In addition, they told their delegates to propose that Congress draft a declaration of independence. Congress got the Virginia resolution along with the earlier one from North Carolina on May 27 but tabled them for ten days while the delegates argued other opinions. Virginian Richard Henry Lee took advantage of the pause to dumb down the wording of his colony's resolution. On June 7, 1776 he resent it to the Continental Congress as the following three propositions:
"That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved."
"That it is expedient forthwith to take the most effectual measures for forming foreign