Page 41 - The South China Business Journal
P. 41
o days later on Thursday July 4, Congress first time a nation used the mass media to
approved a revised version of the Declaration. officially declare its independence.
By late afternoon, John Dunlap, a local
printer, was running off copies on his printing What we do know is that the document
press. Congress ordered that copies be sent was originally written by Thomas Jefferson
"to the several Assemblies, Conventions, and then edited by the Committee of
and Committees or Councils of Safety, and Five: Jefferson, Adams, Franklin, Roger
to the several Commanding officers of the Sherman, and Robert Livingston. Their
Continental Troops, that it be proclaimed in version survived further edits by the whole
each of the United States, and at the head of Congress intact, and reads: “We hold these
the Army." These copies were on their way by truths to be self-evident, that all men are
horseback to all thirteen states the next day. created equal, that they are endowed by their
Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that
Not much is known concerning the debate among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit
and deliberations in Congress concerning of Happiness.”
the Declaration of Independence since
reporters were not present. Members of the Life and liberty means a person has the
press were forbidden to enter the building. right to life and freedom. Jefferson later
Perhaps it was by no coincidence that on the wrote that his philosophy was that of an
same day the Declaration was first printed Epicurean. Epicureanism argues that pleasure
Pennsylvanischer Staatsbote,, the nation’s was the primary goodness in life. Man should
first German language newspaper owned live in such a way as to gain the greatest
in part by Congress member Benjamin amount of pleasure, yet doing so moderately
Franklin and published by Heinrich Miller, in order to avoid the suffering incurred by
became the first newspaper to announce overindulgence. Justice was deemed good
that the Declaration had been adopted. because it was seen as mutually beneficial,
The Philadelphia Evening Post printed the but political life within a strong government
full text the next day on July 7, marking the could give rise to desires that could disturb
South China Business Journal 39
approved a revised version of the Declaration. officially declare its independence.
By late afternoon, John Dunlap, a local
printer, was running off copies on his printing What we do know is that the document
press. Congress ordered that copies be sent was originally written by Thomas Jefferson
"to the several Assemblies, Conventions, and then edited by the Committee of
and Committees or Councils of Safety, and Five: Jefferson, Adams, Franklin, Roger
to the several Commanding officers of the Sherman, and Robert Livingston. Their
Continental Troops, that it be proclaimed in version survived further edits by the whole
each of the United States, and at the head of Congress intact, and reads: “We hold these
the Army." These copies were on their way by truths to be self-evident, that all men are
horseback to all thirteen states the next day. created equal, that they are endowed by their
Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that
Not much is known concerning the debate among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit
and deliberations in Congress concerning of Happiness.”
the Declaration of Independence since
reporters were not present. Members of the Life and liberty means a person has the
press were forbidden to enter the building. right to life and freedom. Jefferson later
Perhaps it was by no coincidence that on the wrote that his philosophy was that of an
same day the Declaration was first printed Epicurean. Epicureanism argues that pleasure
Pennsylvanischer Staatsbote,, the nation’s was the primary goodness in life. Man should
first German language newspaper owned live in such a way as to gain the greatest
in part by Congress member Benjamin amount of pleasure, yet doing so moderately
Franklin and published by Heinrich Miller, in order to avoid the suffering incurred by
became the first newspaper to announce overindulgence. Justice was deemed good
that the Declaration had been adopted. because it was seen as mutually beneficial,
The Philadelphia Evening Post printed the but political life within a strong government
full text the next day on July 7, marking the could give rise to desires that could disturb
South China Business Journal 39
