Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1872-01-31

Now England colonies. A proposition
was introduced for n union of all the
colonies, and committee of one from
each colony was appointed to draft
form for union. DR.. Franklin sug.
gested grand council Of forty.four
members, as follows, viz: Six from
Pennsylvania, seven from Massachu.
sets, seven from Virginia; five from
Connecticut, four from New York,
four from Maryland, two from each of
the Carolinas, three from New Jersey,
two from New Hampshire, and two
from Rhode Island. This council was
to have power to apportion between
the colonies the quotas Of men and
money, to arrange colonial defense,
&c, &c, to have a head appointed by
the King, with the title Of president
Genera" who was to have veto
power. This was promptly voted
down, on the ground that it gave the
crown too much power In the fol.
lowing year convention was called
in New York for the purpose Of form.
ing some united action against the
stamp act. 1t was in session three
weeks, but did nothing but make
Declaration of Rights and Griev
ances."
Tracing the colonial history, we
find that tor ten years longer tho
same almost unconquerable repug.
nance to any sort of political union
existed, until in May, l775, the in
creasing exactions Of the crown caused
a grand convention TO assemble on the
10th of May, az which union of all
the colonies was effected under the
following style and title:
ARTICLES Of Confederation aud Perpetual Union
entered into By the Delegates Of the several Colo
mics, &C., in General Assembly met, at Philadel-
phia, May 10th, 1875:
art. lst. The name of this confederacy shall
henceiorth be tho United Colonies Of North
| America.
"Ar ID The United Colonies hereby severally
enter into firm league Of friendship with each
other, binding Themselves and their postority, for
| their common defense against their enemies. for
the security Of their liberties and properties the
safety of their persons and families, and their
tual general welfare.
"Art. 3d. That each colony shall enjoy and re-
tain as much as 1t may think 1t Of is own pres
ent laws customs, rights, privileges, aud peculiar
jurisdiction within its own limits and may amend
its own constitution shall seem best 10 its own
Assembly or Convention.
art 18th. These articles shall be proposcd to
the several Provincial Conventions or Assemblies,
to be by them considered; aud il approved they
are advised TO empower their delegates to ratiiy
the same in the ensuing Congress; after which the
union thereby established is to continue firm till
the terms Of reconciliation proposed by the last
Congress to the King agreed 10 till rcparation
is made for the injury done to Boston, by shutting
up its port for burning Charleston aud for the
expense Of this unjust war; and until the British
troops are withdrawn from America. On the ar
rival Of these events the colonies are to return to
their former connection and friendship with Grea.
Britain but on failure thereof, this confederation
is to be perpetual
This, although the second colonial
union, considering the New England
union of 1913, was the first union that
embraced all the American colonies
1t was under this union that General
Washington was made Commander.
in. Chief of the armies of the United
States. BY resolution of Congress,
July 2, l776, the name of the confed.
eracy was changed from "Colonies" TO
Estates" On account of the fortunes
of war and other causes, the Congress
was of a somewhat migratory charac.
ter. 1t met at Philadelphia in Au.
gust, l776, and adjourned 10 meet at
Baltimore on December 90 From
Baltimore it adjourned to meet at
Philadelphia again, on the 18th of
March. From Philadelphia it fitted
to Lancaster, then withdrew to York,
and roceeded back to Philadelphia,
and from there went to Princeton,
New Jersey.
Here the title clearly expresses tho
nature of tho union, viz "COnfed-
erdcy Of United Colonies and a "Firm
league Of friendship
The meaning of the word federal,
from the Latin feduS, means league
or covenant. IN this sense we find it
applied to contracts between sovcr-
eigns. In this instance it was COM
pact between sovereign colonies, for
the colonies asserted their sovereign.
ty, or right over the things agreed
upon, by this very act of federation.
Prior to the establishment of the union
between them, they were distinct and
Independent of each other, and if we
are to believe the record they left,
that it was "a league of friendship"
and no moro, they were no less so ai'
forwards, save in matters OF external
defense and common interests.
Although the union of 1875 was
styled perpetual" the same parties
that formed it broke il up in the Soc
ond year of lndepcndcncc-about
three years after they had established
liz. Congress formed new articles of
federation on the lst day OF Novem.
Der, l777, and by tho adoption of those
articles seeded from tho general
government they had formed less than
three years before. They went out in
the following order; New Hampshire,
Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode
Island, New York, Virginia, South
Carolina and Pennsylvania on July
9th, lT7s; North Carolina, July 2is'j
Georgia, on tho 9th; Now Jersey, on
November Goth; Delaware, February