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cost him the loss of Boston. He remembered the lesson which he had learned at Bunker Hill, and so instead of attacking this southern frontier, he decided to leave the city, and accordingly sailed away with his army, fleet, and many Tories for Halifax. The city was evacuated March 17th, 1776, and the continental troops from Roxbury at once marched in. From Cambridge they crossed in boats. The British had left behind them, in the hurry of their flight, several hundred cannon, many thousand bushels of wheat, barley, and oats, a large number of horses, and bedding and clothing for the soldiers. On the 22d of March the restrictions on intercourse between country and town were removed, and many citizens of Bcston, who had for a long time been exiled from their homes, returned, and all hearts were touched at "witnessing the tender interviews and fond embraces of those who had been separated."

CHAPTER XXXIX.

FIRST STEPS TOWARD INDEPENDENCE.

269. Expedition against Quebec. Late in the summer of 1775, General Montgomery, with a considerable force, made an expedition by way of Lake Champlain against Canada. He captured St. Johns, found Montreal deserted, took possession there, and pushed on to Quebec. Meantime, Colonel Benedict Arnold, a brave soldier and a brilliant officer, accompanied by Aaron Burr, with more than one thousand men, joined Montgomery at Quebec, having made a desperate march through the wilds of Maine, in which they endured untold hardships. Before they reached the St. Lawrence their supplies were entirely gone.

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270. Americans Unsuccessful. The two generals joined their forces about the first of December, advanced upon Quebec, and demanded its surrender. Montgomery was killed December 1st, and Arnold was wounded. The city was defended by more than two hundred guns besides the infantry. A portion of the invading army surrendered; and at the approach of spring, the remaining forces were

glad to leave Canada in the hands of England, and retrace their steps homeward.

271. The Colonies declare for Independence. The leaders in the Continental Congress were patiently waiting the development of public opinion. The first explicit sanction given by any State for independence was the action of North Carolina, April 12th, 1776, when the North Carolina Congress unanimously authorized their delegates in the Continental Congress, in concurrence with delegates of the other colonies, to declare independence of foreign allegiance. At Charlotte, North Carolina, as early as May 31st, 1775, the county of Mecklenburg had, by a convention of delegates, declared in favor of absolute independence.

272. Rhode Island the First State. The first State actually to declare herself independent of Great Britain was Rhode Island. This act was passed May 4th, 1776, just two months prior to the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress. This famous act declares that " In all States existing by contract, protection and allegiance are reciprocal, the latter being due only in consequence of the former." The act then goes on to say that hereafter all commissions for offices, and all writs and processes in law, shall be made out in the name and by the authority of " The Governor and Company of the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, . . . that the Courts of Law be no longer entitled nor considered as the King's Courts, and that no instrument in writing shall mention the year of the said King's reign."

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In closing the record of the General Assembly the words "God save the King" were changed, and "God save the United Colonies" appeared for the first time on the records of the ancient plantation. From this time we may regard Rhode Island as an independent State.

273. South Carolina. On the 23d of April the court at Charleston, South Carolina, was opened and the Chief-Justice charged the Grand Jury in these words: "The law of the land authorizes me to declare, and it is my duty to declare the law, that George the Third, king of Great Britain, has abdicated the government, that he has no authority over us, and we owe no obedience to him."

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274. Virginia quickly follows. On the 6th of May, the House of Burgesses of Virginia met at Williamsburg, but "as they were

of the opinion that the ancient constitution had been subverted by the king and Parliament of Great Britain, they dissolved themselves unanimously, and thus the last vestige of the king's authority passed away from that colony."

275. Other Colonies declare for Independence. On the first day of May, Joseph Hawley of Massachusetts wrote: "For God's sake let there be a full revolution. Independence and a well-planned Continental Government will save us." A very large majority of the towns declared unanimously for independence. The choice of all New England was spontaneous and undoubted. On the 14th of June, Connecticut instructed its delegates to favor independence, and a permanent union of the colonies. Thus one by one every colony demanded independence.

CHAPTER XL.

THE BIRTH OF THE NATION.

276. The Declaration. - Hitherto the colonies had been struggling only for a redress of grievances. Richard Henry Lee early in June introduced into Congress a resolution declaring that These United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States. The first day of July was agreed upon as the day of final action. On that day, in committee of the whole, they discussed the resolution. John Adams made a masterly argument in its favor, and John Dickinson, of Pennsylvania, opposed the measure as premature. In committee, nine colonies, two-thirds of the whole. number, voted for the resolution. Action by the Congress was postponed until the next day.

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277. Declaration passed, July 2d. July 2d the great step was to be taken. Every member of Congress seemed to be fully aware that, should they pass the resolution, then "to recede would be infamy, and to persist might be destruction." The vote was decisive. New York was unable to vote; but twelve colonies, with none dissenting, agreed to adopt and stand by the following resolution: "These United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free

and independent States." The grandeur and heroism of this act can scarcely be comprehended. At the end of that great day, John Adams wrote as follows: "The greatest question has been decided which was ever debated in America, and a greater, perhaps, never was nor will be decided among men. Britain has been filled with folly, and America with wisdom. It is the will of Heaven that the two countries should be sundered forever."

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278. Jefferson drafts the Formal Document. A committee had been appointed to draw up the declaration, and set forth the reasons for it. Of this committee Thomas Jefferson had received the largest number of votes, and was thus singled out "to draft the confession of faith of the rising empire."

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279. It passes and the Bell rings. On the evening of the Fourth of July, Congress, having listened to the entire document as read by Jefferson, and having made some slight changes in it, "rendering its language more terse, more dispassionate, and more exact," came to the final vote. New York still abstained from voting; but twelve States, without one negative, agreed to this "Declaration by the Representatives of the United States. (Now hanging in Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pa.) of America, in Congress assembled." The bell on the Pennsylvania State House, which was afterwards rung to announce that the measure had passed, bore the words around its base: "Proclaim liberty throughout the land, unto all the inhabitants thereof." Leviticus xxv. 10.

The Liberty Bell.

Let every American become familiar with the words of this document, and cherish its phrases. (Appendix B.) Let every pupil in the public and private schools of the land, read it. Let its great truths and principles sink into our hearts. Its closing words were these: "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."

CHRONOLOGY.

1760. England - Reign of George III.

1774. Philadelphia — First Continental Congress meets, September 5. Philadelphia - Congress adopts Articles of Association.

1775.

Massachusetts — Armed resistance to British authority, February 26.
Massachusetts - Lexington and Concord, April 19.

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Philadelphia Second Continental Congress meets, May 10.
Philadelphia - Congress chooses a commander, June 15.
Massachusetts - Bunker Hill, June 17.

Massachusetts - Washington assumes command, July 3.
Quebec Americans defeated, December 31.

1776. Massachusetts — Evacuation of Boston, March 17.

Rhode Island - First colony to declare independence, May 4.
Philadelphia - Declaration of Independence, July 4.

Flag used by the New England troops
at the battle of Bunker Hill

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