rupted, especially in pronunciation. Attempts are making to introduce an uniformity of pronunciation throughout the States, which for political, as well as other, reafons, it is hoped will meet the approbation and encouragement of all literary and influential characters.

Intermingled with the Americans, are the Dutch, Scotch, Irish, French, Germans, Swedes, and Jews; all thefe, except the Scotch and Irish, retain in a greater or lefs degree, their native language, in which they perform their public worship, converfe and tranfact their business with

each other.

The time, however, is anticipated, when all improper distinctions shall be abolished; and when the language, manners, customs, political and religious fentiments of the mixed mass of people who inhabit the United States, fhall become fo affimilated, as that all nominal diftinctions shall be loft in the general and honourable name of AMERICANS,

GOVERNMENT.

UNTIL the fourth of July, 1776, the prefent United States were British colonies. On that memorable day, the Reprefentatives of the United States of America, in Congrefs affembled, made a folemn declaration, in which they affigned their reafons for withdrawing their allegiance from the King of Great Britain. Appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of their intentions, they did, in the name and by the authority of the good people of the colonies, folemnly publish and declare, That thefe United Colonies were, and of right ought to be, Free and Independent States; that they were abfolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connection between them and Great Britain, was, and ought to be, totally diffolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they had full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, eftablish commerce, and do all other acts and things, which Independent States may of right do. For the fupport of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, the delegates then in Congrefs, fifty-five in number, mutually pledged to each other their lives, their fortunes, and their facred honour.

At the fame time they published articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union between the States, in which they took the title of "The United States of America," and agreed, that each State fhould retain its fovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right, not exprefsly delegated to Congrefs by the confederation. By thefe articles, the Thirteen United States feverally entered into a firm league of friendship with each other for their common defence, the feVOL. I. curity.

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curity of their liberties, and their mutual and general welfare, and bound themselves to affift each other, against all force, offered to, or attacks that might be made upon all, or any of them, on account of religion fovereignty, commerce, or any other pretence whatever. But for the more convenient management of the general interests of the United States, it was determined, that Delegates fhould be annually appointed, in fuch manner as the Legiflature of each State fhould direct, to meet in Congress the first Monday in November of every year; with a power referved to each State to recall its delegates, or any of them, at any time within the year, and to fend others in their ftead for the remainder of the year. No State was to be reprefented in Congress by less than two, or more than feven members; and no perfon could be a delegate for more than three years, in any term of fix years, nor was any perfon, being a delegate, capable of holding any office under the United States, for which he, or any other for his benefit, fhould receive any falary, fees, or emolument of any kind. In determining queftions in Congrefs, each State was to have one vote. Every State was bound to abide by the determinations of Congress in all questions which were submitted to them by the confederation. The articles of confederation were to be invariably obferved by every State, and the Union to be perpetual: nor was any alteration at any time afterwards to be made in any of the articles, unlefs fuch alterations were agreed to in Congress, and afterwards confirmed by the legislatures of every State. The articles of confederation were ratified by Congrefs, July 9th, 1778.

Thefe articles of confederation being found inadequate to the purposes of a federal government, for reafons hereafter mentioned, delegates were chofen in each of the United States, to meet and fix upon the necessary amendments. They accordingly met in convention at Philadelphia, in the fummer of 1787, and agreed to propofe the following conftitution for the confideration of their conftituents:

CONSTITUTION.

WE, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish juftice, infure domeftic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and fecure the bleffings of liberty to ourselves and our pofterity, do ordain and establish, this Conftitution for the United States of America,

ARTICLE I.

SECT. I. ALL legiflative powers herein granted fhall be vested in a Congrefs of the United States, which fhall confift of a Senate and House of Reprefentatives,

SECT. !!

SPCT. 11. The Houfe of Reprefentatives fhall be compofed of members chofen every fecond year by the people of the feveral ftates, and the electors in each ftate fhall have the qualifications requifite for electors of the most numerous branch of the state legislature.

No perfon fhall be a reprefentative who fhall not have attained to the age of twenty-five years, and been feven years à citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that state in which he fhall be chofen.

Representatives and direct taxes, fhall be apportioned among the feveral ftates which may be included within this Union, according to their refpective numbers, which fhall be determined by adding to the whole number of free perfons, including those bound to fervice for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three-fifths of all other perfons. The actual enumeration fhall be made within three years after the first meeting of the Congrefs of the United States, and within every fubfequent term of ten years, in fuch manner as they shall by law direct. The number of reprefentatives shall not exceed one for every thirty thousand, but each state shall have at least one representative; and until such enumeration fhall be made, the ftate of New-Hampshire fhall be entitled to choose three, Maffachusetts eight, Rhode-Ifland and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New-York fix, New-Jerfey four, Penfylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland fix, Virginia ten, North-Carolina five, South-Carolina five, and Georgia three.

When vacancies happen in the representation of any state, the executive authority thereof, fhall iffue writs of election to fill fuch vacancies. The Houfe of Reprefentatives fhall choofe their Speaker and other. officers; and fhall have the fole power of impeachment.

SECT. II. The Senate of the United States fhall be compofed of two fenators from each ftate, chofen by the legislature thereof, for fix years; and each fenator fhall have one vote.

Immediately after they fhail be affembled, in confequence of the first election, they fhall be divided as equally as may be into three claffes. The feats of the fenators of the firft clafs fhall be vacated at the expiration of the fecond year; of the fecond clafs at the expiration of the fourth year; and of the third clafs at the expiration of the fixth, year, fo that one third may be chofen every fecond year; and if vacancies happen by refignation, or otherwife, during the recefs of the legislature of any state, the executive power thereof may make temporary appointments until the next meeting of the legislature, which fhall then All fuch vacancies.

No perfon fhall be a fenator who shall not have attained to the age of thirty

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thirty years, and been nine years a citizen of the United States, and who fhall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that fate for which he shall be chofen.

The vice-prefident of the United States fhall be prefident of the fenate, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided.

The fenate fhall choose their other officers, and alfo a prefident pro tempore, in the abfence of the vice-prefident, or when he shall exercife the office of prefident of the United States.

The fenate shall have the fole power to try all impeachments. When fitting for that purpose, they fhall be on oath or affirmation. When the prefident of the United States is tried, the chief justice shall prefide: And no perfon fhall be convicted, without the concurrence of two-thirds of the members prefent.

Judgment in cafes of impeachment, fhall not extend further than to removal from office, and difqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honour, truft, or profit under the United States; but the party convicted fhall nevertheless be liable and fubject to indictment, trial, judgment, and punishment according to law.

SECT. IV. The times, places, and manner of holding elections for fenators and reprefentatives, fhall. be fubfcribed in each state by the legisla ture thereof; but the Congrefs may at any time by law, make or alter fuch regulations, except as to the places of choofing fenators.

The Congress shall affemble at least once in every year, and such meeting fhall be on the firft Monday in December, unless they fhall by law appoint a different day.

Each houfe fhall be the judge of the elections, returns, and qualifications of its own members, and a majority of each fhall conftitute a quorum to do bufinefs; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorifed to compel the attendance of abfent members, in fuch manner, and under fuch penalties as each house may provide.

Each houfe may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for diforderly behaviour, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member.

Each houfe fhall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from time to time publish the fame, excepting fuch parts as may in their judgment require fecrecy; and the yeas and nays of the members of either house, on any question, fhall at the defire of one fifth of those present, be entered on the journal.

Neither houfe, during the feffion of Congrefs, fhall, without the con

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fent of the other, a'journ for more than three days, nor to any other place than that in which the two houfes fhall be fitting.

SECT. VI. The Senators and Reprefentatives fhall receive a compenfation for their fervices, to be ascertained by law, and paid out of the treasury of the United States. They fhall, in all cafes, except treason, felony, and breach of the peace, be privileged from arreft during their attendance at the feffion of their refpective houfes, and in going to and returning from the fame; and for any fpeech or debate in either houfe, they fhall not be queftioned in any other place.

No fenator or reprefentative fhall, during the time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil office under the authority of the United States, which fhall have been created, or the emoluments whereof shall have been increafed during fuch time; and no perfon holding any office under the United States, fhall be a member of either Houfe during his continuance in office.

. SECT. VII. All bills for raifing revenue shall originate in the House of Reprefentatives; but the Senate may propofe or concur with amendments, as on other bills.

Every bill which fhall have paffed the Houfe of Representatives and the Senate, fhall, before it becomes a law, be prefented to the Prefident of the United States; if he approve, he shall fign it, but if not, he shall return it, with his objections, to that house in which it originated, who fhall enter the objections at large on their journal, and proceed to reconfider it. If, after fuch re-confideration, two thirds of that house fhall agree to pass the bill, it fhall be fent, together with the objections, to the other house, by which it fhall likewise be re-confidered, and if approved by two thirds of that houfe, it fhall become a law. But in all fuch cafes the votes of both houfes fhall be determined by yeas and nays, and the names of the perfons voting for and against the bill shall be entered on the journal of each houfe refpectively. If any bill shall not be returned by the Prefident within ten days, Sundays excepted, after it shall have been prefented to him, the fame fhall be a law, in like manner as if he had figned it, unless the Congrefs, by their adjourn ment, prevent its return, in which cafe it fhall not be a law.

Every order, refolution, or vote, to which the concurrence of the Senate and House of Reprefentatives may be neceffary (except on a queftion of adjournment) fhall be prefented to the Prefident of the United States; and before the fame fhall take effect, fhall be approved by him, or, being difapproved by him, fhall be re-paffed by two thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the rules and limitations prescribed in the cafe of a bill.

SECT. VIII.