had his Brutus, Charles I. his Cromwell, and George III"-he was interrupted by the Speaker and others with the cry of "treason." Pausing a moment, and fixing his eye on the Speaker, he added-" may profit by their example; if this be treason, make the most of it.”

It.

Meanwhile, Massachusetts had voted that it was desirable that a Congress of delegates from all the colonies should be held. Accordingly, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, MassachuConnecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsyl- setts Invited vania, Delaware, Maryland, and South Carolina elected commissioners, who met at New York, as stated above. New Hampshire approved of the Congress, but from the peculiar situation of the colony it was judged not prudent to send delegates. Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia were not represented because the governors of those colonies refused to call special assemblies for the appointment of delegates.

Action of the
Congress.

"This was the first general meeting of the colonies for the purpose of considering their rights and privileges, and obtaining a redress for the violation of them on the part of the parent country."1 They adopted a declaration of rights and grievances, which asserted the claim of the colonists to all the inherent rights and liberties of subjects within the kingdom of Great Britain; "that it is inseparably essential to the freedom of a people, and the undoubted right of Englishmen, that no taxes be imposed on them but with their own consent, given personally or by their representatives."

The Stamp Act was subsequently repealed, but other taxes and duties were imposed quite as obnoxious to the colonies. Their efforts to obtain redress being unsuccessful, it became obvious that they must form a closer union for their own protection. In 1774, Massachusetts recommended the assembling

2

1 Pitkin, I. page 180.

The Stamp Act was repealed March 18, 1766. Other taxes were imposed June 29, 1767. The "Boston Massacre" occurred March 5, 1770. Tea destroyed, December, 1773. Boston port bill passed, March 31, 1774

of a Continental Congress to deliberate upon the state of public affairs. The recommendation was favorably received, and on the 5th of September a Congress of delegates from twelve colonies assembled at Philadelphia. Of these, some were appointed by the popular branch of the colonial assembly, while others were elected by gress of 1774. conventions of the people. Georgia, the youngest of the colonies, was not represented. This is known as "The First Continental Congress."

The Continental Con

Among the distinguished members of this Congress were John Adams and Samuel Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, John Jay of New York, Peyton Randolph, Richard H. Lee, Patrick Henry, and George Washington of Virginia. Peyton Randolph was chosen president. The first resolution adopted was, "That in determining questions in this Congress each colony or province shall have one vote; the Congress not being possessed of, or at present able to procure, proper materials for ascertaining the importance of each colony." This rule of equal suffrage, established because the Congress did not possess the information requisite for establishing a more equitable one, remained in force until the present Constitution went into operation in 1789.

The Work of the Congress.

The addresses to the King, to the people of Great Britain, to the inhabitants of the colonies they represented, and to the inhabitants of the Province of Quebec, were all drawn up with great ability, and were spoken of by Lord Chatham in terms of the highest admiration. After recommending that another Congress should be held on the 10th of May following, provided that a redress of grievances was not previously obtained, this Congress adjourned on the 26th of October. That the measures adopted, if supported by the American people, would produce a redress of grievances, was the conviction of a majority of the members of the Congress.1

1 Pitkin, I. page 301.

But in this they were disappointed. The breach between England and the colonies became wider. Delegates were, therefore, appointed to meet in Philadelphia, May The Second 10th, 1775, agreeably to the recommendation of Continental Congress. the Congress of 1774. Some of these were chosen by conventions of the people, and some by the colonial legislatures, as in the previous Congress. With scarcely an exception, the delegates of 1774 were re-appointed in 1775. before, twelve colonies were represented. A delegate also was present from a single parish in Georgia, and in July a convention was held in that colony, which voted to accede to the general association, and appointed delegates to the Congress.

As

This Second Continental Congress continued its session, with occasional adjournments, till March, 1781; there were then yearly sessions till 1789. Before they assembled on

Hostilities

setts.

the 10th of May, hostilities had been commenced in Massachuby the British troops under General Gage. One of the first items of business brought before the body was a letter from the provincial congress of Massachusetts, giving an account of the battles of Lexington and Concord, April 19th, with the action of that colony in relation thereto, and requesting the direction and assistance of the Congress. In this letter is the following suggestion: "With the greatest deference, we beg leave to suggest that a powerful army on the side of America hath been considered by this Congress as the only means left to stem the rapid progress of a tyrannical ministry."1 The Congress at once resolved itself into a committee of the whole to take into consideration the state of America, and referred this letter from Massachusetts to that committee.

Hostilities having already commenced, the necessities of the case compelled this Continental Congress to take measures to put the country into a state of defense, and soon they assumed a virtual control over the military operations of all the colonies.

1 Jour. Cont. Cong., I. page 77.

An army was organized, and on the 15th of June, George Washington, a delegate from Virginia, was unanimously elected general of all the forces. His commission styled him the General and Commander-in-Chief of the

Washington
Appointed

General. Army of the United Colonies. This was the first occasion on which the style, "The United Colonies," was adopted; it continued to be used till the Declaration of Independence substituted the name, "The United States."

The action of Congress in providing for raising an army and appointing a commander-in-chief was in accordance with the Government general expectation of the colonies. Congress

Assumed by thus assumed the defense of the country. They Congress. created a continental currency by issuing bills of credit. They established a treasury department, and organized a general post-office, Dr. Benjamin Franklin being the Postmaster-General. In answer to the applications from various colonies for advice as to their local governments, Congress recommended that such forms of government be established as would best secure good order during the continuance of the dispute between Great Britain and the colonies. This advice manifestly contemplated the establishment of provisional governments only. This was in November and December, 1775. But the question of separation began to be discussed. the 22d of April the convention of North Carolina empowered their delegates in Congress "to concur with those in the other colonies in declaring independency. Separation. This, it is believed, was the first direct public act of any colonial assembly or convention in favor of the measure. On the 15th of May the convention of Virginia went further, and unanimously instructed their delegates in Congress "to propose to that respectable body to declare the United Colonies free and independent States, absolved from all allegiance or dependence upon the Crown or parliament of Great

The Question of

1 Pitkin, I. page 360.

The Reso

lution of

June 7.

Britain." In accordance with these instructions, Richard Henry Lee, one of the delegates from Virginia, submitted a resolution declaring "that the United Colonies are and 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." This was on the 7th of June. On the next day it was debated in committee of the whole.

"No question of greater magnitude," says Mr. Pitkin, "was ever presented to the deliberation of a deliberative body, or debated with more energy, eloquence, and ability."

The resolution was discussed again in committee of the whole on the 10th, and adopted. The committee recommended that the farther consideration of the reso- Committee on lution be postponed till the 1st of July, but mean- Declaration of Independence. while that a committee be appointed to draft a declaration of independence. This committee consisted of Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, and Robert R. Livingston of New York.

Resolution

Adopted July 2, and Declaration

July 4.

The postponement was immediately followed by proceedings in the colonies, most of which either instructed or authorized their delegates in Congress to vote for the resolution of independence; and on the 2d day of July that resolution, which had before been agreed to in committee of the whole, was adopted by Congress itself. The committee who had been instructed to prepare the declaration, had reported on the 28th of June, and on the 4th day of July that paper was adopted. After citing reasons for the dissolution of the political bands which had connected them with Great Britain, the Declaration concludes: "We, therefore, the Representatives of the UNITED

1 Pitkin, I. page 362.