Biographical sketches of the signers of the Declaration of American independence: The Declaration historically considered; and a sketch of the leading events connected with the adoption of the Articles of confederation and of the Federal Constitution

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Preface

Tmerx are lessons of deep, abiding interest, and of inestimable value, to be learned in studying the lives of the men who perilled their all to secure the blessed inheritance of free institutions which we now enjoy. We do not learn merely the dignity and sacredness of _ pare patriotism, by following them in their career amid the storms of the Revolution, but all the virtues which adorn humanity are presented in such boid relief, in the private and public actions of that venerated company, that when we rise from a perusal of a narrative of their lives, we feel as if all the noble qualities of our common manhood had been passing before us in review, and challenging our profound reverence.

The biography of a great man, is an history of his own times; and when we have perused the record of the actions of the men of our Revolution, we have imbibed a general knowledge of the great events of that struggle for Freedom. If this proposition is true, then we feel that this volume has a claim to the public regard, for we have endeavored to comprise within as small a compass as a perspicuous view of the subject would allow, tke chief events in the lives of the men who stood sponsors at the baptism in blood of our Infant Republic.

The memoirs are illustrated by copious notes explanatory of events alluded to in the course of the biographical narrative, and these, we believe, will be found a highly

useful feature of the work.

iv PREFACE,

We have made free use of materials long since laid before the public by abler pens than our own. We did not expect to add much that is new to the biographical facts already published ; our aim was to condense those facts into the space of a volume so small, that the price of it would make it accessible to our whole population. It is the mission of true patriotism to scatter the seeds of knowledge broad-cast amid those in the humbler walks of society, because adventitious circumstances deny them access to the full granary of information, where the wealthy are filled; for these humbler ones are equa. inheritors of the throne of the people’s sovereignty, and are no less powerful than others at the ballot-box where

the nation decides who its rulers shall be.

The final adoption of the Federal Constitution, and the organization of the present government of the United States under it, formed the climax—the crowning act of the drama of which the Declaration of Independence was the opening scene. We therefore thought it proper to append to the biographies, a brief sketch of the legislative events which led to the formation and adoption of the Constitution, The Declaration is pregnant with grave charges against the King of Great Britain—charges which his apologists have essayed to deny. We have taken them up in consecutive order as they stand in the document, and adduced proofs from historical facts, of the truth of those charges.. These proofs might have been

“>, multiplied, but our space would not permit amplification.

With these brief remarks, we send our volume forth with the pleasing hope that it may prove useful to the young and humble of our beloved land, unto whom we affectionately dedicate it.

} B. J. Ei New York, April, 1848.

' . CONTENTS,

PAGE. PAGE.

PREFACE, .. ccc ccacee ccccvecccsce 3 James Wilson, ...000 Pee8G08 Ceeede 126 CONTIENTS: wocesccoceescees voces « 9 | George Ross,.....- ewcbeswakescee SOC INTRODUCTION, ...---.. Pee - y Delaware.

New Hampshire. ee oe ee a8 Josiah Bartlett,........ uae oats 13 | George Read.........-..-. seeeee 137 William Whipple, ee RE Bes 17 Thomas McKean, oe weecccescconceces 141 Matthew Thornton,..... waaebees - 20 Mayland, Massachusetts. Samuel Chase,........ poncncdasy 146 Thomas SlOMeye <5 tev ee cee ge - 151 John Hancock, ...--.---++++--0+ - 22] William Paca,............0.. e- 154 John Adams$,..-----++++--e+++ee - 27 | Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, .... 157 Samuel Adams, .......-----eee mS <3 Robert Treat Paine,...... secant “at Virginia.

Rhode Island. George Wythe, ........-s. ieee eee Richard Henry Lee,......2..s222- 166 Elbridge Gerry,....-.---- Res ware - 40 | Thomas Jefferson,...........00.- 174 Stephen Hopkins,......... ecscee 44 | Befjamin Harrison,..iceste....- 184 William Ellery,.........- thane s « 47 | Thomas Nelson, Jr...........220- 188 dé Francis Lightfoot Lee,......... e- 194 Connecticut. Carter Braxton,........4 IS 3 Roger Sherman, . Sabie 25%) shige ce ale ’ North Carolina. Samuel Huntington,.........--++ 53 lose William Williams, ........---+-. 56 Tyveph Howe ee we cecercee teens ee Oliver Wolcott,............ seoee OF] TO Mas ee. ae *- O08 ere ers South Carolina, William Floyd, ......-.-- seeseeee 63 | Edward Rutledge,...... mE 211 Philip Livingston, ......-+-++++++ 67 | Thomas Heyward, Jr......... a2. 215 Francis Lewis,........ cereccse ++ 71 | Thomas Lynch, Jr.......-ee00 vee 219 Lewis Morris,...........- “rse0s - 74 | Arthur Middleton,....... abies oa _ New Jersey. Georgia.

Richard Stockton,............e.. 77 | Button Gwinneit,.......... iu Sees Oe? John Witherspoon, ....... not ope 81 | Lyman Halon. oaiyssssepee easton 229 Francis Hopkinson, ....'.......00- 85 | George Walton,.............- coe 233 SORE PIE: ses t yates ee wanes 87 | Robert R. Livingston, (of New Abraham Clark,...... Rega a 90 York, not a signer.).......... < THE DECLARATION OF INDE- Pennsylvania. PENDENCE, |..52.05ces cates eee 244 ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION,... 310° Robert Morris,.........eeeseeee2 93 | THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION,... 329 (BEN IARHWERTSD:. 0.6% ore oie cin oie cal 99 Benjamin Franklin,......... sere clO4 APPENDIX.

SOME CURE, « ¢ <on oo vevesastes ud 112 George Clymer, ......-..-----e-- 114 | Te Stamp Act,...... inte «aca -. 371 Snes Sith, 6. avec Soo ddew ons 119 | Names OF DELEGATES TO THE MIGOUSE TOBLOL coe dish ea anceohaene 123 CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. 383

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