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Inauguration-Inaugural Address-Lincoln's Cabinet-Attempted Ad-
justment of Difficulties-The Border States-Military Leagues-West
Virginia-Bombardment of Fort Sumpter-Lincoln's Call for 75,000
Troops-Reply of Southern Governors-Party Adjustments-Union
Party in Power-Two Errors-Confiscation of Property-Contraband
of War-President's Message-Legislation-" Compensated Emanci-
pation "-Reply to the President-Noted and Rising Men-Emanci-
pation a War Necessity-Address to Loyal Governors-Conscription
Act-Colored Troops-Habeas Corpus-West Virginia Admitted—

The President's Conciliatory Policy-The Stalwarts-Civil Service Re-
form-Silver Remonetization-Proposed Repeal of the Resumption
Act-Retirement of Legal Tenders Forbidden-The Potter Resolu-
tion-The Cipher Dispatches-The Title of President Hayes-Report
of the House Judiciary Committee - Restricting Chinese Immigra-
tion-Appropriations-The Army Appropriation Bill-Political Ef-
fects of the Extra Session-Resumption-The Negro Exodus-Tam-
many and the Independent Republicans-Army at the Polls-Repub-
lican National Convention-The National (Greenback) Labor Conven-
tion-Prohibition National Convention-Democratic National Con-
vention-Presidential Election of 1880-References-Platforms.

AMERICAN POLITICS.

CHAPTER I.

LOCAL COLONIAL POLITICS.

1607-1776.

LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT.

A system of local self-government was in operation among the Anglo-Saxons during the period of their history as a distinct people. Their subjugation by the Normans in 1066 modified the system, but did not destroy it. The people slowly acquired power and gradually obtained important accessions from the crown, three of which, the Magna Charta, the Petition of Right, and the Bill of Rights, have been styled the bulwarks of English liberty. These have shaped the destiny of America.

The English colonists who founded the thirteen original colonies during the one hundred and twenty-six years following the settlement of Jamestown, brought with them the idea of local self-government, under which they had lived in the parent country. They occupied the coast from Florida to Nova Scotia, and lived under such governments as circumstances required. Some of the colonies in their incipient stages, such as Plymouth and Rhode Island, were pure de

mocracies; but when the growth of population prevented this, the form of government became representative. English sovereigns established over the colonies three kinds of government—the charter, the proprietary, and the royal. This was done, in some instances, at the date of settlement; in others, at a later period. Under these forms, the thirteen colonies became permanent, each independent of the others, and managing its own affairs. Every colony had matters connected with its management, in which the people were interested, and about which they would express their opinion. The discussion of these things developed a local politics, and served to educate the people in the most desirable forms of government and the best modes of civil administration.

The colonial governments were similar, in that each had a governor and a general assembly, consisting of a council, which constituted the upper house, and a lower house elected by the people. Though these things were common, there were differences in their organization.

CHARTER GOVERNMENTS.

The charter governments were those modeled according to the provisions of the charters granted by the British crown. A charter served as a constitution to the colony that possessed it, and allowed the people to be represented in the government, a matter upon which the colonists insisted, claiming they should enjoy all the rights and privileges of Englishmen. The demand for representation was so great that every colony had a colonial legislature modeled after that of the parent country.

The local political questions under charter governments usually involved matters pertaining to citizenship, religious toleration, and the right of suffrage. In Massachusetts, Roger Williams and his earnest followers were denied the right of citizenship, Quakers were persecuted, and no person could

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