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14 in turn, delegated the actual writing to a subcommittee consisting of Adams and Jefferson. Because Jefferson had already demonstrated his skill as a writer, and possibly because Adams was anxious for reasons of unity to show deference to the Virginia delegation, Adams insisted that the young Virginian do the drafting. He said, in effect, "Jefferson, you do it."

But Jefferson was not the sole author. Both Adams and Franklin made important suggestions, and Jefferson altered his copy to meet their ideas. But the essential drafting job, the language and spirit of the thing, are his.

Finally, on Tuesday, July 2, the Lee Resolution was passed and the next step was to adopt the Declaration. It, too, was debated. Certain changes were made; things were eliminated; things were added, as was to have been expected. At last it came to the question on July 4, and the Declaration of Independence was adopted.

And then-so goes our impressionistic picture of the event-the delegates filed sedately up to the front table and affixed their several signatures. And that was that.

Actually, it didn't happen that way at all. The copy in use by the Chairman and Secretary during the debate was so scratched out and interlined that it would never do as a public document. It had to be printed in its final form and signed later. But we cling to our picture of the scene.

It is a kind of historic set-piece, a well-worn tableau. There is little reality in it. Indeed, to give some of the iconoclasts their due, it was partly in an effort to impart a more lively feel of reality to this scene that they began