A Biography of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, and of Washington and Patrick Henry: With an appendix, containing the Constitution of the United States, and other documentsJudson, L. Carroll (Levi Carroll)
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A Biography of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, and of Washington and Patrick Henry: With an appendix, containing the Constitution of the United States, and other documents
Judson, L. Carroll (Levi Carroll)
Henry, Patrick, 1736-1799; United States. Declaration of Independence -- Signers; Washington, George, 1732-1799
In 1775, Mr. Chase was again returned to Congress, but was tramelled
with instructions of conciliation that were not congenial to his
ardent feelings. His prudence, however, kept him within their limits.
He was placed upon numerous committees and upon the very important
one of providing ways and means for preparing a naval armament. The
ensuing year he was again elected to the national legislature, bound by
instructions disavowing a desire for independence, imposing upon him
a course of amity and pacific submission that would have induced him
to decline serving, had he not hoped and predicted truly that British
violence would eventually remove the injunction. In the spring of
1776 he was appointed upon an important mission, in conjunction with
Benjamin Franklin, Charles Carroll and Bishop Carroll. These gentlemen
proceeded to Canada for the purpose of persuading the Canadians to join
in shaking off the yoke of bondage. The fall of General Montgomery and
the dark gloom that hung over the cause of liberty induced them to
decline, and after the most faithful and zealous efforts the committee
were compelled to return without accomplishing the desired object, and
the Canadas are still enjoying the cold comforts of foreign power.
When he arrived and took his seat in Congress he was rejoiced to learn
that the subject of a final separation from the mother country was
under consideration and was ably and boldly advocated. It was the very
measure to animate the soul of Samuel Chase. His instructions now
became oppressive and hung over him like an incubus. He redoubled his
exertions to open the eyes of the members of the Maryland convention
and induce them to leave him and his colleagues to act upon their own
judgments. The request was granted just in time for him to record his
vote in favour of that imperishable instrument that has immortalized
the names of its signers and is the pride of every true American. The
same day that the declaration was adopted he was elected a third time
to the Continental Congress, and continued to serve in that body the
two next ensuing years.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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