania, although its delegation was split on the issue. The delegates from New York, though personally in favor of independence, could not vote for it until receiving approval from the convention in their colony, though it was certain that such approval would be forthcoming. A Divided Delegation. There now remained only the vote of Delaware to make the decision of the Thirteen Colonies unanimous. She had three delegates to the congress Thomas McKean, George Read and Caesar Rodney. McKean was one of the most outspoken advocates of independence but Read, influenced by John Dickinson of Pennsylvania, was opposed to declaring for freedom at this time. This left the deciding vote in the Delaware delegation to Rodney, who was also speaker of the Delaware assembly and had returned to Dover to preside over it. On July 1 the Lee resolution came up for discussion and all during that day and far into the next the momentous decision was the subject of a hot debate. Late in the afternoon of July 2 it was put to a vote. Eleven of the colonies, by the votes of the majority of their delegates, cast their ballots in favor of independence. The votes of two New York and Delaware were not recorded. If such a decisive step were to be taken, it must be unanimous, else the results might be disastrous. Meanwhile a committee headed by Thomas Jefferson was drafting a Declaration of Independence, and Thomas McKean was making an important decision. He knew that Rodney was also in favor of independence and if he. were brought to Philadelphia he could break the deadlock in the vote of the Delaware delegation. At his own expense he hired a messenger and sent him speeding to Dover to explain the situation to Rodney and urge him to come to Philadelphia at once. It was nearly midnight of July 1 when the messenger started for Dover 80 miles away and he did not arrive there until 24 hours later. Rodney was at his home a few miles further on, so it was not .until the early morning hours of July 3 that he was aroused from sleep and given McKean's message. At daybreak, mounted on the strongest horse in his stable, Rodney was on his way to Philadelphia. For years Rodney had suffered with a cancer on his face. Before the opening of the Revolution he had been urged to go to L'ngland in search of relief from the dread disease, but his sense of duty to his colony in the troubled times ahead kept him in America. In a letter to his sister he described his case as "truly dangerous, and what will be the event God only knows; I still 4 DIO WHEN By ELMO SCOTT WATSON (Rrlcawd STAGE-SCREENM- tZJdOZ jy fyiy cJ of the pad, the two end cushions and the center cushion are green. lighter than the floor. The cut- down table with the tin tray on top, is painted with the green floor paint with some of the cream wall color added. Next week Betsy's fjP PAD mother solves another home decorating problem. to Tcvtdown NOTE: Betsy is now making a hooked rug for her new sitting; room from directions in the Sew ing Book 5. It also contains directions for streamlining an old CHINTZ couch; rockers; dining room chairs and other "attic magic." LTERE is Betsy again that Send name, address and 10 cents 1 A clever girl in Sewing Book 3, in coin to cover cost and mailing. who streamlined an old iron bed. Send order to: In her house there was an enormous kitchen and her mother MBS. KITH WYETH SPEAKS hated big kitchens. So, a partiDrawer IS New York Bedford Hills tion was used to divide it into two rooms. The half with a door into Enclose 10 cents for Book I. the front hall was for Betsy to en Name tertain tier own special friends. Address The old linoleum was painted dark green. All the walls were painted cream and then pink stripes were painted on the new wall. The neat and efficient cot cover is cream chintz with pink roses and green leaves. The sides icfcnBt dsrintas. RLVtRSiBLi-TOPAN- SfESu&rss ng most-travele- A As RuthWyeth Spears OR.Tj cam of film were transported by train, native boat, and finally by Chinese air line to Hong Kong. A clipper flew it to Manila, and there it stayed; so many passengers were waiting to take the clipper home that there was no room for part of a movie. It came along on the next schedr' uled flight Meanwhile the cast was The working at Baldwin lake. scenci shot in the actual location of trewpta. sms, ys met, He. niy bkr M yet ssva Ike Factory (10 M SSO! Send fat fret Men tins loforaulioo. Wealth Possesses Men tmd Boa 18ZN,Elkkut,laUM The lust of avarice has so totally seized upon mankind that their Falsehood Flies A lie has no legs and cannot wealth seems rather to possess them, than they possess their stand; but it has wings, and can wealth. Pliny. fly far and wide. Warburton. The only surviving letter, dated July 4, 1776, written by any signer of the Declaration of Independence and referring to that document. It Is Caesar Rodney's and it refers only briefly to his heroic ride. live in hopes and still retain my would but he could not be sure. usual spirits." According to one account, McKean was striding up and down Modest Rodney's Story. the brick walk outside IndependSo it took courage of the highest kind for him to set out upon ence hall after the other members of the congress had filed in when the hasty trip to Phila- he saw a horseman speeding delphia, because the exertions of along the dusty street toward such a journey might easily cause him. his death. Apparently he never drew A moment later this rider in front of the hall and, thought of that his only thought as he up was that his presence was need- the swung wearily down from saddle, McKean recognized ed in the Continental Congress grimy-face- d where a momentous decision was the man as Caesar Rodney. about to be made. In the letter There was a brief handclasp, (reproduced above) which he wrote after completing his jour- then the two men entered the ney, he makes little mention of hall, Rodney still "booted and A the hardships of that journey. It spurred and few minutes later the roll can says: on the adoption of the DeclaraPhHad.a July the 4th. 177S tion of Independence began. It Sir: In havt Inclosed you a aummona di- started with New Hampshire, the rected to the Sheriff to (Call) Summon most northerly of the colonies, the Member! for our County to meet in Assembly at Newcastle on the Z2d. day and proceeded through Massaof thia Instant which I hope you will chusetts, Rhode Island, Connectihave put Into hii handa aa aoon aa possible after it cornea to Youra I arrived cut, (New York was passed for in Con grew tho Detained by Thunder the time being, although her deleand Rain; time enough to give my Voice in the matter of Independence It la now gates were favorable) to Penndetermined by the Thirteen United Colsylvania. 80-mi- le dust-covere- d, travel-stained- ." onic without even one dissenting Cot ony We have now got through with the whole of the Declaration, and ordered it to be printed so that you wiU aoon have of it the pleasure of aeeing It Hand-biU- a will be orlii ted, and aent to the Armlet. Cities. County Towns etc. to be published or rather proclaimed in form. Don't neglect to attend closely and carefully to my Harvest and You'll oblige Yours CAESAR RODNEY Being "detained by Thunder and Rain" was probably the least . . p of his difficulties, for we know by contemporary accounts that the weather was extremely hot and the necessity for haste must have taken a heavy toll of the energies of both man and beast. Where Rodney stopped for the rest and food that was absolutely necessary for both is unknown but since he did not arrive in Philadelphia until the morning of July 4, it is evident that he must have paused somewhere along the way for a brief breathing spell for his horse and a few moments of relaxation from the saddle for himself. Meanwhile Jefferson. John Adams and Benjamin Franklin had drafted the Declaration of Independence and the final vote on it was set for the morning of July 4. It is not difficult to imagine the anxiety of McKean as the hour for the congress to assemble drew near. Would Rodney arrive in time to support him in casting Delaware's vote for indeHe hoped that he pendence? The Crucial Vote. So far the vote of these colonies has been for adoption of the Declaration. The Pennsylvania delegation is divided but by a vote of three to two her voice speaks for independence. Then comes the crucial vote of Delaware. As was expected McKean votes in favor of adoption of the Declaration and Read votes against. When Rodney's name is called, some of the delegates turn in suris the first intimation priseit they have of his return. They know how important his vote is, so they hang on his words. Those words mode such an indelible impression upon some of them, among them McKean, that they remembered them for. years afterwards. He said: "As I believe the voice of my constituents and of all sensible and honest men is in favor of independence, my own judgment concurs with them, I vote for independence." So Caesar Rodney cast the deciding vote for Delaware and Delaware's vote was an one. The rest was a foregone conclusion. Delegates from the remainder of the colonies also voted for the charter of liberty and thus the Declaration of Independence was adopted. So Caesar Rodney's heroic ride had not been in vain. Had he not made it, July 4 might not have been the important date that it is in the history of the United States and of the whole world! But his fame does not rest entirely upon this one act. Eleven years earlier he had been a member of the Stamp Act congress which met in New York to protest against the acts of parliament which were to lead eventually to the Revolution. Rodney was among those who urged the appointment of George Washington as commander-in-chie- f of the Continental army and he became one of Washington's most valued friends. He entered the war as a brigadier-generof the Delaware militia, was with Washington at the Battle of Trenton and despite the ravages of cancer, served throughout the He came out of the Revolution. and lived war a to see the country win the freedom for which he had cast his historic vote. He died at Poplar Grove. Delaware, June 29, 1784, al major-gener- al WORLDS FASTEST smokes the BETTY FIELD the story will be slipped in with the ones shot on the American location and it won't be surprising if the Baldwin lake shots are the more convincing. r I e cadets they're portraying in Columbia's "Military Academy," and much of the action calls for them to disport themselves on the track and football field of a local military academy. They sprint, put lt the shot, and the checks come rolling in. Tommy Kelly, Bobby Jordan, David Holt and Jackie Searl are in the cast real-lif- Dickie Lyon, son of Bebe Daniels and Ben Lyon, (and don't tell me that you don't remember those two picture stars!) is worried. He's working in "The Howards of Virginia," and doesn't want his parents to find it out "They told me pictures was bad," he declares. Bebe and Ben have been starring in a stare play In London, and they sent the boy back to California to live with his grandmother several months ago, because of the war. Frank Lloyd, who's directing "The Howards of Virginia," persuaded Mrs. Daniels to let Dickie take the of Cary Grant role of the young and Martha Scott, and Dickie Is doing remarkably well except that he's worried. He's afraid of what his mother wiU think when she sees him on the screen. "Maybe she won't like it," he says, ominously. But Lloyd's not anxious. Some time ago he told Bebe that little Dickie was a good picture prospect and she said, "I'd trust him with you." MILDNESS AND FLAVOR I CAN GET. CAMELS BURN SLOWER AND GIVE ME WHAT WANT, ALONG 1 pole-vau- Four-year-o- cigarette g WANT All THE More than 100 boys are being paid for having the time of their lives; sky-burnin- 1MIR EXTRA WITH SMOKIKGjTOO! ld hi Uncle Ezra (Pat Barrett) of radio's National Barn Dance is highly enthusiastic over making movies in Hollywood, but the most difficult thing he had to adjust himself to was the delay in starting. He recently returned to Chicago from the cinema city after making "Coming 'Round the Mountain" with Bob Burns; later he'll go back to Paramount and do two more. ODDS AMD ENDS Cary Cooper hat a photograph of hit daughter, Mary, encated in the dashboard of hit car . . . Agne Moor eh rati train and Area plane in a wed frantic effort to gel to New York from Milwaukee for a "Big Sitter" broad-easlanded in Washington, and had to give up; when the found the New York plane grounded in Milwaukee became of bad weather, the flew to then to Pittsburgh, then to Washington, only to find that there wasn't enough time left to reach New York for the broadcast . . . Virginia Dale and Lillian Cornell, whom you're teen or perhaps will see in "Buck Benny Rides Again," will supply the feminine interest in "Touchdown, with Wayne PETER FrCK -- World's Champion XN says Pete. "I know what a difference smoke there is between a g and a one. I stick to slow-burnin- Camels.1 Yes, Camel's costlier tobaccos a EXTRA SMOKES PER PACK! FOR EXTRA MILDNESS, EXTRA COOLNESS. EXTRA FLAVO- R- CAMELS S10W-BUBKM- C0STUEH TOBACCOS G I in And we make conversation. Judgment and Company Associate with men of good another man's judgment ours by Judgment; for judgment is found I frequenting his company. Fuller. Ga&fowM. bound v this year THEN you must see OAKLAND! mmmm mm jjjjpji t 10 ; ...... compieie your enjoyment stop at Oakland s favorite r The merchant who advertises must treat you better than the merchant who does not. He must treat you as though you were the most influential person in town. ." rail blooded Hawaiian. After numcr-.iu-s teals I'rndurrr Sma!l came to the conclusion th;it Kikuml looks more like an Indian chief than any of the Indiana do. 5 and slower burning give you extrts in mildness, coolness, and flavor and extra smoking, too (tf right). Morris. Car-ion- them. That means, oa the sverafe, smoking plus equal to fast-burnin- Clei-e-tan- Frances Langford finished a broadcast then drove 700 miles to the Navajo Indian reservation in Arizona to spend her second wedding anniversary with her husband. Jon Hall, who's starring in "Kit an Edward Small production. There are 50,000 Navajo Indiana on the reservation, but the role of Indian chief went to Al KHwml, a laboratory tests burned 25 dower than the aTerage of the IS other of the laxsest-sdUn- g brands "VTO SPEED for me In my cigarette," tuo-yearjl- d t, la recent CAMELS Sprint Swimmer ARE AN As a matter of cold fact you are. You hold the destiny of his business in your 1 . o. 1 i """ "c nwi it. nc snows it. And you A CI U CkvlTI I IN i" U PERSON A I beneritbygoodservice,bycourteouitreat nent,by good value and by tower prices. |