According to one of our “founding fathers”, John Adams, Independence Day should be celebrated on July 2, not July 4. The resolution of the Second Continental Congress supporting independence from England occurred on July 2, l776, with the dramatic horseback arrival of Delaware delegate Caesar Rodney who voted in favor, thus guaranteeing its adoption. 

In a letter to his beloved Abigail, Adams wrote, “...the second of July, the day of the resolution respecting our independence, should be marked as a holiday... it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival... it ought to be commemorated by a solemn act of devotion of God Almighty... it ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of the continent to the other, from this time forward forevermore.”

The passage of the resolution opened the floor for debate prior to approval of the final document. Several of Jefferson’s best phrases and paragraphs were changed, much to his chagrin, and the final document was approved by all of the delegates on July 4, except for Pennsylvania’s John Dickinson. A month later, the engrossed copy that is the most venerated document in American history was signed. On July 8, The Declaration of Independence was published and publicly proclaimed in the Pennsylvania State House yard. The proclamation was followed by three cheers, a military parade with musket firing and bells and chimes ringing day and night.

We have accepted July 4th rather than Adams’ suggested July 2nd, or the first public reading on July 8th, as our official Independence Day. Tradition tells us that the Pennsylvania State House bell rang on July 4th to announce that the delegates voted for passage of the final version of the declaration. Most of the celebratory events sponsored by Adams have been adopted and are a part of the warp and fabric of American life.

However, this July 4th will be our first since September 11, 200l. Is it fitting and proper for us to celebrate as we did prior to that day?

I believe it is. Looking back at the events surrounding its passage, we note that the declaration itself was our national expression of intent. There was no guarantee that it could be implemented. In fact, Washington’s army still had to face the cream of the British army and navy at the Battle of Long Island that summer. In September of 1777, British General Howe occupied Philadelphia, the Continental Congress fled inland to York, PA, and the Liberty Bell was spirited off to Allentown, PA to be hidden from the British. It wasn’t until the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown in October, 1781 and the final Treaty of Paris in l783 that the extraordinary declaration declaring our determination to govern ourselves became fact.

On another remarkable July, in the midst of a Civil War in l863, the determination to preserve the centerpiece of  that declaration was sealed for the future at the small Pennsylvania crossroads town of Gettysburg. All of these events were commemorated in grand celebrations that would have done Adams proud, in l876 at Philadelphia and in l976 throughout our nation.

The recent pronouncements of reputed Osama bin Laden spokespersons, that we had better watch our backs as more attacks are forthcoming, should not deter us from fulfilling Adams’ vision of celebrating Independence Day. We didn’t defer to the British invasion of l776 nor the terrible internecine strife of l863. There is no better way to honor all of those who made, preserved and protected the intent of the Declaration from l776 through the events of September 11, 2001 than heeding the words of John Adams.