charter,
separate and distinct from every other one. Each colony resisted
what it deemed to be acts of oppression against itself.
Therefore, the War of the Revolution began as the resistance of
individual colonies, but with the progress of this resistance
grew up a feeling of united interests, and in 1774 eleven of
these colonies, and a portion of the twelfth, connected
themselves under certain articles of association. The colonies
still considered themselves as belonging to the British Empire,
and in these articles avowed their allegiance to His Majesty,
George the Third. Although we date the birth of our nation two
years later, our nationality actually dates back to these
articles of association, for the colonies bound themselves as one
in regard to non-importation, non-exportation, and
non-consumption; the first two pledges having National bearing as
regarded commerce, and the last one regulating internal affairs
in a National manner. This course of the colonies made them one,
and has had a bearing on our every step since, even up to this
day of grace, January 17, 1873. Resolutions of independence and
freedom from all control of Great Britain were introduced into
the Colonial Congress in June, 1776, and the committee which was
then appointed to draft a declaration of independent government
was required to base it upon the first resolution of the June
declaration of rights, which said, "These United Colonies are,
and of right ought to be, free and independent," etc. The veriest
school-boy needs not to be told the date of this instrument,
which we are fond of terming the "Great Charter of our
Liberties;" yet even professed statesmen, from that day to this,
have seemingly forgotten that this declaration was agreed to, and
signed by the already United Colonies in their Congress
assembled, and issued as the action of "one people." No new
Congress met; the declaration was not the act of single colonies,
or states, but the act of already united colonies, or states, and
in this instrument we first find our National name of United
States.

The members of Congress did not sign this declaration as New
Yorkers, or Virginians, or New Englanders, but as Americans. Nor
was it referred to different colonies for approbation, but on
that very Fou