Maumee express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1838-01-27
CONVERSATIONS ON HISTORY.
UNCLE GEORGE AND THE CHILDREN.
NUMBER /.

/ UNCLE GEORGE AND THE CHILDREN.
NUMBER I. =
| Caarles-Uncle, | wish you would
tellus something about the first Congress
that met in this country.
| Uncle-Well, boys, as the evenings
are getting long, | will tell you stories
occasionally that will be beneficial 10
you hereafter and according to your de-
sire, will commence by giving YOU an
account of the first American Congress.
You must understand that on that occa.
sion, Delegates met from New Hamp.
shire, Massachusetts, Bay, Rhode Island
and Providence Plantations, Connect.
cut, from the city and county Of New.
York, and other counties in The Province
of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylya.
MIA, New Castle, Kent and Sussex on
the Delaware river. Maryland, Virginia.
and from South Carolina.
Henry-Where did they meet Unclci
Uncle--They met at Carpenters Hall
in the city of Philadelphia, on the 9Th
Of September, l774.
% William--Was this Congress the
same as those that are held at the pres.
ent time? an N ~ sHg
Uncle-No; they met and formed
themselves into body which consisted
OF but one House. 5gl1
Charlcs-Who was the Speaker, I'm
Gle? t7 lea iia ga :
Uncle-Pcyton Randolph was unani-
mously elected President, and Charles
Thompson, Secretary. After their or
ganization, the House adopted rules in
debating and determining questions,
which were, lst. That each Colony or
Province should have one vote. I'd.
No person should speak more than twice
on the same subject, without leave. Sd.
No question could be determined the day
on which it was agitatcd and debated,
if any one of the colonies desired the
determination to be postponed to anotb-
er day. 4th. The door was to be kept
shut during the time of business, and the
members to consider themselves under
the strongest obligations of honor to
keep the proceedings secret until the
majority should direct them to be made
public.
Hen,y-Well, Uncle, what did this
Congress meet for?
Uncle-I cannotgive you better idea
OF what their intentions were, than by
telling you what were their first acts.
The first thing they did was 10 appoint
a committee to state the rights Of the
Colonies in general-the several instan-
ces in which those rights had been viola
ted or infringed, and the means most
proper to be pursued for obtainin a res
toration Of them. A committee was al
so appointed to examine and report the
several statutes which affected the trade
and manufactures of the Colonies. The
Congress was opened by prayer--a rev.
erential formality, whichis still observed.
Charles--Isuppose, Uncle, they were
poorly provided for-they had no pub
lie buildings, no Library for the use Of
the Members, &c. st boog @si
Uncle-The directors OF the Library
Company of Philadelphia, allowed, the
delegates the use Of such books as they
might have occasion Tor during their sit.
ting. gaa 05j ,giiiliiH no
Hemy--Dld all the States send dele
gates? ~ @laon o. 9balailj-ai u
Uncle---The delegates from North
Carolina did not take their seats until the
18th of September, and the Georgia del.
egate did not appear until the 18Th Of
May in the year following Iig@s.ae
William-Was all connexion between
the mother countryan and the Colonies dis
solved, at this time 2 ggea
Uncle--Congress took immediate steps
to prevent all connexion between the
two countries. On the 10Th Of Sept. it
was unanimously resolved that Congress
request the merchants and others, intle
several Colonies not to send to Great
Britain any orders for goods, and 10 d.
rect the execution Of all orders already
sent to be delayed or suspended, until
he sense of the. Congress on the means
10 be taken for the preservation Of the
iberties Of America, should be- madc
public. aa M ssafa rsoais iasba
Henry--Did the people obey this re-
quest 7 9 iaWi saa'i
Uncle Congress took immediate steps
oenforcc this request, for | find thaton
he 9th Of the same month, they unani-
nously resolved, that from and after the
st day Of December following, there
hall be no importation into BritishAme.l