Neil Gorsuch

But even when they voted, you know, on June 7th, that day,

That resolution was introduced, but they tabled it because there was still so much disagreement.

They brought it to a vote first on July 1st, but we don't celebrate July 1st because they were divided.

Only nine colonies voted for independence.

Others were split.

They were against it.

And some couldn't vote at all because they didn't have sufficient instructions from home.

So what happened after that day?

It was really pretty dramatic.

Cesar Rodney was called from Delaware, where he was home on business.

He was a delegate from Delaware.

He was called and said his vote was needed to break a tie in the Delaware delegation.

He rode 80 miles through the night in the thunderstorm.

suffering cancer of the face.

People had told him he needed to go to England for treatment and he wouldn't do it because he was such a patriot.

He wanted to be there.

And he came in the next day dripping wet to break the vote in Delaware.

And there's Edward Rutledge from South Carolina who voted against independence on July 1st.

but who realized after the vote, it was more important for us to stand united than for his own personal views to prevail.

So the next day he switched his vote and urged others to do so.