For protecting them, by a mock trial, from punishment for any murders which they should commit on the inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing taxes on us without our consent:

For depriving us, in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury:
For transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free system of English Laws in a neighboring province, establishing therein an arbitrary government, and enlarging its boundaries, so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:

For taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws, and altering, fundamentally, the forms of our governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated government here, by declaring us out of his protection, and waging war against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is, at this time, transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun, with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow-citizens, taken captive on the high seas, to bear arms against their country, to become the executioners of their friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes, and conditions.

In every stage of these oppressions, we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms; our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have we been wanting in attention to our British brethren. We have warned them, from time to time, of attempts made by their Legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them, by the ties of our common kindred, to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They, too, have been deaf to the voice of justice and consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war; in peace, friends. We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of the good people of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, 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; and that, as free and independent States, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which Independent States may of right do. And, for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.

Signed by order and in behalf of Congress.

Name.

1 John Adams.
2 Samuel Adams.
3 Josiah Bartlett..

4 Carter Braxton.

5 Charles Carroll..

6 Samuel Chase.

7 Abraham Clark. 8 George Clymer. 9 William Ellery. 10 William Floyd..

11 Benjamin Franklin.
12 Elbridge Gerry..
13 Button Gwinnett.
14 Lyman Hall..

15 John Hancock.

16 Benjamin Harrison. 17 John Hart..

18 Joseph Hewes..

19 Thomas Heyward, Jr.
20 William Hooper..
21 Stephen Hopkins..
22 Francis Hopkinson..
23 Samuel Huntington.
24 Thomas Jefferson..
25 Francis Lightfoot Lee.
26 Richard Henry Lee..
27 Francis Lewis..
28 Philip Livingston..

29 Thomas Lynch, Jr.

39 Thomas McKean. 31 Arthur Middleton.

32 Lewis Morris..

33 Robert Morris.

34 John Morton.

35 Thomas Nelson, Jr. 36 William Paca.

37 Robert Treat Paine.

38 John Penn....

39 George Read.
40 Cæsar Rodney.
41 George Ross...
42 Benjamin Rush.
43 Edward Rutledge.
44 Roger Sherman.
45 James Smith.

46 Richard Stockton..
47 Thomas Stone..
48 George Taylor..
49 Matthew Thornton.
50 George Walton..
51 William Whipple.
52 William Williams.

53 James Wilson.

54 John Witherspoon.

55 Oliver Wolcott.

56 George Wythe.....

A Convention was held at Charlotte, Mecklenburgh County, N. C., May 20th, 1775, which announced a Declaration of Independence severing the people, represented by the Convention, from their allegiance to the Crown of Great Britain. It was not until the early part of the year 1776 that the idea of independence was seriously entertained throughout the Colonies. In Congress, Friday, June 7th, 1776, Richard Henry Lee moved that "these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, * * and that a plan of confederation be prepared and transmitted to the respective Colonies for their consideration and approval." This was adopted June 11th. The Committee to prepare the Declaration of Independence were: Thos. Jefferson, John Adams, Benj. Franklin, Roger Sherman and Robert B. Livingston. They reported June 28th, and the Declaration was adopted unanimously July 4th, 1776.

CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.

ON the 14th of May, 1787, the Federal Convention assembled in Philadelphia, and took up for revision and amendment the first Constitution of the United States, which had been previously adopted. The convention, presided over by George Washington, was in session from May 14th to September 17th, inclusive. Congress had been urged by appeals from the several States to adopt a resolution calling for such a convention, the first Constitution not being considered broad enough in its provisions to serve the purposes of the government and the people.

At this convention, composed as it was of the ablest men in the country, each of the thirteen original States were represented, with the exception of Rhode Island. Congress approved the Constitution, and it was adopted and ratified by eleven of the States before the close of 1788. Later on North Carolina and Rhode Island signified their approval. As a State paper the Constitution of the United States has always been looked upon by other nations as one of the wisest, soundest and most practical efforts ever made to form a basis of government both for the nation and for the people.

CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

WE, THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES, IN ORDER TO FORM A MORE PERFECT UNION, ESTABLISH JUSTICE, INSURE DOMESTIC TRANQUILLITY, PROVIDE FOR THE COMMON DEFENCE, PROMOTE THE GENERAL WELFARE, AND SECURE THE BLESSINGS OF LIBERTY TO OURSELVES AND OUR POSTERITY, DO ORDAIN AND ESTABLISH THIS CONSTITUTION FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

ARTICLE I.

SECTION I. All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

SEC. II.-1. The House of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several States, and the electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State Legislature.

2. No person shall be a representative who shall not have attained the age of twenty-five years, and been seven years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.

3. Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their re spective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three-fifths of all other persons. The actual enumeration shall be made within three years after the first meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent term of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct. The number of representatives

shall not exceed one for every thirty thousand, but each State shall have at least one representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled to choose three; Massachusetts, eight; Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, one; Connecticut, five; New York, six; New Jersey, four; Pennsylvania, eight; Delaware, one; Maryland, six; Virginia, ten; North Carolina, five; South Carolina, five; and Georgia, three. 4. When vacancies happen in the representation from any State, the executive authority thereof shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies. 5. The House of Representatives shall choose their speaker and other officers; and shall have the sole power of impeachment.

SEC. III.-1. The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six years; and each senator shall have one vote.

The

2. Immediately after they shall be assembled in consequence of the first election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three classes. seats of the senators of the first class shall be vacated at the expiration of the second year, of the second class at the expiration of the fourth year, and of the third class at the expiration of the sixth year, so that one-third may be chosen every second year; and if vacancies happen by resignation, or otherwise, during the recess of the Legislature of any State, the executive thereof may make temporary appointments until the next meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such vacancies.

secrecy; and the yeas and nays of the members of either House on any question shall, at the desire of one-fifth of those present, be entered on the journal.

4. Neither House, during the session of Congress, shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.

SEC. VI.-1. The senators and representatives shall receive a compensation for their services, to be ascertained by law, and paid out of the treasury of the United States. They shall in all cases, except treason, felony, and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance at the session of their respective Houses, and in going to or returning from the same; and for any speech or debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other place.

2. No senator or representative shall, during the time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil office under the authority of the United States, which shall have been created, or the emoluments of which shall have been increased during such time; and no person holding any office under the United States shall be a member of either House during his continuance in office.

SEC. VII.-1. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments, as on other bills.

2. Every bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the President of the United States; if he approve, he shall sign it; but if not, he shall return it, with his objections, to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the objections at large on their journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such reconsideration two-thirds of that House shall agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent, together with the objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered; and if approved by two-thirds of that House, it shall become a law. But in all such cases the votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and nays; and the names of the persons voting for and against the bill shall be entered on the journal of each House, respectively. If any bill shall not be returned by the President within ten days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a law, in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their adjournment prevent its return; in which case it shall not be a law.

3. Every order, resolution, or vote to which the concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the United States; and before the same shall take effect, shall be approved by him, or, being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two-thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the rules and limitations prescribed in the case of a bill.

SEC. VIII.-The Congress shall have power

1. To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defence and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts, and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

2. To borrow money on the credit of the United States;

3. To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian tribes;

4. To establish an uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States;

5. To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures;

6. To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States;