Page:Review of the Proclamation of President Jackson.djvu/39

 other is thus described: "We, the Delegates of the several Colonies of New Hampshire," etc., etc. (naming each), "deputed to represent them in a Continental Congress." Under this name, and in this character, was their first great act of Association entered into, for non-importation, non-consumption, and non-exportation, and recommended "to the Provincial Conventions, and to the Committees in the respective Colonies," to be carried into effect by them. Under the name and character of "The Delegates appointed by the several English Colonies of New Hampshire," etc., (naming each), "to consider of their grievances in General Congress," was their next great act, the Address to the People of Great Britain, uttered under the name and character of "We, the delegates of the Colonies of New Hampshire," etc., (naming each), "deputed by the inhabitants of the said Colonies, to represent them in a general Congress, to consult together," etc., was the Address to the inhabitants of the Province of Quebec, put forth. Under the name and character of "We, your Majesty's faithful subjects of the Colonies of New Hampshire," etc., (naming each), "in behalf of ourselves and of the inhabitants of these Colonies, who have deputed us to represent them in general Congress," was the Address to the King adopted, which was the last act of that enlightened and patriotic body, the first Congress. In short, there cannot be found a single act of the first Congress, in which that body denominated itself as "The United Colonies of America," or in which its members denominated themselves as deleates of or to any body of that name. So far frmo it, all these acts shew, upon their very face, that they were the acts of individuals, representing respectively, not one, but several constituent bodies, and these individuals, as the representatives of such constituent bodies, respectively, were said to be assembled in a general Congress. In further proof of which it may also be remarked, that the very first rule established to regulate the proceedings of this Congress was, "that in determining questions, each Colony or Province should have one vote," without any reference to the number of its delegates present, or to its importance in any sense whatever.

Upon such evidence, I think myself justified in saying, that, although, at some subsequent period, it may possibly be found,