The hot summer of 1776 grew more heated for the Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia. Congress was initially keen on voting for independence from Great Britain for the 13 colonies hugging the eastern coastline of North America. But the fervent hopes for independence were being dashed by a quirt of parliamentary procedure.
To approve independence Congress had to be unanimous in its vote. Each colony had one vote, so all 13 colonies were need to vote in the affirmative. The problem was New York- its delegation had not received instructions on how to vote. The vote on July 2 was 12-0 in favor of independence with New York abstaining. John Hancock, the president of Congress, ruled that an abstaining vote must be ruled in the negative, Despite intense pressure on New York’s delegation and its political masters in New York, the votes on July 4, July 10, and August 1 were as identical as the first. Congress was exhausted.
Later in August, Congress was informed by General Washington of the Continental Army that Great Britain has sent the largest overseas army in the history of the world was now in New York harbor. The sails of the warships were seen to the horizon and the troops were landing on Staten Island preparing for attack against the colonial defenders. Moreover, the joint commanders of this huge force, the brothers General William Howe and Admiral Richard Howe, had also been designated by His Majesty’s government as peace commissioners to seek an honorable end of hostilities for both sides.
Congress, unable to secure independence for its constituents, was open to negotiations. After three days od debate, John Dickinson introduced a motion for Congress to enter into peace talks with the brothers Howe. After the motion’s unanimous approval, Congress appointed Dickinson, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and General Washington as its own peace commissioners.
The peace conference began on September 1 on Ellis Island. Joining the Howe brothers as British commissioners were General Cornwallis, General Clinton, and Edmund Burke, Member of Parliament. After opening introductions, the conference went straight to business. The initial talking points for each side were as follows:
Great Britain-
Each colony was to give its full allegiance to the British Crown.
Each colony was to obey and enforce without hesitation laws passed by Parliament.
His Majesty’s Government will be in charge of Indian policy.
Any colony or resident not during so after January 1, 1777, would be considered in a state of treason against the Crown and will receive the lawful punishment for the same.
Congress-
Full and unconditional pardons for all persons who has threatened or attacked British official, soldiers, or policies to date.
Each colony will select its own representative assembly, executive, and judges in the manner it deems best.
Each colony will send two representatives as full voting members of Parliament selected in the manner the colony deems best.
The Congress will continue as a legitimate body to represent the common interests of the colonies and will make lawful decisions accordingly.
Despite the bloodshed of the previous year at Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill, the peace conference went surprisingly well. The real debate was over Indian policy. Britain was concerned about constant warfare between the natives and the colonials calling for the regular army to intervene. And Congress was concerned about the rights of Americans to move westward unhindered.
The conference concluded after three weeks with the following points:
British points # 1, 2, and 4, and Congress’s point #1 were adopted permanently.
The other points were adopted to be amended as needed by a “Framework for Governing the American Colonies” to take effect no longer than January 1, 1787.
Adams, Jefferson, and Franklin will be appointed to the committee to draft the framework.
Burke, the British colonial secretary, and one other person will name as the review committee for the frameworks.
To allow amble time for Parliament and Congress to each approve the peace agreement, the Continental Army and the British Expeditionary Force will remain in place until January 1, 1777. (However, for practical reasons, both armies dwindled in size until the designated date,)
The colonial committee finished the framework draft on March 31, 1777, and immediately sent several copies to London for the parliamentary review committee. A dozen changes were made and sent back with the colonial committee receiving the changes on May 28. These changes were approved the colonial committee and sent to Congress for its approval. After a week’s debate Congress passed the framework with one amendment and forwarded it to Parliament for its approval. Parliament approved without amendment on August 21, 1777, to be implemented on January 1, 1778.
The document entitled “The Framework for the Governance of the American Colonies” had the following major features:
Introduction
Declaration of Intent between Parliament and the Continental Congress
Acceptance of the Peace Agreement of January 1, 1777
This framework does not include the governance of Canada
Main Section
Each American colony will be redesignated as a “crown state”
Each crown state will select its own assembly, executive, and judges
Each crown state will send two full voting members to Parliament
The “Confederation of Crown States” will have a Confederation Congress for common interests such as trade and frontier defense
Each crown stae will send three delegates to Congress with each crown state having one vote
Congress will select its own president who will have appointment powers for all department heads and judges enabled by the Congress
Declaration of Rights
Speech
Press
Assembly
Religion
Firearms
Due Process
Timeline of History
1778- Confederation of Crown States established with its capital in Philadelphia
1804- New Orleans seized by Royal Navy and Louisiana ceded to Britain by France
1806- Acts of Parliament and Confederation Congress declare Louisiana to be “Territory for all Native Tribes” for 99 years
1809- Slave trade abolished in British Empire
1826- Slavery abolished in British Empire
1827- South Carolina and Georgia rebelled over slave issue
1830- Rebellion crushed by British and Crown States forces; Governors Calhoun and Crawford convicted of insurrection, and imprisoned in Tower of London for 15 years
1850- British and Crown States forces seize Texas and California
1860- Acts of Parliament and Confederation Congress created the United States of America as sovereign nation within the British Commonwealth (along with Canada as its own nation)
1861- Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visited Philadelphia; July 1 declared as Commonwealth Day throughout USA
1875- USA purchased Alaska from Russia
1890- USA seized Hawaii
1899- USA seized Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and Philippines from Spain
1905- Grand Expansion on August 21 as Cuba, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, Philippines and seven states carved out of the old Louisiana Territory admitted to USA
1914- Great War begins in Europe; arrived of two million soldiers from USA and Canada in 1915 prove decisive on battlefield as Berlin is captured on November 1’ Russia moves from war to revolution as Reds are defeated; Commonwealth forces defeated National Socialists in Munich to prevent Nazi takeover of Germany
1942- Japan attacked Commonwealth bases in Hawaii, Wake Island, Guam, Philippines, Hong Kong, and Singapore
1944- Commonwealth forces defeated Japanese Navy in the decisive Naval Battle of the Central Pacific; Japan under total blockade
1946- Japan surrendered to Commonwealth and Allied nations