hat our strength is continental, not
provincial:) Securing freedom and property to all men, and above all
things, the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of
conscience; with such other matter as is necessary for a charter to
contain. Immediately after which, the said Conference to dissolve, and
the bodies which shall be chosen comformable to the said charter, to be
the legislators and governors of this continent for the time being:
Whose peace and happiness may God preserve, Amen.

Should any body of men be hereafter delegated for this or some similar
purpose, I offer them the following extracts from that wise observer on
governments DRAGONETTI. "The science" says he "of the politician
consists in fixing the true point of happiness and freedom. Those men
would deserve the gratitude of ages, who should discover a mode of
government that contained the greatest sum of individual happiness,
with the least national expense."[1]

But where, says some, is the King of America? I'll tell you. Friend,
he reigns above, and doth not make havoc of mankind like the Royal
Brute of Britain. Yet that we may not appear to be defective even in
earthly honors, let a day be solemnly set apart for proclaiming the
charter; let it be brought forth placed on the divine law, the word of
God; let a crown be placed thereon, by which the world may know, that
so far as we approve of monarchy, that in America THE LAW IS KING. For
as in absolute governments the King is law, so in free countries the
law OUGHT to be King; and there ought to be no other. But lest any ill
use should afterwards arise, let the crown at the conclusion of the
ceremony, be demolished, and scattered among the people whose right it
is.

A government of our own is our natural right: And when a man seriously
reflects on the precariousness of human affairs, he will become
convinced, that it is infinitely wiser and safer, to form a
constitution of our own in a cool deliberate manner, while we have it
in our power, than to trust such an interesting event to time and
chance. If we omit it now, some[2] Massanello may hereafter arise,
who laying hold of popular disquietudes, may collect together the
desperate and the discontented, and by assuming to themselves the
powers of government, may sweep away the liberties of the continent
like a deluge. Should the government of America return again into the
hands of Britain, the tottering situation of things will