The Life and Times of Thomas Smith, 1745-1809: A Pennsylvania Member of the Continental Congress |
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The Life and Times of Thomas Smith, 1745-1809: A Pennsylvania Member of the ... Burton Alva Konkle No preview available - 2016 |
The Life and Times of Thomas Smith, 1745-1809: A Pennsylvania Member of the ... Burton Alva Konkle No preview available - 2016 |
Common terms and phrases
appear appointed April Arthur St Assembly Atlee became Bedford county bench Biddle Brackenridge brother called Carlisle Charles Smith Chief Justice Circuit Clair Clymer Colonel Smith colonies committee Common Pleas Congress Constitution of 1776 convention Council court house Court of Errors Cumberland Cumberland county December delegates Deputy district docket duty Edward Shippen elected favor February Fort Pitt frontier Galbraith Gazette George Bryan George Clymer Governor Half-tone High Court honor Huntingdon Indians James Wilson January Jasper Yeates John Judge Smith Judge Yeates July jury Justice Shippen Lancaster land late later letter Lukens March McKean ment Mifflin November October opinion party Penn Philadelphia present Prothonotary Province Provost record Renne Robert Morris says September session Slains Castle Supreme Court Surveyor sylvania term Thomas McKean Thomas Smith Tilghman tion Virginia voted Washington West William Smith writes wrote
Popular passages
Page 118 - When the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person, or in the same body of magistrates, there can be no liberty; because apprehensions may arise lest the same monarch or senate should enact tyrannical laws, to execute them in a tyrannical manner.
Page 118 - Were it joined with the legislative, the life, liberty, and property of the subject would be in the hands of arbitrary judges, whose decisions would be then regulated only by their own opinions, and not by any fundamental principles of law, which, though legislators may depart from, yet judges are bound to observe. Were it joined with the executive, this union might soon be an overbalance for the legislative.
Page 134 - When fifty or sixty men have a Constitution to form for a great empire, at the same time that they have a country of fifteen hundred miles in extent to fortify, millions to arm and train, a naval power to begin, an extensive commerce to regulate, numerous tribes of Indians to negotiate with, a standing army of twenty-seven thousand men to raise, pay, victual, and officer, I really shall pity those fifty or sixty men.
Page 28 - Hills by the English, and by the Indians , on the north side of them, to the head of a Creek which runs into the West Branch of Susquehanna, which Creek is by the Indians called Tiadaghton, and down the said Creek on the south side thereof...
Page 145 - Mr. President ; I feel very sensibly the favorable declaration of Congress expressed by your Excellency. This fresh proof of their approbation cannot fail of making a deep impression upon me ; and my study shall be to deserve a continuance of it. It is with peculiar pleasure I hear, that it is the fixed purpose of Congress to exhort the States to the most vigorous and timely exertions. A compliance on their part will, I persuade myself, be productive of the most happy consequences.
Page 62 - I am sorry it is not in my power to comply with your proposal of easing the prisoners for a few days of their fetters. Much as my humanity may be touched by their sufferings, I should think it inexpedient to afford them any alleviation while they persist in a breach of their contract with me; and, indeed, no indulgence...
Page 75 - I believe we might have at least prevented ourselves from being ridiculous in the eyes of the world were it not for a few enthusiastic members who are totally unacquainted with the principles of government. It is not only that their notions are original, but they would go to the devil for popularity, and in order to acquire it, they have embraced leveling principles, which you know is a fine method of succeeding.
Page 29 - Bounds of that Tract to the River Susquehanna, and crossing the River Susquehanna to the Northern Boundary Line of another Tract of Land purchased from the Indians, by Deed bearing Date the twenty-second Day of August, one thousand seven hundred and forty-nine; and then...
Page 28 - Susquehannah, then crossing the said river, and running up the same on the south side thereof, the several courses thereof to the fork of the same river which lies nearest to a place on the river Ohio, called...