The campaign was full of incidents, and the election was finally determined by an exceedingly close vote in the state of New York, Cleveland's apparent plurality over Blaine being finally fixed at 1,047. The popular vote of the country for Cleveland and Hendricks was 4,911,017, for Blaine and Logan 4,848,334, for Butler and West, Greenback and Anti-Monopoly, 133,825, and for St. John and Daniel, Prohibition, 151,809.

The Republican party retained control of the Senate, and a busy people pursued the various courses of industry with no expectation of an undesirable change of policy. While the Republican party, for the first time since 1860, had lost control of the executive department, it still held a controlling hand on legislation.

An attempt was made by Morrison of Illinois in the Forty-eighth Congress to reduce the tariff, but he failed to rally his party to its support. In the Fiftieth Congress Mills of Texas made another attempt, and his measure passed the House, but was promptly rejected in the Senate. The tide was turned against the Democrats, and the Republicans came again into full control of the government, electing Benjamin Harrison of Indiana President, and Levi P. Morton of New York Vice-President. Thomas B. Reed became Speaker of the House, and William McKinley the Republican leader on the floor.

The result was the McKinley law. What followed is well known. The Republican party had only to wait for the complete justification of its course and for the entire vindication of its doctrines. William McKinley became the man of the hour.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND ITS HISTORY.

Preliminaries to the Struggle for Independence The Convention of 1765 — Articles of Confederation - The "Declaration of Rights" and other Papers - The Continental Congress -Work of the Committee of Five - The Beginning of the War – Minutemen — Washington's Statesmanship – Formation of the Constitution — Opposition to its Adoption — The Bulwark of the Republic - Text of the Constitution Views of the Statesmen Concerning it— Amendments and their History How the Amendments were Ratified.

N the middle of the last century the acts of oppression on the part of Great Britain towards the American

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colonies became so numerous as to excite general indignation. Public meetings were held to denounce the conduct of the mother country, organizations of "Sons of Liberty" were formed throughout the colonies, the popular sentiment was displayed in various ways, and when, on the first of November, 1765, the odious Stamp Act was to take effect there were no officials bold enough to execute the laws. The stamps were seized and burned on their arrival, the distributors were openly insulted, and it was determined to celebrate the first of November as a day of Humiliation.

There was a general desire for united action among the colonies, and a convention or congress was proposed. Sev

eral colonies appointed delegates, who met in New York on the 7th of October, 1765, and remained in session fourteen days. Their deliberations resulted in three ably-written documents in which were set forth the grievances of the colonists and the rights they claimed, together with a petition that the king and parliament would redress the former and acknowledge the latter. The first paper was a Declaration of Rights, prepared by John Cruger of New York; the second, A Memorial to Both Houses of Parliament, by Robert R. Livingston of New York, and the third and last was A Petition to the King, by James Otis of Massachusetts.

The government of Great Britain refused all application for a redress of the grievances of the colonies. Troops were sent to awe the people into subjection, and not only were the odious laws enforced, but additional ones were enacted. The assemblies of New York and Massachusetts refused shelter and food for the troops that were quartered upon them, and this led to open collisions; then followed many acts of insubordination, prominent among them being the famous "Boston Tea Party," and the consequent closing of the port when the act occurred.

Another congress was summoned and met in Philadelphia on the 5th of September, 1774. It was known as the First Continental Congress, and included delegates from all the colonies except Georgia. Again were the grievances of the people set forth, and with the same result as before. The Congress adjourned to meet on the 10th of the following May, and there was a universal feeling that if Great Britain continued stubborn war would be inevitable.

Before Congress met again, pursuant to adjournment,

it became known that the requests of the colonists had been refused, and preparations were made for the impending hostilities. Military companies and regiments were organized, men were drilled in exercises with weapons of war; the manufacture of arms, ammunition, and military equip ments was encouraged, and especially in the New England States the citizens were enrolled in companies prepared to go to the field at a moment's warning. For this reason they were known as " minute-men "; their organization was encouraged by their wives and daughters, who assisted in the preparations. It is said that in Massachusetts alone thirty thousand men were ready to go to the field whenever wanted.

The war came with all its horrors. The far-seeing leaders recognized the necessity of a unity of action among the colonies, and for this purpose Articles of Confederation were prepared; the outline of these articles was submitted to the Continental Congress in July, 1775, by Dr. Franklin, with the suggestion that they should cease to be in force as soon as there was a reconciliation between Great Britain and the colonies, but in the failure of such reconciliation their action should be perpetual.

No decisive action was taken until the following year, when a declaration of independence became necessary. A committee was appointed by Congress to draw up such a declaration June 11, 1776.

On the same day Congress resolved that a committee should be appointed, to consist of one delegate from each state, to draft and digest articles of confederation by which all the colonies should be bound and controlled during the period of war. The Declaration of Independence was

adopted by Congress on the 4th of July, 1776. A draft of articles of confederation was reported on the 12th of July of the same year.

The articles of confederation were discussed for a month or more, and were then laid aside until April, 1777. In the meantime several of the States had formed their constitutions and practically acknowledged Congress to be the supreme head of affairs in war, finance, etc. From April until November the articles were discussed, and on the 15th of the latter month they were adopted and submitted to the States for ratification. Some of the State legislatures made objections, and the final adoption did not take place until four years and four months after the draft had been submitted. These articles of confederation formed the basis of the Constitution of the United States, and remained in force until after the end of the Revolution, the signing of the treaty of peace, and the evacuation of the country by the British army.

It was proposed by some of the statesmen of that time that the articles of confederation should be continued and form the constitution of the nation. This was opposed on account of several glaring defects that had become manifest during the progress of the war. General Washington was one of the first to see the necessity of a new organization, and at his suggestion a convention was called for the purpose of consulting on the best means of remedying the evil then existing. This convention assembled at Annapolis, Maryland, in September, 1786, but only five States, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, had sent delegates. Owing to the small representation, no action was taken beyond suggesting the appoint