"tots" to high school students, and may number from six or eight to many hundreds, affording an active part in Oratory, Recitation, Essay, Song, Dance, Pantomime, Parliamentary Drill, Debate and Dramatic Art for every pupil in any school or college in the United States of America or any other nation in the world. Peoples of all nations are now studying, as never before, Forms of Government, and it is for us and our children to be prepared to show that we enjoy the highest liberty, the widest freedom, under the best laws, for the reason that we have the best form of government on earth. C.U. Wallis The American Republic ACT I Scene 1. Congress assembled in the State House, Philadelphia, Penn. John Hancock, President. Time: July, 1776. (After rise of curtain Mr. Jefferson makes a motion to appoint a Committee of five to draft a Declaration of IndependThis motion is seconded by John Adams. The motion is then put in due form and is carried. The President appoints on that Committee:) ence. Thomas Jefferson of Virginia. John Adams of Massachusetts. Robert Livingstone of New York. These persons rise when appointed and file out into an adjoining room as the CURTAIN FALLS Scene 2. A room in the State House, Philadelphia, Penn. (Thomas Jefferson, President of the Committee, calls the meeting to order and takes from his pocket a copy of the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE and reads the first two sections than stands and pantomimes reading on.) At the same time the Committee on ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION, having been appointed a little before the Committee of Declaration of Independence was appointed, are holding a meeting in an adjoining room on stage one of their number reads: "Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union between the States New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. ARTICLE I The style of this confederacy shall be "THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.” The Committee on Declaration of Independence break in and Thomas Jefferson continues: "Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and, accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed." Thomas Jefferson continues in pantomime but not heard as the one reading the articles in the other section continues. Josiah Bartlett: "Article V. Section 1. Congress shall meet on the first Monday in November every year. "Section 2. No State shall be represented in Congress by less than two nor more than seven members. "Section 3. Each State shall have one vote." Jefferson Continues Reading the Declaration. "But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government and to provide new guards for the future security." Committee on Articles continues: "Article IX. Section 5. In recess of Congress 'A Committee of the States' of one delegate from each State, shall sit instead of Congress and appoint one of their number to preside. After this is read aloud and while the other Committee is being heard the members of this Committee may pantomime debating and voting on this Article, a majority voting for it. Jefferson: "Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies, and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their systems of government." Committee on Articles: "Article XI. Canada, acceding to this Confederation, and joining in the measures of the United States, shall be admitted into and entitled to all the advantages of this Union: But no other colony shall be admitted to the same, unless such admission be agreed to by nine States." Jefferson: "We, therefore, the representatives of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, in congress assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name and by the authority of the good people of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be FREE and INDE PENDENT States. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of DIVINE PROVIDENCE, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor." Committee on Articles: "Article XIII. AND WHEREAS, it hath pleased the great Governor of the world to incline the hearts of the legislatures we represent in Congress, to approve of and to authorize us to ratify the said Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, Know ye, that do by these presents, in the name of our constituents, fully ratify each and every of the said Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union and all things therein contained. we, "In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hand in Congress." Committee on Declaration: On motion of John Adams and seconded by Benjamin Franklin, the Committee rises to report favorably to Congress. They adjourn and file into Congress. Committee on Articles of Confederation: On motion to recommend the adoption of the Articles of Confederation the Committee adjourns and files into Congress opposite door from the other Committee as the Curtain falls and immediately rises on next scene. CURTAIN FALLS In the above scene the part taken by the Committee on Articles of Confederation may be omitted or the entire scene may be left out and play begin with the poem Columbus, (Waukin Miller) recited as a prelude, and the drama open with the stage set for Scene 1. Scene 3 (Or Scene 1 if Scene 2 is omitted) As curtain rises Thomas Jefferson and the rest of the Committee enter and take their seats. Jefferson rises and after obtaining the floor in the parliamentary way, speaks as follows: "Mr. President: I have the honor to report that your Committee recommends the adoption of the following Declaration of Independence: (Reads.) When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and nature's God entitle them a recent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL (cheers); that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable |