XXIV.

Congress of 1783.

Extract from a "Proclamation by the United States in Congress assembled," October 18, 1783: "And whereas, by the blessing of Divine Providence on our cause and our arms, the glorious period is arrived when our national independence and sovereignty are established, and we enjoy the prospect of a permanent and honorable peace.” -Journals of Congress.

XXV.

Oration in 1783.

Extract from an Oration by Dr. Thomas Welsh, delivered at Boston, March 5, 1783: "America, separated from the nations of Europe by a mighty ocean, and from Britain by the mightier hand of heaven, is acknowledged an independent nation: she has now to maintain her dignity and importance among the kingdoms of the earth.”—Principles and Acts of the Revolution, p. 58.

XXVI.

Washington, in 1783.

In Congress, December 23, 1783, on resigning the office of Commander-in-Chief, Washington said: "Happy in the confirmation of our independence and sovereignty, and pleased with the opportunity afforded the United States of becoming a respectable nation, I resign with satisfaction the appointment I accepted with diffidence; a diffidence in my abilities to accomplish so arduous a task; which, however, was superseded by a confidence in the rectitude of our cause, the support of the supreme power of the Union, and the patronage of Heaven."-Journals of Congress.

XXVII.

Dr. Witherspoon.

Dr. John Witherspoon, who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and who, as a Delegate in Congress from the State of New Jersey, signed the Articles of Confederation, said: "The Congress is, properly speaking, the representative of the great body of the people of North America."- Witherspoon's Works, Vol. IX, p. 73.

XXVIII.

Pennsylvania Journal of 1783.

Extract from an article which was published in the Pennsylvania Journal, of April 19, 1783: "Our citizenship in the United States is our national character. Our citizenship in any particular State is only our local distinction. By the latter we are known at home; by the former, to the world. Our great title is Americans; our inferior one varies with the place."

XXIX.

Washington, in 1783.

In a letter dated December 2, 1783, and addressed to the "Members of the Volunteer Association, and other inhabitants of the Kingdom of Ireland, who have lately arrived in the city of New York," George Washington said: "The bosom of America is open to receive not only the opulent and respectable stranger, but the oppressed and persecuted of all nations and religions; whom we shall welcome to a participation of all our rights and privileges, if by decency and propriety of conduct, they appear to merit the enjoyment."-London "Remembrancer" for 1784, p. 194.

CHAPTER VIII.

I.

Proclamation by Congress, 1784.

ON the ratification of the Treaty of Peace between the United States of America and Great Britain, the "United States in Congress assembled" issued a Proclamation, from which the following extract is copied: "We have thought proper, by these presents, to notify the premises to all the good citizens of these United States, hereby requiring and enjoining all bodies of magistracy, legislative, executive, and judiciary, all persons bearing office, civil or military, of whatever rank, degree and powers, and all others the good citizens of these States, of every vocation and condition, that reverencing those stipulations entered into on their behalf, under the authority of that federal bond by which their existence as an independent people is bound up together, and is known and acknowledged by the nations of the world, and with that good faith which is every man's surest guide, within their several offices, jurisdictions and vocations, they carry into effect the said definitive articles, and every clause and sentence thereof, sincerely, strictly and completely." "Given under the seal of the United States. Witness his excellency Thomas Mifflin, our President, at Annapolis, this 14th day of January, in the year of our Lord 1784, and of the sovereignty and independence of the United States of America the eighth."-Journals of Congress.

II.

Thomas Jefferson, in 1785.

In a letter dated "Paris, June, 1785," and addressed to Col. [James] Monroe, of Virginia, Thomas Jefferson said: "I am very differently affected toward the new plan of opening our Land Office, by dividing the lands among the States, and selling them at vendue. It separates still more the interests of the States, which ought to be made joint in every possible instance, in order to cultivate the idea of our being one nation, and to multiply the instances in which the people shall look up to Congress as their head."-Jefferson's Complete Works, Vol. I, p. 347.

III.

Congress of 1785.

In Congress, January 27, 1785, it was ordered that "the oath of fidelity" to be taken by the Secretary of War, his assistants and clerks, should be in the words following: "I, A. B., appointed to the office of

do acknowledge that I owe faith and true allegiance to the United States of America; and I do swear (or affirm) that I will, to the utmost of my power, support, maintain, and defend the said United States in their freedom, sovereignty, and independence, against all opposition whatsoever.”—Journals of Congress.

IV.

Thomas Jefferson, in 1786.

In a letter from Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, under date of "Paris, 27 August, 1786," Mr. Jefferson says: "M. de Meusnier" [author of an Encyclopædia] "was introduced to me by the Duc de la Rochefoucauld. He asked of me information on the subject of our States,

Know

and left with me a number of queries to answer. ing the importance of setting to rights a book so universally diffused, and which will go down to late ages, I answered his queries as fully as I was able, went into a great many calculations for him, and offered to give further information where necessary."-Works of John Adams, Vol. VIII, p. 413. In a written answer to some of M. de Meusnier's questions, Mr. Jefferson said: "The ninth Article of Confederation, section six, evidently establishes three orders of questions in Congress. First, The greater ones, which relate to making peace or war, alliances, coinage, requisitions for money, raising military force, or appointing its Commander-in-Chief. Secondly, The lesser ones, which comprehend all other matters submitted by the confederation to the federal head. Thirdly, The single question of adjourning from day to day. This gradation of questions is distinctly characterized by the Article. In proportion to the magnitude of these questions, a greater concurrence of the voices composing the Union was thought necessary. Three degrees of concurrence, well distinguished by substantial circumstances, offered themselves to notice. First-A concurrence of a majority of the people of the Union. It was thought that this would be insured by requiring the voices of nine States; because, according to the loose estimates which had been made of the inhabitants, and the proportion of them which were free, it was believed that even the nine smallest would include a majority of the free citizens of the Union. The voices, therefore, of nine States were required in the greater questions." *—Jefferson's Complete Works, Vol. IX, p. 244.

* June 23, 1778, the Delegates in Congress from Massachusetts moved, on behalf of their State, that the sixth section of the ninth Article of Confederation "be re-considered so far as it makes the assent of nine States necessary to exercise the powers with which Congress" was "thereby invested."-The motion failed.-Journals of Congress.