legislature; and most of the officers were appointed by the king.

The colonists had no representatives in Parliament, and when an obnoxious act was passed by that body, laying duties on all tea, glass, paper, etc., imported into the colonies, the American people resisted it justly, claiming there should be no taxation without representation. Their petition for a repeal of the unjust proceeding being of no avail, they resisted the tax. Troops were sent to enforce it. The colonies began to arm to meet them. On the 4th of July, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was made by the delegates from the several colonies, whieh was followed by a war of several years, resulting in their complete separation from the throne of Great Britain.

Under the Colonial Governments several efforts were made to effect a union of the colonies in whole or in part.

I. Articles of Confederation were made in 1643 between the colonies of Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Haven, which was expressly declared to be a league, under the name of the United Colonies of New England. This league declared:

1st. That each colony shall have peculiar jurisdiction and government within its own limits.

2d. That the quotas of men and money were to be furnished in proportion to the population, for which purpose a census was to be taken from time to time of such as were able to bear arms.

3d. That to manage such matters as concerned the whole confederation, a congress of two commissioners from each colony should meet annually, with power to weigh and determine all affairs of war and pea e, leagues, aids, charges, and whatever else were proper concomitants of a confederation offensive and defensive; and that to determine any question, three-fourths of these commissioners must agree, or the matter is to be referred to the general courts.

4th. That these commissioners may choose a president; but that such president has no power over the business or proceedings.

5th. That neither of the colonies should engage in any war without consent of the general commission

ers

6th. That if any of the confederates should break any of these articles, or otherwise injure any of the other confederates, then such breach should be considered and ordered by the commissioners of the other colonies.

II. A Congress of Commissioners, representing New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, was held at Albany in 1754. This convention unani. mously resolved that a union of the colonies was necessary for their preservation. They proposed a general plan of federal government, which provided,

1. That the general government should be administered by a president-general appointed by the crown, and a grand council chosen by the representatives of the people in their general assemblies.

THE CONFEDERATION.

In the year 1774 the colonies united in the plan of a Congress to consult on the common good, and to resist the claims of the English Parliament. It was to be composed of delegates from the different colonies.

The Continental Congress assembled in May, 1775, which carried on the affairs of the country until the war had almost closed.

But in order to form a more efficient union, a Confederation of the States was formed under certain articles called "Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union between the States." They were to go into effect when the assent of all the States was gained. Maryland delayed consent until March,

1781. They were therefore not effective until about two years before the revolutionary war closed.

(See articles of Confederation.)

This Confederation was found to be radically defective, having reference mainly to the condition of the country in the time of war instead of peace. It was inherently weak, in that it had merely a Legislative department and no Executive and Judicial Department. It could do but little more than recommend measures. It could borrow money but it had no means of raising money to pay the debts contracted. It could determine what number of troops the several States should furnish, but it could not enforce its demands. It could levy no Taxes or Duties, that power being reserved to the several States. Each State .mposed such duties with foreign countries and with the other States, as it saw fit. Hence arose discord and Jealousies.

Convention of 1786.-The Legislature of Virginia in January, 1786, proposed a convention of commissioners to take into account the subject of trade and commercial regulations. The commissioners of five States

only, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Virginia met 'pursuant to the call at Annapolis, Maryland, in September, 1786. These commissioners recommended a general convention of all the Stites to meet in Philadelphia in May, 1787, to consider, not the regulations of commerce, but amendments to the articles of confederation to make the union of the States more effective.

Convention of 1787.-In accordance with this recommendation, in February, 1787, Congress passed a resolution calling for a convention. All the States, except Rhode Island, sent delegates, who met and framed the present Constitution of the United States, and recommended Congress to submit it to the several States for their adoption.

Adoption of Constitution.-As soon as nine States ratified the Constitution it was to go into effect as far as those States were concerned. In July, 1788, the ninth State, New Hampshire, sent in its ratification. North Carolina and Rhode Island did not send their ratification until one year after the government was organized.

ON Monday, the 5th of September, 1774, there were assembled at Carpenter's Hall, in the city of Philadelphia, a number of men who had been chosen and appointed by the several colonies in North America to hold a Congress for the purpose of discussing certain grievances imputed against the mother country. This Congress resolved, on the next day, that each colony should have one vote only. On Tuesday, the 2d of

United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, Free and Independent States," etc., etc.; and on Thursday, the 4th July, the whole Declaration of Independence having been agreed upon, it was publicly read to the people. Shortly after, on the 9th of September, it was resolved that the words "United Colonies" should be no longer used, and that the "United States of America" should thenceforward be the style and title of the Union. On Saturday, the 15th of November, 1777, "Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union of the United States of America" were agreed to by the State delegates,

subject to the ratification of the State legislatures severally Eight of the States ratified these articles on the 9th July, 1778; one on the 21st July; one on the 24th July; one on the 26th November of the same year; one on the 22d February, 1779; and the last one on the Ist March, 1781. Here was a bond of union between thirteen independent States, whose delegates in Congress legislated for the general welfare, and executed certain powers so far as they were permitted by the articles aforesaid. The following are the names of the Presidents of the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1788:

Peyton Randolph. Virginia.........
Henry Middleton, South Carolina.
Peyton Randolph, Virginia..
John Hancock, Massachusetts..
Henry Laurens, South Carolina..
John Jay, New York.....

Samuel Huntington, Connecticut....
Thomas McKean, Delaware..

..5th Sept., 1774. .22d Oct., 1774. .10th May, 177524th May, 1776. 1st Nov., 1777. 10th Dec., 1778. .....28th Sept, 1779. ..10th July, 1781.

The seat of government was established as follows: At Philadelphia, Pa., commencing September 5, 1774, and May 10, 1775; at Baltimore, Md., December 20, 1776; at Philadelphia, Pa., March 4, 1777; at Lancaster, Pa., September 27, 1777; at York, Pa., September 30, 1777; at Philadelphia, Pa., July 2, 1778; at Princeton, N. J., June 30, 1783; at Annapolis, Md., Novem ber 26, 1783; at Trenton, N. J., November 1, 1784; and at New York City, N. Y., January 11, 1785.

On the 4th March, 1789, the present Constitution, which had been adopted by a convention and ratified by the requisite number of States, went into operation.

HE news of the passage of the stamp act fell upon North Carolina like a spark into a powder magazine. The explosion of indignation shook the colony to its center, while John Ashe, speaker of the General Assembly, rung the articulate echo in the ear of Gov. Tryon: "This law will be resisted to blood and death!" When the sloop of war Diligence anchored off Cape Fear with stamped paper for the use of the colony, the brave men of Hanover and Brunswick, headed by the heroic Ashe and Waddell, prohibited the terrified captain from landing the cargo. From thence they marched to Wilmington, besieged the governor's palace, and extorted from him a pledge, and swore his stamp-master not to attempt the execution of the law. Here the king, parliament, and viceroy were all defied. Here we have an act far transcending in daring the Boston tea party, who were disguised as Indians to escape identification, while here the act was performed in open day, the parties were without disguise, and known, and it was because they were known, that the governor capitulated in his castle.

And yet the feat of tumbling the tea into Boston harbor is known to every school-boy in the land, and the last celebration of the event was held in the rotunda of the national capital.

hunters of Kentucky, who, on receiving the news named their camping-ground Lexington, now the site of a flourishing city, in memory of the battle-ground which had been consecrated by the blood of the patriots. Upon receiving the news, the patriots of Mecklenburg swarmed from the "Hornet's Nest." They met in convention on the 19th, and continued their session into the 20th of May, 1775, on which day they gave to the world the Mecklenburg declaration of independence. This declaration was not the child of a patriotic frenzy which was not expected to outlive the paroxysm which gave it birth. It was the result of profound wisdom, sagacity, and statesmanship."

With faith in God, they saw no path of escape, except that which was illuminated by the light which flashed from the patriot's sword. They saw no sovereign remedy for their dircful woes, except in absolute and unconditional indepenaence. And they were the first to reach the height of this conclusion, and the first to embody in it a high resolve upon the American conti

nent.

In full view of the gibbets of Alamance-with a full conviction that they would have to toil up a path slippery with blood to the grandeur of independence, yet their patriotism and courage towered and expanded before the danger, and burning the bridge behind them, they hung their banners on the outer walls.' "" All honor to the twenty-seven noble signers of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence! Eulogy cannot overdraw their praise, nor admiration surpass their merit. Lef each name be consecrated to Freedom, and each find a sanctuary in every patriot's heart. But some would make the

disparaging insinuation that their declaration was only the expression of the prevailing sentiment at the time. The facts of history do not sustain the position. Washington "abhorred the idea of independence" when he took command of the army, and he had rolled the tide of war about one year before he was committed to the idea. Mr. Jefferson, in a letter dated 25th of August, 1775, said he would "rather be in dependence on Great Britain, properly limited, than on any other nation upon earth," but added, "rather than submit to the right of legislating for us, assumed in the British Parliament, I would lend my hand to sink the whole island in the ocean. * * * On the 8th of July, 1775, every member of the continental congress signed a petition to the king, stating that they have not "raised armies with the ambitious design of separating from Great Britain and establishing independence." Other evidence might be multiplied to the same effect. None of these had the ring of the old Mecklenburg declaration; but they show the fact that up to the 4th of July, '76, the continental war was waged for the redress of grievances, and not for independence. Thus, it is clear that the morning star of American independence first rose upon the field of Mecklenburg. *

* *

(The orator here discusses tne authenticity of the declaration at length, but we need not go over it with him.)

The voice of Mecklenburg now became the voice of the whole colony, and the voice of the colony soon became the voice of the united colonies, which proclaimed the united Declaration of Independence to the nations of the earth. The provincial assembly of North Carolina on the 12th of April, 1776, was first to instruct her delegates in the continental congress to "concur with the other colonies in declaring independence." Virginia, that grand old State, menaced by a similar diabolical scheme of massacre and insurrection, planned by Gov. Dunmore, next instructed her delegates to vote

for independence, on the 15th of May. As remarked by an impartial writer: "No members of that body (the continental congress) brought with them credentials of a bolder stamp than the delegates of North Carolina.”

THE MECKLENBURG DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.

(Charlotte, North Carolina, May 20, 1775-)

There are few facts better attested in all history than the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence.

That questions may be raised that cannot be fully answered in regard to it, matters little; for that, as any candid person must admit, may not only occur with regard to any historical fact, but with regard to any, the most recent affair even, the actors and witnesses in which are all living. Many living men have conversed with those who either participated in making the Mecklenburg declaration or were present when it was made. Well-authenticated copies of the original declaration are in existence, made by a survivor of the Mecklenburg committee into whose hands all the records passed; and if the original document itself be not forthcoming, that is well accounted for by the fact that it was burned when the house in which it was kept was destroyed by fire. Moreover, the legislature of North Carolina, years ago, when the question was first mooted, appointed a commission to inquire into the authenticity of the declaration, and this commission found fourteen survivors, respectable and intelligent, who all made solemn affidavit that a declaration of independence was made at Charlotte, Mecklenburg county, during the month of May, 1775, they being present, some of them members of the county committee, and seven were positive that the date was the 20th or May.

Any one who glances at the colonial history or