separate colonies. There was to be a general council, to be composed of deputies from the several colonies, and a president appointed by the crown, with power to veto all acts of the council. 3. Some of the delegates dissented, on the ground that too much power was placed in the hands of the crown. It was opposed and rejected by the British government, because it put too much power in the hands of the colonists. They then recommended that the governors of the several colonies, with one or two of their councillors, should meet and adopt such measures as the common safety might demand. It was proposed that all necessary funds be drawn from the British treasury, and that parlia ment impose a general tax upon the colonies to repay the same. This proposition was strongly opposed. It was found that any attempt to tax the colonies by parliament, where they were not represented, would create unusual discontent, and the scheme was defeated. 4. The war which soon after commenced was carried on vigorously for about nine years, and was finally terminated by a treaty of peace, signed in 1763, by which the French surrendered to the English their only valuable territory in America. The English colonies founded in America were in almost all cases the result of private enterprise, and no American colony was established at the expense of the government of Great Britain. The soil was claimed as an appendage to the crown, and the early colonists acknowledged some connection with the parent State. Some of the colonies were almost entirely independent. They a plan drawn up? When was it adopted? What did it recommend? Of what was the council to be composed? By whom was the president to be appointed? With what powers? 3. Upon what ground did some of the delegates dissent? Upon what ground was it opposed and rejected by the British government? What did they then recommend? From what source was it proposed to draw the necessary funds? What was parliament then to do? What was found to be the effect of an attempt to tax the colonies by parliament? 4. For what time was the war between the French and English colonies carried on? How terminated? How were the English colonies in America founded? Was any American colony established at the expense of the English government? How was the soil claimed by England! elected their assembly, their council, their governor, and by royal charter were authorized to make, apply, and execute their laws. The colonists were left to themselves in their earliest and most important struggles for existence. They had voluntarily separated themselves from their native land by an ocean of three thousand miles in extent. The excessive heat of summer, the intense cold of winter, and the tomahawk of the savage, rapidly thinned their ranks. When plots were formed by their savage foes for their entire extermination, they trod undismayed their war-path alone. Not a soldier was furnished by the parent country, and not a dollar was contributed towards the expenses of protection. 5. But the liberty of the colonists became more dear to them, when they remembered the sacrifices they had made to establish and protect it. Continued encroachments were made on chartered rights. Charters were demanded, and in some instances surrendered. In other instances they were annulled by a court of chancery. Officers of the highest rank, formerly elected by the people, were afterwards appointed by the crown. Many attempts were made to render these officers independent of the colonial legislature. But the colonists resisted these encroachments, and confined the power of the crown to the narrowest possible limits. Each colony continued to have its legislative assembly, and these assemblies had repeatedly declared that no power could lawfully impose any tax without the consent of the colonial assembly. 6. The British parliament asserted its right to tax the colonies, and insisted on the vigorous execution of the What were some of the colonies authorized to do? In what were the colonists left to themselves? By what had they separated themselves from their native land? What causes had rapidly thinned their ranks? When plots were formed for their extermination, what did they do? Was any aid furnished by the mother country? 5. What rendered the liberties of the colonists more dear to them? What encroachments were made? What change was made in the selec tion of officers? Indeper.dent of what, were attempts made to render these officers? What action did the colonists take? What did each colony continue to have? What did these assemblies repeatedly declare? Navigation Act. In 1764 an act was passed which declared that the bills which had been issued by the colonial government should no longer be regarded as legal currency. About the same time, the House of Commons passed eighteen acts for imposing duties on the colonies. The Stamp Act was deferred to the next session; but the others were immediately enforced. The colonists were greatly excited by the determination of the British parlia ment to carry these acts into immediate effect. Every day the affection of the colonists for the mother country was evidently diminishing, and the determination to resist force by force was more and more cherished. Combinations were formed to resist these acts. They were viewed as violations of the British constitution, and as destructive of the first principles of liberty. The House of Burgesses of Virginia passed spirited resolutions, denying the right of parliament to tax the colonies. The Assembly of Massachusetts recommended a meeting of delegates from each of the colonies to propose an address to his majesty and parliament, imploring relief. 7. On the 7th of October, 1765, twenty-eight delegates assembled in the city of New York. Nine colonies were represented. This congress declared that the colonists. were entitled to all the rights and liberties of natural-born subjects within the kingdom of Great Britain: that the most essential of these were the exclusive power to tax themselves, and the privilege of trial by jury. A petition to the king, and a memorial to each house of parliament, were also agreed upon. The most intense excitement began to appear in all the colonies, which occasionally broke 6. What right did the British parliament assert? Upon what did they insist? What act was passed in reference to the bills issued by the colonial governments? For what purpose were other bills passed about the same time? How many were passed? Was the Stamp Act carried into immediate effect? What effect was produced upon the colonists? For what purpose were combinations formed? In what light were these acts of parliament viewed? What resolutions were passed by the House of Burgesses in Virginia? What did the Assembly of Massachusetts recommend? 7. When and where did the delegates meet? How many colonies were out into acts of violence. The petition of the colonies was not allowed to be read in parliament. The Stamp Act was, however, repealed. 8. In 1767 another act was passed for taxing America, by imposing duties on tea, glass, paper, and other articles. Another act was passed, appointing the officers of the navy as customhouse officers. Another act was passed, restraining the legislature from passing any act whatever, until they had furnished the king's troops with all the articles required by law. These three acts created great alarm among the colonists. If parliament assumed the right to abolish the legislative power of the colonies, some other right guarantied to them by their charters might be attacked, and they might even abolish the charters. CHAPTER IX. CONTINENTAL CONGRESS. 1. THE Continental Congress met at Philadelphia, on the 5th of September, 1774. All the colonies were represented, except Georgia. A series of resolutions, defining the rights of the colonies, and the instances in which they had been violated, were passed. Among the resolutions were the following: "Resolved unanimously, That the inhabitants of the English colonies in North America, by the immutable laws of nature, the principles of the English constitution, and the several charters or compacts, have the following rights: 1. They are entitled to life, liberty, and property; represented? What did they declare? What was agreed upon? Was this petition allowed to be read in parliament ? 8. What three acts were passed in 1767, in reference to the colonies? What was the effect of the passage of these three acts? 1. Where did the Continental Congress meet? When? What colonies were represented? What did they define in their resolutions? By and they have never ceded to any foreign power whatever, a right to dispose of either without their consent; 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 realms of England; 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 or such of them as their local circumstances enable them to exercise and enjoy; 4. That the foundation of English liberty and of all free governments, is a right in the people to participate in their legislative councils; 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 policy, subject only to the negative of their sovereign, in such a manner as has been heretofore used and accustomed. But from the necessity of the case, and a regard to the natural interests of both countries, we cheerfully consent to the operation of such acts of the British parliament as are bona fide restrictive to the regulation of our external commerce for the advantage of the whole empire, and the commercial benefit of its respective members; excluding every idea of taxation, internal or external, for raising a revenue on the subjects in America without their con what title did the colonists possess the rights enumerated? What is the first right defined by their resolutions? To what were their ancestors, who first settled the colonies, entitled at the time of their emigration? What effect did their emigration have upon these rights? What did they declare to be the foundation of English liberty and of all free governments? Were the colonies represented in the British parliament? In what cases did they declare that they were entitled to a free and exclusive power of legislation? Subject only to what? To what acts of the British parliament did they cheerfully consent? To what law were the respective colonies entitled? To what especial privilege? To the |