Celebrating the 4th of July...too Late?

 The annual celebration of the 4th of July is over.  Many of us gathered with family and friends for backyard parties, some traveled to watch elaborate fire works, and other stayed home to enjoy fire works and patriotic music on television.  During our celebrations, how many of us toasted Richard Henry Lee?  How many of us even know who he was??

Richard Henry Lee was born in Virginia into a historically influential family in Virginia politics.  His father was governor of Virginia.  He was tutored until the age of 16, when he was sent to England to complete his formal education.  Both of his parents died while he was away, studying for two years, but he remained abroad for three more years to complete his education and tour Europe.  He returned to join his brothers in settling his parents' estate, and only five years later he was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses, where he met Patrick Henry and became further involved in advocating independence.

Richard Henry Lee by Charles William Peale, National Portrait Gallery

Most of us know about the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia in 1774, followed by the Second Continental Congress in 1776, and we are aware of the courage of the men who attended those events, risking losing everything, including their lives, by confronting the British as they did.  However, we may not know that it was Richard Henry Lee who put forth the motion to the Continental Congress to declare Independence from Great Britain.  

His Resolution on June 7, 1776, contained three parts:  a declaration of independence, a call to form foreign alliances, and a plan for the confederation.

Four days later the Congress appointed three committees, which, respectively, drafted a declaration of independence, drew up a plan for forming foreign alliances, and began to prepare for forming a confederation.  

Many members of Congress thought Lee's proposal was premature, and the actual vote of approval did not occur until July 2, when only the declaration was adopted.  The plan for making treaties was not approved until September 1776, and the plan for confederation was delayed until November of 1777.

Lee himself had returned to Virginia by the time Congress voted to adopt the Declaration of Independence, but he signed belatedly when he returned to Congress.

The actual signing of the Declaration is disputed, but ultimately 56 delegates signed; however, eight delegates never signed the Declaration.  For those of you who enjoy history, the descriptions of the prologued signings are worth reading.  The research makes it clear that although we celebrate July 4th, it is not too late for you to drink a toast to Richard Henry Lee for 'getting the ball rolling,' as we say!