The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• Alphabetical List of Authors
• Illustrations
• Introduction
• Note On the Texts
• Part One: Colonial Settlements and Societies
• Virginia Articles, Laws, and Orders I610–11
• The Mayflower Compact November 11, 1620
• Fundamental Orders of Connecticut January 14, 1639
• The Massachusetts Body of Liberties December 1641
• Charter of Liberties and Frame of Government of the Province of Pennsylvania In America May 5, 1682
• Dorchester Agreement October 8, 1633
• Maryland Act For Swearing Allegiance 1638: Plymouth Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity 1625
• Little Speech On Liberty
• Copy of a Letter From Mr. Cotton to Lord Say and Seal
• Part Two: Religious Society and Religious Liberty In Early America
• The Bloody Tenent, of Persecution, For Cause of Conscience
• A Platform of Church Discipline
• Providence Agreement August 20, 1637: Maryland Act For Church Liberties 1638: Pennsylvania Act For Freedom of Conscience December 7, 1682
• Worcestriensis 1776
• Thanksgiving Proclamation and Letters to Religious Associations
• Farewell Address
• The Rights of Conscience Inalienable
• Letter to the Danbury Baptist Association
• Part Three: Defending the Charters
• Magna Charta 1215
• Petition of Right 1628
• An Account of the Late Revolution In New England and Boston Declaration of Grievances: Boston Declaration of Grievances
• The English Bill of Rights 1689
• The Stamp Act March 22, 1765
• Braintree Instructions
• Resolutions of the Virginia House of Burgesses June 1765: Declarations of the Stamp Act Congress October 24, 1765
• The Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and Proved
• The Act Repealing the Stamp Act March 18, 1766; the Declaratory Act, 1766
• Part Four: the War For Independence
• A Discourse At the Dedication of the Tree of Liberty
• Letters From a Farmer In Pennsylvania, Letters V and Ix
• Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress October 14, 1774
• Virginia Bill of Rights June 12, 1776
• On Civil Liberty, Passive Obedience, and Non-resistance
• Common Sense
• The Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776
• Part Five: a New Constitution
• Thoughts On Government
• Articles of Confederation 1778
• The Essex Result April 29, 1778
• Northwest Ordinance 1787
• Albany Plan of Union July 10, 1754
• Virginia and New Jersey Plans 1787
• The Constitution of the United States of America 1787
• The Federalist , Papers 1, 9, 10, 39, 47–51, 78
• Address of the Minority of the Pennsylvania Convention December 12, 1787
• An Examination of the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution
• Part Six: the Bill of Rights
• The Federalist , Papers 84 and 85
• Letter I
• Essay I
• Letter Iii
• Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments: Virginia Bill For Establishing Religious Freedom
• Speech Introducing Proposed Constitutional Amendments: Debate Over First Amendment Language August 15, 1789: The First Ten Amendments to the Constitution, Or the Bill of Rights 1789
• Commentaries On the Constitution of the United States
• The People V. Ruggles
• Marbury V. Madison
• Barron V. The Mayor and City Council of Baltimore
• Part Seven: State Versus Federal Authority
• Essay V: “brutus” 1787
• Chisholm V. Georgia: U.s. Constitution, Eleventh Amendment 1787
• The Alien and Sedition Acts June 25, 1798: Virginia Resolutions December 21, 1798: Kentucky Resolutions November 10, 1798: Counter-resolutions of Other States 1799: Report of Virginia House of Delegates 1799
• The Duty of Americans, At the Present Crisis
• Report of the Hartford Convention 1815
• Commentaries On the Constitution of the United States: a Familiar Exposition of the Constitution of the United States
• Part Eight: Forging a Nation
• Opinion Against the Constitutionality of a National Bank: Opinion As to the Constitutionality of the Bank of the United States
• Veto Message
• Veto Message
• Commentaries On the Constitution of the United States
• Address to the Young Men’s Lyceum of Springfield, Illinois: Address to the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Newspaper Editorials: “direct Taxation” April 22, 1834: “chief Justice Marshall” July 28, 1835: “the Despotism of the Majority” March 25, 1837: “morals of Legislation” April 15, 1837: “the Morals of Politics” June 3, 1837
• Speech On Electioneering
• Speech Before the U.s. Senate (webster): Speech Before the U.s. Senate (hayne)
• Fort Hill Address
• Part Nine: Prelude to War
• Laws Regulating Servants and Slaves, 1630–1852
• “slavery” “agriculture and the Militia”
• The Missouri Compromise 1820–21
• Newspaper Editorials: “governor Mcduffie’s Message” February 10, 1835: “the Question of Slavery Narrowed to a Point” April 15, 1837: “‘abolition Insolence’” July 29, 1837
• Senate Speeches On the Compromise of 1850 Speech On the Slavery Question
• Second Fugitive Slave Law September 18, 1850: Ableman V. Booth (62 Us 506)
• Scott V. Sandford
• The Relative Position and Treatment of the Negroes the Abolitionists—consistency of Their Labors
• What Is Slavery? Slavery Is Despotism
• Kansas-nebraska Act 1856: Fifth Lincoln-douglas Debate October 7, 1858
• Bibliography

Bibliography

In addition to The Congressional Record and its antecedents, and federal statutes available in Statutes at Large, the following sources were used in preparing selections reproduced in this volume. Selection titles, where not self-evident, are given after their sources.

Adams, John. The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States. Boston: Little, Brown, 1851–65. “Braintree Instructions.”

Allen, W. B. George Washington: A Collection. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1988. “Farewell Address,” “Thanksgiving Proclamation,” “Letter to the United Baptist Churches in Virginia,” “Letter to the Roman Catholics in the United States of America,” “Letter to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport.”

Belz, Herman, ed. The Webster-Hayne Debate on the Nature of the Union: Selected Documents. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 2000. Speech of Daniel Webster, Speech of Robert Y. Hayne.

Boucher, Jonathan. A View of the Causes and Consequences of the American Revolution; in Thirteen Discourses, Preached in North America between the years 1763 and 1775. London: G. G. and J. Robinson, 1797. “On Civil Liberty, Passive Obedience, and Non-resistance.”

Calhoun, John C. Speeches of John C. Calhoun, ed. Richard K. Cralle. New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1853–54. “Fort Hill Address,” “Speech on Slavery.”

Carey, George W., and James McClellan, eds. The Federalist. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 2001. Selections are taken from the Gideon edition of 1818.

Crockett, Davy. Colonel Crockett’s Exploits and Adventures in Texas. New York: Wm. H. Graham, 1848.

Force, Peter, ed. Tracts and Other Papers Relating Principally to the Origin, Settlement, and Progress of the Colonies in North America from the Discovery of the Country to the Year 1776. Vol. IV. Washington, D.C.: Peter Force, 1846. “An Account of the Late Revolution in New England together with the Declaration of the Gentlemen, Merchants, and Inhabitants of Boston and the Country Adjacent.”

Ford, Paul Leicester, ed. Pamphlets on the Constitution of the United States, Published during its Discussion by the People, 1787–88. Chicago, 1894. “An Examination of the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution.”

Hall, Michael G., Lawrence H. Leder, and Michael G. Kammen, eds. The Glorious Revolution in America: Documents on the Colonial Crisis of 1689. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1964.

House Miscellaneous Documents, 53rd Congress, Second Session, 1893–94, II, 576–91. Andrew Jackson “Veto Message.”

Hutchinson, Thomas. History of Massachusetts Bay. Vol. 1. Boston: Fleet, 1764. John Cotton, “Copy of a Letter from Mr. Cotton to Lord Say and Seal.”

Hyneman, Charles S., and Donald S. Lutz, eds. American Political Writing during the Founding Era: 1760–1805. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1983. Worcestriensis Number IV, “A Discourse at the Dedication of the Tree of Liberty,” “Thoughts on Government,” “Memorial and Remonstrance against Religious Assessments,” “Virginia Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom.”

Kennedy, John Pendleton, ed. Journals of the House of Burgesses of Virginia, 1761–65. Richmond: E. Waddey, 1907. Resolutions in the Virginia House of Burgesses.

Labaree, Leonard W., ed. The Papers of Benjamin Franklin. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1962. Albany Plan of Union.

Lincoln, Abraham. Complete Works of Abraham Lincoln, ed. John G. Nicolay and John Hay. New York: Lamb Publishing, 1905. Lincoln Speeches.

Lipscomb, Andrew, and Albert Bergh, eds. The Writings of Thomas Jefferson. Vol. VII. Washington, D.C.: Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association, 1903–4. “Letter to the Danbury Baptist Association,” “Opinion against the Constitutionality of a National Bank,” “A Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom.”

Lutz, Donald S., ed. Colonial Origins of the American Constitution: A Documentary History. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1998. Colonial Documents: Articles, Laws, and Orders, Divine, Politic, and Martial for the Colony in Virginia, The Mayflower Compact, Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, Massachusetts Body of Liberties, Charter of Liberties and Frame of Government of the Province of Pennsylvania in America, Dorchester Agreement, Maryland Act for Swearing Allegiance, Plymouth Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity, Providence Agreement, Maryland Act for Church Liberties, Pennsylvania Act for Freedom of Conscience.

McClellan, James. Liberty, Order, and Justice: An Introduction to the Constitutional Principles of American Government. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 2000. Magna Charta, Petition of Right, English Bill of Rights, Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress, Virginia Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, Northwest Ordinance, Virginia and New Jersey Plans, Constitution of the United States of America.

McDonald, Forrest, ed. Empire and Nation. New York: Prentice-Hall, 1962. “Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania,” Letters V and IX; “Letters from the Federal Farmer,” Letter III.

McDougall, Marion Gleason. Fugitive Slaves. Boston: Ginn & Company, 1891. Laws Relating to Fugitives.

Madison, James. The Writings of James Madison, ed. Gaillard Hunt. New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1908. James Madison “Veto Message.”

Mather, Cotton. Magnalia Christi Americana. London: T. Parkhurst, 1702. “A Platform of Church Discipline.”

New York Journal, October 18, 1787, December 13, 1787. “Brutus,” Essays I and IV.

Ormond, John J., Arthur P. Bagby, and George Goldthwaite. The Code of Alabama. Montgomery: Brittan and De Wolf, Alabama State Printers, 1852. Alabama Slave Code.

Otis, James. The Rights of the British Colonists Asserted and Proved. In “Some Political Writings of James Otis,” ed. C. F. Mullett, University of Missouri Studies 4 (1929).

Paine, Thomas. Common Sense. Philadelphia: W. and T. Bradford, 1776.

Pennsylvania Packet and Daily Advertiser, “Address of the Minority of the Pennsylvania Convention,” December 18, 1787.

Philadelphia Independent Gazetteer, October 5, 1787. “Centinel,” Letter I.

Pickering, Danby, ed. The Statutes at Large, XXVI, XXVII. The Stamp Act, Act Repealing the Stamp Act, Declaratory Act.

Political Speeches and Debates of Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas, 1844–1861. Chicago: Foresman & Co., 1896. Lincoln-Douglas Debate.

Proceedings of a Convention of Delegates from the States of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, the Counties of Cheshire and Grafton in the State of New-Hampshire and the County of Windham, in the State of Vermont Convened at Hartford in the State of Connecticut, December 15, 1814. Hartford, Conn.: Andrus and Starr, 1815.

Proceedings of the Congress at New York. Annapolis, Md.: Jonas Green, 1766. Declarations of the Stamp Act Congress.

Result of the Convention of Delegates Holden at Ipswich in the County of Essex, Who Were Deputed to Take into Consideration the Constitution and Form of Government, Proposed by the Convention of the State of Massachusetts-Bay. Newbury Port: John Mycall, 1778. The Essex Result.

Sandoz, Ellis, ed. Political Sermons of the American Founding Era: 1730–1805. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1991. “The Rights of Conscience Inalienable,” “The Duty of Americans, at the Present Crisis.”

Sawyer, George S. Southern Institutes. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott and Co., 1858.

Story, Joseph. Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States. Boston: Brown, Shattuck and Co., 1833.

———. A Familiar Exposition of the Constitution of the United States. Boston: Marsh, Capen, Lyon and Webb, 1840.

Stowe, Harriet Beecher. A Key to Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Boston: J. P. Jewett and Co., 1853. “What Is Slavery?” “Slavery Is Despotism.”

Taylor, John. Arator: Being a Series of Agricultural Essays, Practical and Political: In Sixty-Four Numbers. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1977. “Slavery,” “Agriculture and the Militia.”

Virginia Report of 1799–1800 Touching the Alien and Sedition Laws; Together with the Virginia Resolutions of December 21, 1798, The Debate and Proceedings Thereon in the House of Delegates of Virginia, and Several other Documents illustrative of The Report and Resolutions. Richmond: J. W. Randolph, 1850. Alien and Sedition Laws, Virginia Resolutions, Kentucky Resolutions, Madison’s “Report on the Virginia Resolutions,” Other States’ Resolutions.

Webster, Daniel. The Writings and Speeches of Daniel Webster. Boston: Little, Brown, 1903. “Slavery and the Constitution.”

White, Lawrence H., ed. Democratick Editorials: Essays in Jacksonian Political Economy by William Leggett. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1984.

Williams, Roger. The Bloody Tenent, of Persecution, for Cause of Conscience, discussed, in a Conference Between Truth and Peace. London, 1644.

Winthrop, Robert C., ed. Life and Letters of John Winthrop. Boston: Ticknor and Fields, 1864–67. “Little Speech on Liberty.”

This book is set in Adobe Garamond, a modern adaptation by Robert Slimbach of the typeface originally cut around 1540 by the French typographer and printer Claude Garamond. The Garamond face, with its small lowercase height and restrained contrast between thick and thin strokes, is a classic “old-style” face and has long been one of the most influential and widely used typefaces.

Printed on paper that is acid free and meets the requirements of the American National Standard for Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, z39.48-1992.

Book design by Sandra Hudson, Athens, Georgia

Typography by G & S Typesetters, Austin, Texas

Printed and bound by Edwards Brothers, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan

This “Platform of Church Discipline” was drawn up by John Cotton, Richard Mather, and Ralph Partridge at the request of a synod, or convocation of church leaders, in Massachusetts held in 1648. The General Court, the highest political body in that colony, subsequently adopted it. Approval by a political body of a church document was considered natural in a colony that saw itself founded in a “covenant”—as a community formed for the purpose of following the will of God in its common life—and in which church membership was the key to political participation. The document also reflects the concern to provide for local autonomy among the colony’s churches.