Right wing Nut House brings us Liveblogging from the Continental Congress. Here are the events from July 2, 1776, and today’s events are being blogged here. It appears that there were some fireworks before they adjourned for the night. He reports that -

Update:Liveblogging today - “The declaration of American independence was approved unanimously in Congress just a few minutes ago.”

Great excitement! Mr. Ruttledge and Mr. Adams had a knock down, drag out shouting match over the slavery section I quoted above. Ruttledge feels personally insulted by the passage and threatens the unity of the Congress unless it is stricken from the declaration. Adams believes that we can’t ignore the issue of slavery. To do so makes us hypocrites in the eyes of the world.

What to do? Both men have a point. By condemning the slave trade, do you not also condemn those who buy the slaves? And how is it possible to claim our own country on the basis of freedom while keeping millions in bondage?

I sure hope that they can hold this together! It would be a disaster if we were to come this close.

Hat Tip to Michelle Malkin