Government and Administration of the United States | Page 8

"Stamp Act
Congress." The obnoxious Stamp Act was repealed, but England
continued to impose other taxes.
#First Continental Congress.#--An invitation was sent out by Virginia
to all the colonies, calling a meeting of delegates to consider what
could be done by their united action to resist their common grievance.
Thus met the "First Continental Congress" in 1774, in which all the
colonies but Georgia were represented. This Congress adopted a
declaration of rights and grievances. The colonies maintained that as

long as they were unrepresented in the English legislature (Parliament),
taxes should be imposed only by their own legislatures; also, that they
were entitled to the rights, liberties, and immunities of free,
natural-born subjects within the realm of England.
#The Second Continental Congress.#--On May 10, 1775, assembled the
Second Continental Congress, in which all the thirteen colonies were
represented. The battle of Lexington had then been fought, and blood
had been shed. Though the colonies had as yet no intention of throwing
off all connection with England, they were now prepared to resist with
arms any invasion of their rights. The work performed by this body has
been concisely and forcibly stated by Schouler.[1] He says: "Thus
originated that remarkable body known as the Continental Congress,
which, with its periodical sessions and frequent changes of membership,
bore for fifteen years the symbols of Federal power in America; which,
as a single house of deputies acting by Colonies or States, and blending
with legislative authority, imperfect executive and judicial functions,
raised armies, laid taxes, contracted a common debt, negotiated foreign
treaties, made war and peace; which, in the name and with the assumed
warrant of the thirteen colonies, declared their independence of Great
Britain, and by God's blessing accomplished it; which, having framed
and promulgated a plan of general confederation, persuaded these same
thirteen republics to adopt it, each making a sacrifice of its sovereignty
for the sake of establishing a perpetual league, to be known as the
United States of America, a league preserved until in the fullness of
time came a more perfect Union."
[Footnote 1: Hist. U.S., Vol. I, p. 13.]
The acts of this Congress were the first legislative acts by the joint
action of the colonies.
The Second Continental Congress was essentially a revolutionary body.
That is to say, the authority for its acts rested upon no definite grant of
powers by the colonies, but was assumed by it to meet the crisis of war.
Properly speaking, it could hardly be called a government. It was more
in the nature of a directing advisory committee. Its commands
possessed a recommendatory character only, and it was entirely without

executive officers, or legal control over either individuals or the
colonies.
#The Articles of Confederation.#--A stronger central power than that
afforded by the Continental Congress was seen to be a necessity.
Accordingly, in 1777, there was drawn up a scheme of union embraced
in a paper termed "The Articles of Confederation." These articles,
though adopted as early as 1777, did not go into effect until 1781, the
provision being that they should not be considered as in force until
ratified by all the colonies, and several refused to ratify until all state
claims to western territory were relinquished in favor of the National
Government.
#Elements Tending to Separation and Those Tending to Union.#--We
must remember that this was a union of thirteen previously separate
colonies. The facts which had tended to keep them apart had been the
difficulty of travel and communication between the colonies, the lack
of commercial intercourse, but more than all, their local jealousies. The
small States feared the larger; commercial jealousies were very keen. In
1756 Georgia and South Carolina actually came to blows over a dispute
as to the navigation of the Savannah river. Other disputes about
boundaries were frequent. Colonies with good harbors and seaports
desired to keep the benefits of them exclusively to themselves. At that
time, too, the people of the thirteen colonies were far more widely
separated in their forms of government, their industrial habits and
social customs than they now are. On the other hand, the old facts
which tended to urge on a common union between them were common
race, language, and nationality, many similar political institutions, and,
most of all, common interests and a common peril.
#The Purposes of the Confederation.#--The purposes of this
Confederation are best stated by giving Article III of the Articles:
"The said States hereby severally enter into a firm league of friendship
with each other for their common defense and security of their liberties
and their mutual and general welfare, binding themselves to assist each
other against all force offered to or attacks made upon them, or any of
them, on account of religion, sovereignty, trade, or any other pretext

whatever."
#Scheme of Government under