Why Jefferson Wrote the Declaration of Independence.
“It has always been a curious puzzle why Franklin, the man of ripe age, of commanding distinction and of approved literary skill, was not selected to write this declaration instead of Thomas Jefferson, then only thirty-three years old and comparatively unknown,” says John Gilmer Speed, in The Saturday Evening Post. “It could not be that Franklin was passed by because he had done everything within his power to avert the war and reconcile the differences between the Colonies and the Mother Country, for all wise men in the Colonies did all that honor permitted in that direction until the die was cast. No, it was not a fear of Franklin’s earnestness in the cause of the Colonies—it was probably the fear of Franklin’s humor. “He was not only the greatest man of his time, but he was one of the greatest humorists of any time. And so his associates were possibly afraid that he would put a joke in the Declaration, and passed him by and selected the lank young Virginian with the freckled face.” “As it was, Franklin did have his joke, for when the members of Congress were about to sign the Declaration, Hancock, whose earnestness is expressed in the bold signature which comes first, said in his own earnest way: ‘We must be unanimous; there must be no pulling different ways; we must all hang together.’ “‘Yes,’ replied Franklin, ‘we must hang together or we shall be pretty sure to hang separately.’”