Opinions on the situation. The place of meeting His plan of Union. The plan condemned by Provincials and Britons Results of the Congress of Albany The New York Congress of 1765. The manner of issuing the call for it and the answer to the call Its authority and object Its importance shown by the condition of the country The tone of the petitions sent to England The contents of the petition sent to the King The Congress of 1774. Its object and the call for it Its meeting, the variety in the manner of appointment of its members The organization, president and secretary The first trouble in regard to the manner of voting Patrick Henry gives up his opinion, the question settled temporarily Congress opened by prayer Committees appointed to draft a Bill of Rights and to re port on the statues of commerce The delegates from Massachusetts on their journey and in the Congress Opinions of various members about their rights The great end of the Congress attained Joseph Galloway's plan defeated The work accomplished The character of the Bill of Rights given by Chatham. Congress dissolved having accomplished its object A new Congress convened amid stirring events The labor to be done and the difficulties to be encoun tered All their deliberations bring them nearer independence 79 80 80 90 91 91 cils. 92 Division of opinion concerning the opening of the ports. 93 Disputes about this question. 93 The proposal to arrest dangerous persons equally embar ragзing 94 Rhode Island's proposition to build a navy adopted after ture, the arts and sciences passed Congress petitions the King for the last time It assumes full powers and denies the royal proclamation that its members are rebels 95 96 76 96 Resolutions of non-assistance to British officers passed 97 97 98 A resolution for the institution of State Governments introduced. 98 The Preamble added giving the grounds of the resolve 99 99 100 Discussions of the Resolutions of independency and the appointment of a committee to prepare the declaration 100 A Committee apointed to prepare a form of Confederation and one to plan treaties with foreign powers The discussion of the 1st of July The Resolution of independence passed July 2d 101 101 . 101 101 Its reception by the people of the colonies and of the world Our estimation of it. LECTURE IV. CONGRESS AND THE STATE GOVERNMENTS OF THE REVOLUTION. Recapitulation of Lecture III. Appearance of unanimity in the councils of Congress Greatness and weaknesses often joined in the same mind 104 105 105 106 107 The difficulty of obtaining a true estimate of the Confederation 107 Various alliances and confederations 108 The difference of the relations of citizen and state in ancient and modern times 109 The theory of the source of authority and the idea of office as shown by the Italian Republics 109 Importance of this principle and the errors of the Confederation from disregarding it 110 The course of Congress from the Declaration to the acceptance of the Confederation by the states Congress criticised by the people and not entirely acquit ted by History Congress driven from place to place The place it is entitled to in our esteem The King the source of authority in all the various forms of provincial government. Another principle checking the King. The rights of 111 113 114 114 115 115 116 These rights characterized and specified The result of these rights - a free government 117 117 118 Outlines of the English Constitution preserved in all the colonies The results of these facts after the separation The passage from the old to the new a critical moment New constitutions adopted in several states The authority of the constitutions derived from the people Nearly all preserve two houses of the legislature General Greene compelled to advise the legislature again 129 Contents of his letter A strong central power required by the law of society 135 The history of the Civil government of the Revolution the history of a struggle against this principle LECTURE V. 135 FINANCES OF THE REVOLUTION. Introduction Difficulty of attaining the proper standard of historical judgments The undeveloped state of political science at the time of the Revolution Our more enlightened state 137 138 139 140 Our fathers prevented by present perplexities from seeing future difficulties 141 Early history of traffic in America. Buying wives with tobacco 141 A pernicious principle, the power of the government to regulate prices 142 The issue of bills of credit by Massachusetts, and its evil effects The fact established that government paper can for a time take the place of money Continental money issued by Congress Probable course of the debate which preceded this step Difficulty of their position, the accusation of rashness refuted 143 The war protracted-twenty millions gone before the Depreciation begins - —a loan resolved upon 152 The immorality of lotteries not recognized at this time 160 160 161 161 161 162 162 165 166 Expedients to revive national credit tried in vain John Jay appointed to make an appeal to the states. He states the resolve of Congress not to exceed in issues He gives the three causes of depreciation His argument proving the inclination of Congress to redeem its issues The trouble complicated by State debts and paper money Public spirit sinking an unhealthy state of society Agriculture and commerce crippled — speculation active Robert Morris' fitness for his position - he establishes a bank Errors of Congress and of the people, and their conse Washington and Franklin the great names of the Revolution Importance of the French alliance Franklin, his character, studies, and ambitions France deeply wounded by the Treaty of Paris and long De Kalb one of the emissaries—his activity and far Choiseul's projects and the suggestions of his agents 180 181 |