upon as the place of meeting. Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and South Carolina elected commissioners. Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia were not represented, the governors of these colonies having refused to call the assemblies together to appoint delegates. New Hampshire thought it prudent not to send delegates, although she approved the plan.

This was the first general meeting of the colonies for the purpose of considering their relations to the mother country, to determine their rights and privileges, and to petition for redress for the violation of these rights on the part of the home government.

In their declaration of rights and grievances they -claimed that the colonists were entitled to all the inherent rights and liberties of subjects within the kingdom of Great Britain; "that it is inseparably essential to. the freedom of the people, and the undoubted right of Englishmen, that no tax be imposed upon them, but with their own consent, given personally or by their representatives."

The Stamp Act was repealed, but the British ministers still persisted in their attempts to coerce the colonies; and the duties imposed were quite as obnoxious as the Stamp Act had been. They now determined to form a closer union for their own protection, and the colonies united in sending delegates to Philadelphia with the general authority "to meet and consult together for the common welfare."

THE FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS. This was the first continental congress. It was proposed by Massachusetts, and the name "continental congress" was sug

gested by her. On the 5th of September, 1774, delegates from twelve of the thirteen colonies assembled at Philadelphia. Georgia, the youngest colony, alone was unrepresented. Many distinguished men were members of this congress. Among them were John Adams and Samuel Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, John Jay of New York, George Washington, Peyton Randolph, Richard Henry Lee, and Patrick Henry of Virginia. Randolph was chosen president,

and the congress proceeded to business.

The first resolution adopted was one which subsequently proved of great importance. It provided as follows: "That in determining questions in this congress each colony or province shall have one vote." This rule of equal state suffrage remained in force through the entire history of the second continental congress, and down to the adoption of the constitution in 1789.

ADDRESSES.

Their session was short, and their busi ness quickly dispatched. They adopted an address to the king, one to the people of Great Britain, another to the inhabitants of the several colonies, and another to the inhabitants of Quebec. These addresses were dignified, yet bold and decided. They were drawn up with such consummate ability, that Lord Chatham was forced to speak of them in terms of the highest admiration. It was the confident belief of the majority of the members of this congress, that the measures which they had adopted, if supported by the American people, as indeed they were, would produce a wholesome redress of their grievances. In this view they were disappointed. They adjourned after recommending that another congress should convene on the 10th of May

of the next year, provided that a redress of grievances was not previously obtained.

THE SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS.-The breach between England and the colonies became wider. Consequently, in accordance with the recommendation of the first continental congress, delegates were appointed by the several colonies, who met in Philadelphia on the 10th of May, 1775. As in the first congress, some of the delegates were chosen by conventions, and some by the legislatures. In almost every instance the several colonies appointed the same delegates that had served them the previous year. This body is known as the second continental congress. It became the national government of this people, and continued its sessions for fourteen years.

The colonies are now upon the eve of the great revolutionary war. They have convened that body which brought forth the declaration of independence, and which carried on the war to a happy termination in the acknowledged independence of the United States of America.

Before proceeding with this history, let us retrace our steps, and consider more particularly the condition of the colonies previous to this time, with special reference to their forms of government.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE COLONIAL GOVERNMENTS: THEIR SPECIFIC FORMS.

THE leading nations of Europe, at an early date, undertook voyages of discovery in North America, and fitted out colonies to settle at various points upon the new continent. This new world, but vaguely known, was then supposed to contain mines of the fabulous wealth and to have a climate of such a wonderful character as to prolong life indefinitely. The Spanish, particularly, had heard of a wonderful fountain in this fairy-land, by bathing in which one could renew his youth. It was supposed that the natives were accustomed to wear the most costly jewels, and that the very sand upon the fields and upon the banks of the rivers sparkled with gold. Moreover, the hope of finding a short passage to the East Indies stimulated the government to fit out vessels and send them on voyages of discovery.

Spain, at this time, was one of the richest and most powerful of the nations of Europe. Her conquests in the new world gave her great riches, and so increased. her power as to make the other governments more anxious, both to establish colonies and to find a western passage to India.

Three of these European powers put forth greater efforts than others, and as we have already seen, vied with each other for supremacy on this continent.

States, Spain made settlements only in Florida, New Mexico, and California. She sent many vessels on voyages of discovery, which coasted along the Pacific coast from Mexico northward as far as latitude 50, and the oldest permanent settlement in our country was made by the Spanish at St. Augustine, Fla., in 1565. This nation had also the honor of establishing the second oldest town, Santa Fé, N.M., which was settled about twenty years after the Spanish had established themselves at St. Augustine.

ENGLAND. The English made their first permanent settlement on a little island in the York river, Virginia, in 1607.

THE FRENCH.-France effected permanent settlements in the valley of the St. Lawrence, and held the whole valley of the great Mississippi and its numerous and important tributaries.

The Dutch established themselves at New York in 1613. The English at Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620. From this period onward English settlements multiplied at various points along the coast, between the Spanish settlements in Florida and the French in Nova Scotia. The last of these original English colonies was established at Savannah, Georgia, in 1733.

THIRTEEN ENGLISH COLONIES. At the beginning of the Revolution there were thirteen colonies along this coast, all of them weak and feeble, though rapidly increasing in strength and power. These colonies in order of their settlements were: Virginia, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Maryland, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. They were not