Independence Eve

In Congress, July 1, 1776:

A resolution of the convention of Maryland, of the 28 June, was also laid before Congress and read, wherein it is resolved:

In Convention,23 June 1776.

Resolved, Unanimously, That the Instructions given by the Convention December last, (and renewed by the Convention in May,) to the Deputies of this Colony in Congress, be recalled, and the Restrictions therein contained, removed; and that the Deputies of this Colony, attending in Congress, or a Majority of them or of any three or more of them, be authorized and empowered to concur with the other United Colonies, or a Majority of them, in declaring the United Colonies free and independent States; in forming such further Compact and Confederation between them; in making foreign Alliances, and in adopting such other Measures as shall be adjudged necessary for securing the Liberties of America; and this Colony will hold itself bound, by the Resolutions of a Majority of the United Colonies, in the Premises; Provided, the sole and exclusive Right of regulating the internal Government and Police of this Colony be reserved to the People thereof.

The order of the day being read,

Resolved, That this Congress will resolve itself into a committee of the whole, to take into consideration the resolution respecting independency:

Resolved, That the Declaration be referred to said committee.

The Congress resolved itself into a committee of the whole, ∥After some time,∥ the president resumed the chair. Mr. [Benjamin] Harrison reported, that the committee have had under consideration the matters referred to them, and have agreed to the resolution, which they ordered him to report, and desired him to move for leave to sit again.

The resolution agreed to by committee of the whole being read, the determination thereof was postponed, at the request of a colony, till to morrow. 

The break in between introduction of the Lee Resolution and the vote for independency allowed delegations like Maryland's to receive new instructions from their various conventions/assemblies.  F'rinstance, New Jersey's (updated on the 22nd) were read in the Congress the previous day.  New York abstained from the ostensibly unanimous resolution because they weren't authorized to vote for independence until July 9.

Maryland was a weird one because it was essentially run by extra-legal assemblies, but still had a proprietary governor until the dude boarded a boat on June 23.  And then:

On June 27 the Maryland Gazette announced that the previous day the ship Fowey carrying Maryland's last proprietary governor, Robert Eden, had "hoisted sail and went down the Bay." The same paper carried an article signed by "American," which decried the ambivalence of the Convention then sitting in Annapolis: "Is it not remarkable that a convention, composed of many of the same delegates [who opposed Governor Eden in past Assemblies] should now, without any change in their governor s conduct, express 'their real wishes for his return to resume the government of this province?' " This "American" believed the only viable course of action was a declaration of independence and a new form of government.

The next day, Friday June 28, 1776, the Convention rescinded its instructions to the Maryland congressional delegation that prohibited them from voting for independence. At nine o'clock that evening a jubilant Samuel Chase wrote John Adams: "1 shall offer no other apology for concluding than that I am this moment from our House to procure an express to follow the post with a Unan[imous] vote of our Convention for Independence. ... our people have fire if not smothered. .. .Now for a government."

There was still some politicking to be done, though, as recalled by Jefferson:

On Monday, the 1st of July, the House resolved itself into a committee of the whole, and resumed the consideration of the original motion made by the delegates of Virginia, which, being again debated through the day, was carried in the affirmative by the votes of New Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia. 

South Carolina and Pennsylvania voted against it. Delaware had but two members present, and they were divided. The delegates from New York declared they were for it themselves, and were assured their constituents were for it; but that their instructions having been drawn near a twelvemonth before, when reconciliation was still the general object, they were enjoined by them to do nothing which should impede that object. They therefore thought themselves not justifiable in voting on either side, and asked leave to withdraw from the question; which was given them. 

The committee rose and reported their resolution to the House. Mr. Edward Rutledge, of South Carolina, then requested the determination might be put off to the next day, as he believed his colleagues, though they disapproved of the resolution, would then join in it for the sake of unanimity.

Guess we'll have to wait a bit longer to learn how it all worked out.

In conclusion: real ball knowers understand that tomorrow is the Big Day, not the Fourth.