The forgotten Founding Father who said no to the Declaration of Independence

The forgotten Founding Father who said no to the Declaration of Independence ‘He wasn’t opposed to independence per se, but he thought it should happen gradually and without bloodshed,’ a historian said - Bookmark For a quarter-century, Jane Calvert has dedicated herself to a singular mission: rehabilitating the legacy of John Dickinson, a figure largely relegated to the footnotes of American history, remembered primarily for his refusal to sign the Declaration of Independence. As the nation approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding, Calvert, a former associate professor at the University of Kentucky and founder of the John Dickinson Writings Project, sees an opportunity to challenge the enduring image of a man often ignored, ridiculed, or simply cast aside. Dickinson, a Maryland native who spent significant portions of his life in Delaware and Pennsylvania, was once hailed as one of the most influential and inspiring founders. His seminal work, "Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania," a series of a dozen essays published in the 1760s, served as a powerful critique of Britain's right to tax the colonies. These widely read missives were instrumental in fostering a shared sense of American identity and purpose. He even penned the lyrics to "The Liberty Song," one of the country’s earliest patriotic anthems, earning him the moniker "Penman of the Revolution." However, Dickinson’s commitment to reconciliation with Britain persisted even after the initial skirmishes at Lexington and Concord. In July 1775, he played a key role in drafting the Olive Branch Petition, a plea for peace that King George III ultimately dismissed. When the Continental Congress voted for independence in July 1776, Dickinson, alongside fellow Pennsylvanian Robert Morris, abstained. While Morris later affixed his signature to the Declaration, Dickinson steadfastly withheld his. "He wasn’t opposed to independence per se, but he thought it should happen gradually and without bloodshed," Calvert explains. She adds, "America wasn’t prepared in any sense, including militarily, and there was no constitution, no foreign allies, and no domestic manufacturing. Neither was there unanimity on the independence question. But as critical as all these things were, Dickinson’s main concern was that there were no legal protections for the most vulnerable Americans. He was most worried about religious dissenters, particularly the Quakers in Pennsylvania." Dickinson’s reputation as a man of deliberation rather than decisive action has long overshadowed his contributions. At Philadelphia's National Constitution Center, his statue is conspicuously placed in a corner, depicted in a contemplative pose. Popular portrayals of the American Revolution, from Ken Burns’ documentaries to Lin-Manuel Miranda’s "Hamilton," frequently omit him. In the musical "1776," he is depicted as a smug Anglophile, and the 2008 HBO miniseries about John Adams casts him as a compromising foil to Adams' militant righteousness. "It’s pretty egregious," Calvert asserts. "He is depicted as a scowling and sunken-eyed naysayer of the Patriot cause. We know that he was a compelling and charismatic figure, well-liked among his colleagues and seen as a devoted Patriot leader. He did not wear a wig, don fancy clothes, walk with a cane or speak with a Scottish brogue — all things added in the show to make him appear aristocratic." Despite his controversial stance on independence, Dickinson did not retreat from public life or align with the British. He served in both the Pennsylvania and Delaware militias, helped draft the post-independence Articles of Confederation, and supported the U.S. Constitution as a Delaware delegate. He also served as president of both Delaware and Pennsylvania. Dickinson College, chartered after the founding of the United States, bears his and his wife Mary’s names. Upon his death in 1808, Thomas Jefferson lauded him as "one of the great worthies of the revolution." Calvert believes Dickinson’s contributions, both before and after independence, warrant his placement among the elite founders like Adams and Jefferson. Thomas Donnelly, lead scholar at the Constitution Center, acknowledges Calvert’s work has broadened his understanding of Dickinson, speculating that the center's statue might be a tribute to his "scholarly nature." However, not all historians share this view. Joseph Ellis, author of "Founding Brothers," credits Dickinson as a leading voice of resistance before 1776 but laments his decision "not to take the last step." Pulitzer winner Jack Rakove describes Dickinson’s thinking in 1776 as a "quirk of his conscientious political personality" that should not diminish his other achievements. Yet, Rakove places Dickinson in a secondary tier, alongside figures such as Benjamin Rush and John Jay, suggesting, "Perhaps his qualms of conscience in 1776 have affected his reputation." Dickinson himself reportedly lamented that his opposition to the Declaration was a "finishing blow" to his "diminished popularity." John Adams was among his detractors, dismissing him as a "piddling genius whose fame has been trumpeted so loudly." In the 1840s, historian George Bancroft further solidified Dickinson's negative legacy by condemning him for how he "dulled the resentment of the people, and paralyzed the manly impulse of self-sacrificing courage." Calvert is not alone in her advocacy. Other supporters include the late conservative commentator William Murchison, whose 2013 biography cited Calvert's research, and historians Ian Iverson and Nathan R. Kozuskanich, editors of the Dickinson Project. Calvert even commends the creators of "South Park" for a 2003 episode, aired during the Iraq War, where Cartman travels back to 1776, witnesses the independence debate, and draws parallels to contemporary anti-war sentiment. "It’s the only pop culture representation of Dickinson I’ve seen that portrays him as being motivated by principle — that we shouldn’t found a country based on war," Calvert says. "Here Dickinson is the forefather of those antiwar protesters. Whether he would have gone so far as to say that the reasons for the Revolution were trumped up, I don’t know. Maybe. In any case, there is a lot to like!"