mercial regulations, and currency, James Madison of Virginia caused to be proposed in the Virginia legislature, January, 1786, a convention of the States, "to digest and report the requisite augmentation of the powers of Congress over trade." Five States responded and sent commissioners to Annapolis in September, 1786. The light attendance postponed action for a general convention in Philadelphia in the spring.

1787. Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia.

The convention organized May 25, 1787, and a Constitution — partly Federal, partly Republican - was adopted. Slightly Federal because, in a few instances, members and measures depend upon States; chiefly Republican because, in most instances, it acts directly upon the people.

The convention sent the completed Constitution, with a letter signed by Washington, to Congress under Resolution, September 12, 1787. The object of the Resolution was that its ratification should be the direct work of the people instead of that of State governments.

See article, "Constitution of the United States."

FIRST COLONIAL CONGRESS.

Met at New York, Tuesday, October 7, 1765. Adjourned October 25, 1765. Session, 14 days.

Object. To bring together committees from the several colonial assemblies, "to consult together on the present circumstances of the colonies, and the difficulties to which they are and must be reduced by operation of the late acts of Parliament for levying duties and taxes on the colonies."

Result. The Congress prepared three papers, giving a clear, accurate, and calm statement of the position of the colonies. "A Declaration of Rights and Grievances," written by John Cruger. "An Address to the King," written by R. R. Livingston. "A Memorial to both Houses of

Parliament," written by James Otis.

New Hampshire, from the peculiar situation of the colony, judged it imprudent to send Representatives, though they had written they would agree to whatever action Congress took.

Georgia, Virginia, and North Carolina, through their assemblies not being in session, the governors failed to act, refusing to call a special assembly for a principle deemed by them improper and unconstitutional.

(This Congress was known as the "Stamp Act Congress,” and “Day Star of the American Union.")

TIMOTHY RUGGLES of Massachusetts, Chairman.
JOHN COTTON, Clerk.

DELEGATES PRESENT:

Connecticut. - Eliphalet Dyer, David Rowland, Wm. S. Johnson.
Delaware. - Theo. McKean, Cæsar Rodney.

Maryland.

Wm. Murdock, Edward Tilghman, Thos. Ringgold. Massachusetts. - Jas. Otis, Oliver Partridge, Timothy Ruggles. - Robert Ogden, Hendrick Fisher, Jos. Borden.

New Jersey.

New York. - Robt. R. Livingston, Jno. Cruger, Philip Livingston, Wm. Bayard, Leonard Lispenard.

Pennsylvania.-John Dickenson, John Morton, Geo. Bryan.

Rhode Island. - Metcalf Bowler, Henry Ward.

Thos. Lynch, Christopher Gadsden, Jno. Rutledge.

The English Parliament Stamp Act, passed March 8, 1765, repealed March 18, 1766.

FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS.

The Boston Port Bill, designed by England as a punishment for the destruction of the tea in December, 1773, transferred the commerce of that city, commencing June 1, 1774, to Salem, Massachusetts. The political effect was to draw the colonies together, and various "town meetings" were held to choose delegates to a Continental Congress to be held at Philadelphia, September 5, 1774.

Rhode Island, town meeting, at Providence, May 17, 1774.

Delegates elected Aug. 10.

July 22.

66

July 25.

66

Aug. 1.

44

81, 1774.

66

June 22.

Connecticut,

New Jersey,

Massachusetts,

Delaware,

Norwich, June 6, 1774.

66

June 6.

Newark,

11, 1774.

Georgia remained silent.

Congress assembled Monday, September 5, 1774, at Carpenter's Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Organized with Peyton Randolph as President, and Charles Thomson as Secretary. Twelve colonies represented by 54 delegates.

New Hampshire. — John Sullivan, Nathaniel Folsom.

- Thos. Cushing, Sam'l Adams, Jno. Adams, Robt.

Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Steph. Hopkins, Sam'l Ward.

Connecticut.-Eliphalet Dyer, Roger Sherman, Silas Deane.

New York.-Jas. Duane, Jno. Jay, Isaac Low, Jno. Alsop, Wm. Floyd, Philip Livingston, Henry Wisner.

New Jersey.-Jas. Kinsey, Stephen Crane, Wm. Livingston, Richard Smith, Jno. de Hart.

Pennsylvania. Jos. Galloway, Jno. Morton, Chas. Humphreys, Thos. Mifflin, Sam'l Rhodes, Edward Biddle, Geo. Ross, Jno. Dickenson.

Delaware.-Cæsar Rodney, Thos. McKean, Geo. Read.

Maryland. — Robt. Goldsborough, Sam'l Chase, Thos. Johnson, Matthew Tilghman, Wm. Paca.

Virginia. - Peyton Randolph, Richard Henry Lee, Geo. Washington, Patrick Henry, Richard Bland, Benj. Harrison, Edmund Pendleton.

North Carolina. — Wm. Hooper, Jos. Hewes, Richard Caswell.

South Carolina. Henry Middleton, Jno. Rutledge, Thos. Lynch, Christopher. Gadsden, Edward Rutledge.

October 14, 1774. Adoption of a “Declaration of Rights." (See Index.)

October 20, 1774. Articles of Association adopted, pledging in due time the country to non-importation, non-exportation, and nonconsumption, so as to sever completely relations with England — “a determination to suppress luxury, encourage frugality, and promote domestic manufactures."

The commencement of the American Union inaugurated, October 20, 1774.

October 21, 1774. An address "To the People of Great Britain" adopted. [Written by John Jay.] Journals of Congress, Vol. I. p. 36.

October 21, 1774. An address "To the Inhabitants of the Several Anglo-American Colonies" adopted. [Written by William Livingston.] Journals of Congress, Vol. I. p. 43.

October 26, 1774. ince of Quebec" adopted. Congress, Vol. I. p. 55.

October 26, 1774.

An "Address to the Inhabitants of the Prov[Written by Jno. Dickenson.] Journals of

A "Petition of Congress to the King" adopted. [Drawn up by Jno. Adams, corrected by Jno. Dickenson.] Journals of Congress, Vol. I. p. 63.

Congress adjourned, October 26, 1774, to meet, May 10, 1775. Length of session 52 days, actual session 31 days.

THE DECLARATION OF COLONIAL RIGHTS. ADOPTED BY THE FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS, OCTOBER 14, 1774. The demands of England resisted on three grounds:

I. The laws of nature according to which all men have equal rights. II. The principles of the English constitution, which were the most just and free then known.

III. The charters which had been granted the colonies, and which recognized them as possessing all the rights of Englishmen, whether resident in any colony or in the realm itself.

WHEREAS, since the close of the last war, the British parliament claiming a power of right, to bind the people of America by statutes in all cases whatsoever, hath, in some acts, expressly imposed taxes on them, and in others, under various pretences, but in fact for the purpose of raising a revenue, hath imposed rates and duties payable in the colonies, established a board of commissioners, with unconstitutional powers, and extended the jurisdiction of courts of admiralty, not only for collecting the said duties, but for the trial of causes merely arising within the body of a country.

And whereas, in consequence of other statutes, judges, who before held only estates at will in their offices, have been made dependent on the crown alone for their salaries, and standing armies kept in times of peace: And whereas it has lately been resolved in parliament, that by force of a statute, made in the thirty-fifth year of the reign of king Henry the eighth, colonists may be transported to England, and tried there upon accusations for treasons and misprision, or concealinents of treasons committed in the colonies, and by a late statute, such trials have been directed in cases therein mentioned.

And whereas, in the last session of parliament, three statutes were made; one entitled an "Act to discontinue in such manner and for such time as are therein mentioned, the land"ing and discharging, lading, or shipping of goods, wares and merchandise, at the town, "and within the harbour of Boston, in the province of Massachusetts-Bay, in North"America;" another, entitled “An act for the impartial administration of justice, in the "cases of persons questioned for any act done by them in the execution of the law, or for "the suppression of riots and tumults, in the province of the Massachusetts-Bay, in New "England;" and another statute was then made "for making more effectual provision for "the government of the province of Quebec, etc." All which statutes are impolitic, unjust and cruel, as well as unconstitutional, and most dangerous and destructive of American rights.

And whereas, assemblies have been frequently dissolved, contrary to the rights of the people, when they attempted to deliberate on grievances; and their dutiful, humble, loyal, and reasonable petitions to the crown for redress, have been repeatedly treated with contempt by his majesty's ministers of state:

The good people of the several colonies of New-Hampshire, Massachusetts-Bay, RhodeIsland and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania,

New-Castle, Kent, and Sussex, on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina and South-Carolina, justly alarmed at these arbitrary proceedings of parliament and administration, have severally elected, constituted, and appointed deputies to meet, and sit in General Congress, in the city of Philadelphia in order to obtain such establishment as that their religion, laws, and liberties, may not be subverted. Whereupon the deputies so appointed being now assembled, in a full and free representation of these colonies, taking into their most serious consideration, the best means of attaining the ends aforesaid, do, in the first place, as Englishmen, their ancestors, in like cases have usually done for effecting and vindicating their rights and liberties DECLARE,

That the inhabitants of the English colonies in North-America, by the immutable laws of nature, the principals of the English constitution, and the several charters or compacts, have the following RIGHTS:

Resolved, N. C. D. 1. That they are entitled to life, liberty, and property, and they have never ceded to any sovereign power whatever, a right to dispose of either without their consent.

Resolved, N. C. D. 2. That our ancestors, who first settled these colonies, were at the time of their emigration from the mother country, entitled to all the rights, liberties, and immunities of free and natural-born subjects, within the realm of England.

Resolved, N. C. D. 3. That by such emigration they by no means forfeited, surrendered, or lost any of these rights, but that they were, and their descendants now are, entitled to the exercise and enjoyment of all such of them, as their local and other circumstances enable them to exercise and enjoy.

Resolved, 4. That the foundation of English liberty, and of all free government, is a right in the people to participate in their legislative council: and as the English colonists are not represented, and from their local and other circumstances, cannot properly be represented in the British parliament, they are entitled to a free and exclusive power of legislation in their several provincial legislatures, where their right of representation can alone be preserved, in all cases of taxation and internal polity, subject only to the negative of their sovereign, in such manner as has been heretofore used and accustomed. But, from the necessity of the case, and a regard to the mutual interest of both countries, we cheerfully consent to the operation of such acts of the British parliament, as are bona fide, restrained to the regulation of our external commerce, for the purpose of securing the commercial advantages of the whole empire to the mother country, and the commercial benefits of its respective members; excluding every idea of taxation internal or external, for raising a revenue on the subjects in America, without their consent.

Resolved, N. C. D. 5. That the respective colonies are entitled to the common law of England, and more especially to the great and inestimable privilege of being tried by their peers of the vicinage, according to the course of that law.

Resolved, 6. That they are entitled to the benefit of such of the English statutes, as existed at the time of their colonization; and which they have, by experience, respectively found to be applicable to their several local and other circumstances.

Resolved, N. C. D. 7. That these, his majesty's colonies, are likewise entitled to all the immunities and privileges granted and confirmed to them by royal charters, or secured by their several codes of provincial laws.

Resolved, N. C. D. 8. That they have a right peaceably to assemble, consider of their grievances, and petition the King; and that all prosecutions, prohibitory proclamations and commitments for the same, are illegal.

Resolved, N. C. D. 9. That the keeping a standing army in these colonies, in times of peace, without the consent of the legislature of that colony, in which such army is kept, is against law.

Resolved, N. C. D. 10. It is indispensably necessary to good government, and rendered essential by the English constitution, that the constituent branches of the legislature be independent of each other; that, therefore, the exercise of legislative power in several colonies, by a council appointed, during pleasure, by the crown, is unconstitutional, dangerous and destructive to the freedom of American legislation.

All and each of which the aforesaid deputies, in behalf of themselves, and their constituents, do claim, demand, and insist on, as their indubitable rights and liberties; which cannot be legally taken from them, altered or abridged by any power whatever, without their own consent, by their representatives in their several provincial legislatures.

In the course of our inquiry, we find many infringements and violations of the foregoing rights, which from an ardent desire, that harinony and mutual intercourse of affection and interest may be restored, we pass over for the present, and proceed to state such acts and measures as have been adopted since the last war, which demonstrate a system formed to enslave America.

Resolved, N. C. D. That the following acts of parliament are infringements and violations of the rights of the colonists; and that the repeal of them is essentially necessary, in order to restore harmony between Great Britain and the American colonies, viz.:

The several acts of 4 Geo. III. ch. 15, and ch. 34.5 Geo. III. ch. 25. — 6 Geo. III. ch. 52.7 Geo. III. ch. 41 and ch. 46.8 Geo. III. ch. 22, which impose duties for the purpose of raising a revenue in America, extend the power of the admiralty courts beyond their

1 N. C. D. Nemine contradicente (Lat.), no one speaking in opposition; that is, unanimously, often abbreviated nem, con.