Declaration Of Admiration

by Quin Hillyer - July 1st, 2011 - The American Spectator

As much as the American book-buying public has shown deep interest in the superstars of the nation's founding period, too little attention has been paid to some of the other legislative workhorses and statesmen of the period, and too few lessons thus learned from their examples. As we celebrate Independence Day on Monday, we should moved beyond the famous Jefferson-Adams-Franklin troika, in order to marvel at the great decades of public service of the two other members of the committee charged with drafting the Declaration of Independence.

Those two were Roger Sherman of Connecticut and Robert Livingston of New York -- and they were no mere window-dressing on the committee, much less in public life.

They were in fact brilliant men, in the same class with Thomas Jefferson. Their contributions to our Declaration of Independence were important. Their contributions to the founding of our nation were important. These were two great men.

Robert Livingston and Roger Sherman are heroes. They deserve admiration and recognition from all who appreciate freedom.