Posted on 07/05/2008 10:38:25 AM PDT by Positive
Just a point that I believe worth making.
In Congress on July 4th, 1776 the vote to declare independence was 12 - 0.
While some might call that unanimous, actually the delegates from the state of new york abstained.
So there were no "No" votes, but the State of New York did not stand up and make it 13 -0, they were cowardly.
New York abstained? No surprise there.
But they abstained, “courteously.”
It was not a “we do not care”.
According to some presidential candidate who will remain unnamed, the only ‘patriotic’ thing that they could have done was to vote “present”...
Yep....pretty sure that if I lived in the state that allowed Columbia University to exist, I’d move out, pronto! ditto the ‘No Surprise’ comments!
80 miles from Philadelphia to New York, many of the other Colonies were quite a bit more distant.
" It was not a “we do not care”."
No you're right it was more of a "we are afraid of the red coats..."
On the first independence vote on July 1st South Carolina and Pennsylvania voted no, while Delaware and New York abstained.
On the second vote on July 2nd, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Delaware voted yes, but New York abstained because they had not yet received instructions from home. When the instructions came several days later, they changed their vote to be in favor of independence, along with everyone else.
I believe at the time they were under seige by the British fleet. If I recall, they had hoped to forestall the British ire by abstaining, but the Brits attacked anyway. The New York rep. did sign the Declaration.
There was an early feeling that a delegate was like an ambassador who needed constant instructions from home on how to vote. This changed over time to a representative who was elected to exercise his/her own best judgement instead of merely representing the opinions (instructions) of his local legislature or constituents.
“80 miles from Philadelphia to New York”
But a lot farther to Albany, the capital of New York State.
I can’t criticize the delegates form New York for not exceeding their instructions.
And of course North Carolina and Rhode Island didn’t find it in their hearts to ratify the constitution until long after the other states had already elected a federal government.
Should we also make silly remarks about them?
New York State had NO capital in 1776. Kingston was established as the first capital in 1777, and Albany was made the new capital in 1797.
From what I recall, New York was occupied at that time by the British. They may have been destroyed as a colony and unable to contribute to the war effort if their occupiers had discovered an overt attempt to overthrow the government.
Sitting here in 21st century America and casting disdain upon those men is a bit myopic, almost as bad as those who spit upon their memories for not completely abolishing slavery at the beginning of the republic.
At least in my opinion.
see my earlier post, you may be correct.
Prior to 1776 The Province of New York, was a Royal Province with a Governor appointed by the Crown on the advice of the Secretary of State for the Colonies and a two house assembly. One house was elected and one house was appointed.
Between 1775 and 1776 Three Provincial congresses were elected as a defacto rival government to the Royal government.
The Third Provincial Congress, elected May of 1776, did not want to declare independence from the Crown. However, on June 17th they called an election for the fourth Provincial Congress that would have the authority to do so.
The Fourth Provincial Congress convened in White Plains on July 9th, 1776 and declared The Province of New York as an independent state on the same day.
The State of New York signed the Articles of Confederation on July 9th 1778, two years after New York declared independence.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Provincial_Congress
It was not cowardice, but the specific political situation in New York that prevented the New York delegation from signing the Declaration until they had the authority to do so.
I know that some of the assemblies of the new states initially worked on a state constitution and then decided that was not consistent with a true delegation of authority from the people. They then held a seperate special election for the body that would create their state constitution. This was so the state government could be created by the people under social compact rather than have the prior assemblies constiutute themselves.
"But a lot farther to Albany, the capital of New York State."
Albany didn't become Capital of New York State until the next year 1777.
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