It was deemed necessary in the outset, that an act of Parliament should pass, by which one general government should be formed in America, within and under which government each Colony may retain its present constitution, except in the particulars wherein a change should be directed by the said act.'

This new government was to be administered by a President General, to be appointed and supported by the Crown, and a grand council, to be chosen by the representatives of the people of the several Colonies, met in their respective assemblies.

The first Grand Council was to be apportioned as follows:

The first meeting was to be convened in the city of Philadelphia.

We are tempted to quote the reasons, stated by Dr. Franklin, for fixing on Philadelphia as the place of meeting for the Grand Council.

'Philadelphia was named as being the nearer the centre of the Colonies, where the commissioners would be well and cheaply accommodated. The high roads through the whole extent are for the most part very good, in which forty or fifty miles a day may very well be, and frequently are travelled. Great part of the way may likewise be gone by water. In summer time the passages are frequently performed in a week from Charleston (S. C.) to Philadelphia and New York; and from Rhode Island to New York, through the Sound, in two or three days; and from New York to Philadelphia by water and land in two days, by stage-boats and wheel carriages, that set out every other day. The journey from Charleston to Philadelphia may likewise be facilitated by boats running up Chesapeake bay three hundred miles. But if the whole journey be performed on horseback, the

most distant members (viz. the two from New Hampshire and from South Carolina), may probably render themselves at Philadelphia, in fifteen or twenty days; the majority may be there in much less time.'

The members of the Grand Council were chosen for three years. After the first choice, and when the proportion of money which each Colony was to pay to the general treasury, should be ascertained, a new apportionment was to be made of the members of the council, in the ratio of taxation; but no Province was to have more than seven members, nor less than

two.

There was to be an annual meeting of the council; but extra sessions could be called by the President, with the consent of seven of the members, and timely notice to the whole.

The members of the Grand Council chose their own Speakand it could not be dissolved, prorogued, nor continued in session longer than six weeks, at one time, without its own consent or the special command of the Crown.

The members of the Grand Council were to be allowed ten shillings sterling per diem during their session, and journey to and from the place of meeting; twenty miles to be reckoned a day's journey.

All acts of the Grand Council required the signature of the President to give them validity, and he was charged with their execution.

The President General, with the advice of the Grand Council, was to hold and direct all Indian treaties, in which the general interest of the Colonies was concerned; and make peace, or declare war with the Indian nations.

The President and Council to make such laws as they judged necessary for regulating the Indian trade, to make all purchases from Indians for the Crown, of lands, not now within the bounds of particular Colonies; or that shall not be within their bounds, when some of them are reduced to more convenient dimensions.

They were to make new settlements, or such purchases, granting title in the King's name, reserving a quit rent to the Crown, for the use of the general treasury. They were also to make laws for the government of such settlements, till the Crown shall think fit to form them into particular governments. Hutchinson remarks on this head, that he cannot ascertain precisely what Colonies were referred to, as those which might

be reduced within more convenient dimensions :-but he presumes Connecticut and Virginia to have been two of them. This no doubt was the case. The article in question throws light upon the disposition which existed to question the validity of the claim, set up by several of the Colonies to an indefinite extension westward. The blow here menaced against her western domain, supposing Connecticut to have been one of the Colonies alluded to, will perhaps aid in explaining the great anxiety of this Colony, to prevent the adoption of the plan of Union. No Colony exerted itself more strenuously to that end, than Connecticut.

In addition to the powers already enumerated, the Grand Council were to raise and pay soldiers, and build forts for the defence of any of the Colonies, equip vessels of war to guard the coasts and protect the trade upon the ocean, lakes and great rivers; but not to impress men in any Colony without the consent of the Legislature.

For the purposes enumerated, they had power to make laws, and lay and levy such general duties, imposts or taxes, as to them shall appear most equal and just, (considering the ability and other circumstances of the inhabitants in the several Colonies), and such as may be collected with the least inconvenience to the people; rather discouraging luxury, than loading industry with unnecessary burdens.

They were to appoint a general treasurer, and particular treasurers in each government when necessary; no money to be paid except to the joint order of the President and Council, unless when provided for by standing law to be paid to the order of the President alone.

The accounts were to be annually settled and reported to the several colonial assemblies.

A quorum of the Grand Council, competent to act with the President, was to consist of twenty-five members; among whom was to be one or more from a majority of the Colonies.

The laws passed by the Grand Council were not to be repugnant to the laws of England, but as near as possible in harmony with them, and were to be transmitted to England for the approbation of the King in council, and if not disapproved within three years after presentation, remained in force.

On the death of the President General, the speaker of the Grand Council succeeded to his place, till the King's pleasure was known.

All military officers, by land and sea, were to be nominated by the President General, and confirmed by the council;-all civil officers to be nominated by the council and confirmed by the President. In case of death or removal of any officer, civil or military, under this Constitution,' the Governor of the Province in which the vacancy happened, was to fill it, till the pleasure of the President General and Grand Council should be known.

The particular military and civil establishments of each Colony were to remain in their former condition, notwithstanding the general Constitution ;-and each Colony, on emergency, was authorized to defend itself and lay the expense before the President and council for allowance.

Such was this celebrated plan of Union. Dr. Belknap observes, that it is worthy of remark, that this plan for the Union of the Colonies was agreed to on the fourth day of July; 'exactly twenty-two years before the declaration of American Independence; and this observation has been repeated by several other writers. We are loth to disturb the credit of an association of events so pleasing; but truth compels us to say, that it is without foundation in fact. We do not find the date of this instrument in any printed document, nor is it contained in the manuscript journal already alluded to. We find, however, in that journal, under date of the 10th of July, the following entry : Mr. Franklin reported in a new form the draught of a plan of a Union, agreeably to the determination of yesterday, which was read paragraph by paragraph and debated, and the further consideration of it deferred till the afternoon. 'In the afternoon the consideration of the plan of the Union was re-assumed, which is as follows: 'It would appear certain from this record, that it had not been adopted on the 10th of July.

It is plain to see, in this plan, a near approach to an efficient remedy for some of the evils of the country. It is idle to speculate on what might have been the effect of its adoption. Not a Colony approved it at home, and in England it met with no favor from the government.

The assembly of Connecticut passed a strong resolution against it, on the grounds that the country was too large for such a government, and that a defensive war carried on by it would prove ruinously burdensome to the Colonies. They also feared that, in the course of time, it might be dangerous

and hurtful to his Majesty's interest, and tend to subvert the liberties and privileges, and to discourage the industry of his Majesty's good subjects, inhabiting the Colonies.' The agent of this Colony in London was directed to oppose the plan with the greatest vigor, to demand a hearing against it by council before Parliament, should it there be discussed, and adopt any measures he might think necessary to prevent its receiving the royal sanction. The assembly further resolved, 'that the Governor should watch all the steps, which the other governments should take relative to the said plan; that he should prepare whatever might be necessary for its prevention; that he should urge any further reasons against it, which his own mind might suggest; that he would suggest alterations in various parts, particularly that the government should be lessened and divided into two districts;-that the proportions allotted to each Colony were unjust; and that he would show in what respects the liberties of the people would be infringed; that he would prepare the evidence of the facts and send them to the agent, with whatever else might be necessary on the subject. We have already suggested a consideration, which may have animated the zeal of the people of Connecticut in opposing this plan of Union. A general impression throughout the Colonies no doubt was, that an organized plan of raising a colonial revenue, to defray the expense of the wars which might be carried on, would be very apt to interfere with the claims for reimbursement, which had heretofore been presented to the British Parliament, and allowed. The consequence would be a great aggravation of the evils of their present political condition, already sufficiently disadvantageous, in being dragged into the contest, whenever the great powers of Europe found it for their interest to go to war. The flower of two generations in the Colonies had perished in the wars of France and England; and if, in addition to calamities of this character, the whole financial burden of carrying on the contest were to be thrown upon the Colonies, it was plain that effectual and not very tardy ruin would ensue.

But these and all other apprehensions, which the plan of 1754 may have inspired, passed away with the entire failure of that project to take effect. The time had not yet arrived. Union was destined to be the fruit of Independence, connected

* Trumbull's History of Connecticut. Vol. II. p. 337.