What are its general provisions? Why is a constitution called the fundamental law?

§ 3. Why is it called the political law? Define body politic. How is a constitution distinguished from ordinary laws?

§ 4. What important political privilege do the people of the United States enjoy, that is not enjoyed by those of other countries?

§ 5. How does a constitution guard the people against the abuse of power?

§ 6. What other object is a constitution designed to effect? Do the people, thus restrained, enjoy less of civil liberty? What would probably be the condition of a people without some constitutional restraints?

CHAPTER V.

How the present Form of Government was introduced into this Country.

§ 1. THE people of the United States, as is probably known by the youngest reader of this work, have not always lived under their present excellent form of government. For more than one hundred and fifty years after the first settlement of this country, they were subject to the government of Great Britain. In 1776, the American colonies, now states, separated themselves from the parent country, and claimed the right to establish a government for themselves.

§ 2. This country was first settled by the English, who claimed it by right of discovery, they having discovered it in 1497, about five years after Columbus had discovered the West India islands. The first permanent settlement, however, was not made until the year 1607, when a colony of 105 persons settled at Jamestown, in Virginia. A few years afterwards, (1620,) a colony was planted in Plymouth, in Massachusetts. After this the number of colonies rapidly increased to twelve, the last of which, Pennsylvania, was settled in 1681. About fifty years thereafter, (1732,) Geor

gia was settled, the last of the thirteen which declared themselves free and independent states.

§ 3. During their connection with Great Britain, the government of the colonies was not one of their own choice, but such as the king was pleased to institute for them. Each colony had a separate and distinct government; but the governments in the different colonies were in many particulars alike. The powers of government were generally vested in a governor, a council, and an assembly of representatives chosen by the people. These three branches corresponded to the king, the nobles, and the commons, in the government of Great Britain. Power was therefore divided in those governments in nearly the same manner as it is in the states at present; for there is in every state a governor, a senate, and a representative assembly.

§ 4. There is, however an important difference between those governments and the present. The people of the colonies were not allowed to choose a constitution or form of government for themselves; nor had they the privilege of choosing the officers of the different departments of the government. The governors were appointed either by the king, or by such persons as had authority from the king to appoint them; and they were generally under the control of the king, who kept them in office as long or as short a time as he pleased.

§ 5. The council was composed of a small number of men, also appointed by the king, and subject to his pleasure. This body constituted one branch of the legislature. The judges and magistrates, and other officers, were appointed by the governors, or by the king, or other persons who appointed the governors.

§ 6. Hence it appears that only one branch of the lawmaking power was chosen by the people, while the other two, the governor and council, were appointed by the king, or were subject to him. And as every measure proposed by the people's representatives required the concurrence of the governor and council, just and necessary laws were often denied the people. Besides, a measure, though thus concurred in, must be sent to England for the approval of the king before it could become a law.

§ 7. In a few of the colonies, however, the people enjoyed greater political privileges. In Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, for many years before the revolution, they elected their governors and both houses of the legislature. Yet even in the colonies, no laws might be enacted that were contrary to the laws of England. And the privileges they enjoyed were granted by the king, and might be taken away from them at his pleasure.

§ 8. Not only were the colonists denied the benefits of liberal and just legislation at home; many of the laws enacted by parliament and approved by the king, were highly oppressive. These laws were designed to secure to Great Britain exclusively the benefit of the trade of the colonies. A law was enacted, declaring that no goods should be imported into the colonies but in English vessels. If brought in other vessels, both the goods and the vessels were to be forfeited to the British government.

§ 9. Another law required such articles raised here as England wanted, to be transported to that country, and to other countries belonging to Great Britain. The colonists were permitted to ship to foreign markets such products only as English merchants did not want. They were prohibited from selling abroad any wool, yarn, or woolen manufactured goods. Another law declared that no iron wares of any kind should be manufactured in the plantations.

§ 10. Thus was it attempted even to suppress manufactures in the colonies. In short, it was the policy of the British government to compel the colonists to buy of England all the manufactured, as well as other goods they wanted which they did not themselves produce, and to sell to England the surplus productions of the colonies. For this purpose, heavy duties were laid upon goods imported into the colonies from other countries than Great Britain and her possessions. These duties were taxes levied upon goods brought into the colonies from abroad, and were collected by officers here from persons importing the goods.

§ 11. The nature and effects of these duties will more plainly appear from the following facts:-The colonists traded with the West India islands. Some of these islands belonged to France, some to Spain, others to Great Britain.

Now to prevent the colonists from buying goods at the French and Spanish Islands, parliament enacted a law compelling them to pay high duties on the molasses, sugar, and other articles from these islands. To avoid these taxes, they must obtain such articles from the British islands.

§ 12. Great Britain did not stop here. Not satisfied with these acts of parliament by which English traders had been enabled to enrich themselves, parliament claimed the right to tax the colonies "in all cases whatsoever;" and an act was passed accordingly, laying duties upon all tea, glass, paper, and painters' colors, imported into the colonies; and the money thus collected was put into the British treasury.

§ 13. The colonists remonstrated against these unjust laws. Petitions were sent to the king, and memorials to both houses of parliament, praying that these laws might be repealed, but in vain. At length, the colonists resolving no longer to submit to such laws, and the British government attempting to enforce them, a war between the two countries was the consequence.

§ 14. The war commenced in 1775. On the 4th of July, 1776, the congress declared the colonies to be free and independent states, no longer subject to Great Britain. Congress was a kind of legislative body, composed of a few delegates or representatives from each of the several colonies. A description of this congress will be given in another part of this wo k; also the declaration of independence with the names of the men who signed it. After a severe struggle of about seven years, the war was ended, and Great Bitain acknowledged the independence of the states. This change in our relations with that country, and the establishment of independent governments in the states, is called the American Revolution.

§ 15. Since the states declared themselves independent, one after another has changed its government, until all of the original thirteen have adopted new constitutions. During this period, seventeen new states have been admitted into the Union, making the present number thirty.

EXERCISES.

1. To what country were the people of this country formerly subject? What were the states formerly called? Define colony.

§2. State briefly the facts concerning the discovery and settlement of the colonies. Which colony was last settled, and when?

§ 3. In what three branches was the law-making power of government formerly vested? Does this division of pow

er still exist in the states?

§ 4. In what important particulars did the colonia governments differ from the present state governments? By whom were the governors appointed?

§ 5. How was the council constituted? By whom were the judges, magistrates, and other officers appointed?

§ 6. What rendered the enactment of just laws so difficult? 7. In which colonies did the people enjoy greater privileges? What were these privileges? Upon whose pleasure did the continuance of these privileges depend?

§ 8, 9, 10. What were the objects and general character of the laws enacted by parliament in respect to the colonies? What are duties?

§ 11. Mention facts showing the effect of these duties.

12. What general right did parliament claim? Had it such right? What law was enacted in pursuance of this claim?

§ 13. By what means did the colonists endeavor to get these laws repealed? Define repeal. Who have power to repeal laws?

§ 14. In what year did the war commence? Where was the first battle fought? When was independence declared ? By whom? How was this congress constituted? Can you tell more about this congress than is here stated? What is meant by the American Revolution?

§ 15. How many states were there then? How many now? Which were the original thirteen states? Name those which have since been admitted.