John Dickinson Submits the Articles of Confederation

John Dickinson Submits the Articles of Confederation
During this tumultuous week Continental Congressman John Dickinson submitted the first draft of the United States’ first form of government, the Articles of Confederation
From the Book
The American Revolution – 1776

Greetings, during this tumultuous week Continental Congressman John Dickinson submitted the first draft of the United State’s first form of government, the Articles of Confederation.

Before starting, I want to announce that my book The American Revolution – 1776 is now available in softbound, ebook and audio book formats on Amazon and many other online book sellers. Listeners will find a link to the book in the description of this podcast.

Sitting as a committee of the whole Congress considered the printed draft of John Dickinson’s “Articles of Confederation,” which he had submitted on July 12, 1776.
John Dickinson (November 8, 1732– February 14, 1808)
The son of Samuel and Mary Cadwalader Dickinson, John was native to Trappe, Maryland. Mary was Samuel’s second wife. His first, Judith Troth, had passed away in 1729 after bearing nine children. He would marry Mary Cadwalader in 1731, with whom he would have three sons, of which John was the eldest. Primarily educated at home by his parents and tutors, John read law under John Moland in Philadelphia, beginning in 1750. He would travel to London, England in 1753 to study law at The Honorable Society of the Middle Temple. The Middle Temple is one of the four Inns of Court to which all English barristers must belong to one. He returned to Pennsylvania and gained admittance to the colony’s bar in 1757. He would marry Mary (Polly) Norris, in 1770. The couple would have five children, only two of whom would survive until adulthood.

Dickinson held land in Delaware, and his wife had extensive holdings in Pennsylvania. Dickinson lived in Polly’s home on Philadelphia. His law practice thrived and he became a respected lawyer. He gained election to the Delaware assembly in 1760. Because he was also a resident of Philadelphia, he gained election to the Pennsylvania assembly in 1763. Because of a political feud with Benjamin Franklin, he would lose this seat in 1764. His reputation intact, the Pennsylvania assembly chose him as a delegate to the Stamp Act Congress in 1765.
The Pennsylvania Assembly chose John Dickinson to represent them in the Stamp Act Congress despite his losing his seat in the assembly because of a political spat with Benjamin Franklin. Dickinson had become one of the leaders in the fight against the Stamp Act and had written a pamphlet called The Late Regulations Respecting the British Colonies . . . Considered, earlier in the year. The pamphlet urged the colonists to use economic pressure against Britain to make them repeal the Act. The booklet was widely read, leading the Assembly to appoint Dickinson to attend the Stamp Act Congress in New York, beginning on October 07, 1765. He became the de facto leader of the assembly and largely drafted the Declaration of Rights and Grievances.
Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania
When the British Parliament approved the Townsend Acts, beginning in 1767, Dickinson wrote a series of letters he called the Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania. In these letters Dickinson warned the colonists that if they allowed Parliament to enforce these acts, more taxation by that body would follow. The “Letters,” were published initially by the Pennsylvania Chronicle and later by other colonial newspapers. Letters became one of the leading pre-revolutionary works. In the letters he conceded that Parliament had the right to regulate colonial commerce, however they did not have the right to tax them.
Continental Congress
He gained election from Pennsylvania in 1774 to the First Continental Congress and then again to the Second Continental Congress in 1775 – 1776. His rewriting of the “Olive Branch Petition,” and then his draft of the Articles of Confederation in 1776 gained him the sobriquet “Penman of the Revolution.” He also drafted numerous other documents during this turbulent time.
Months of Consideration
The Congress studied the draft for many months, with many debates concerning the powers of the states and the powers of the Confederation. It would be mid-November before they completed draft was submitted to the states for ratification.

Admiral Richard Howe had departed Halifax on June 23 for what should have been a six-day voyage to New York. Adverse weather conditions had delayed his arrival until July 12. During the three weeks on board ship Howe wrote a declaration to the colonies that stated that he and his brother William were empowered to offer amnesty to any that would pledge an allegiance to the king. He next drafted a circular letter that he would dispatch, with the petition, to the Royal governors. In the letter he instructed them to publicize the declaration. On July 12 he arrived at Staten Island with 82 ships and thousands of additional troops. Observes in New York reported that the masts of this massive fleet in the harbor resembled a “forest of pine trees,” spread across the water.

July 12, 1776 – British Foray Up the North River
General Washington dispatched a letter to the Continental Congress informing him that two British ships had sailed through the gauntlet of American cannon and ascended the North River. One of the ships had 40 guns, the other 20. Washington’s fear was that the British were either attempting to capture the river crossings which the rebels depended upon for communications or to bestow arms on Loyalist forces in the area.

On July 13, 1776, Admiral Richard Howe dispatched a letter to General George Washington in which he offered to meet him on a frigate in New York harbor to discuss terms in which peach might be restored. He addressed the letter to George Washington, Esquire. Washington refused to accept the letter, replying that there was no one here of that name and any letter addressed to a general should not be addressed in such a fashion.

As the King had given the brothers authority to grant pardons to any such person that would sign an oath of allegiance to the Crown, they issued a proclamation on July 14, 1776, offering pardons to any such people that fulfilled the requirements.

July 15, 1776 – Attack at Fort Lindlay
Lindlay’s fort was near the current town of Laurens, South Carolina, in Laurens County. James Lindley had constructed the fort in the latter phases of the French and Indian War. The fort had been refurbished and was defended by a force of about 150 militia led by Major Jonathan Downs. On July 15 a force of about 190 Cherokee and British Loyalists attacked the fort.

Two men riding horses brought the Declaration printed by John Dunlop on July 5 and sent out by John Hancock on July 6 arrived at Exeter, New Hampshire on July 16. The state treasurer’s son, 22-year-old John Taylor Gilman, received the honor of reading it from the steps of the town hall.

Washington received a second letter from General Howe on July 16, 1776, addressed to George Washington Esquire, etc., etc., etc. Washington rejected this letter for the same reason as the first. He did agree to see one of Howe’s subordinate officers.

A privateer captain named John Fisk reported taking a British prize vessel named the Dispatch on July 17, 1776. Fisk’s crew took the schooner after a battle that lasted one and one half hours, after which the crew struck her colors and surrendered.

On July 18, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was read publicly for the first time on the balcony of the Town Hall on King Street. An armed regiment fired celebratory volleys, accompanied by the firing of several batteries of artillery. A jubilant crowd tore down the King’s arms, broke it up and carried it off.

Congress received a copy of the Howe Proclamation on July 18, 1776.

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The book 1776 includes much more detail about the events given here. You can find the book on my website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. You will find links to Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other online book retailers where it is available in soft bound, ebook and audiobook formats.

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