408 HISTORY OP 



Lodowick Lowmon, colonel Bartram Galbraith, colonel 

 Alexander Lowrey, captain Andrew Graaf, Mr. William 

 Brown, Mr. John Smiley, major James Cunningham, 

 major David Jenkins. 



While the convention was holding in Lancaster, the 

 friends of American Independence, having met in con- 

 vention at Piiiladelphia, and discussed the suject fully 

 and dispassionately, passed a Declaration of Indepen- 

 dence, on the same day the convention was held in Lan- 

 caster. Now the contest was fairly begun. The diffi- 

 culties, on the part of the Americans, in supporting their 

 pretensions, as a declared free and independent people, 

 were of the most appalling character. 



After the Declaration, the magistrates who liekT 

 appointments under the royal authority declined serving 

 longer ; the business of the courts was suspended. Our 

 citizens were left for a while without any constitutional 

 government. In this state of things a committee of 

 safety in Piiiladelphia undertook the management of 

 affairs, under the unassuming name of recommendations, 

 prescribed to the people of the state. 



" Ou Monday the 15th of July, 1776, a convention for 

 forming the constitution of Pennsylvania, met at Phila- 

 delphia, and elected Benjamin Franklin, president ; col- 

 onel George Ross, vice president; John Morris, secre- 

 tary, and Jacob Garrigues, assistant secretary. The dele- 

 gates from Lancaster county, were George Ross, Philip, 

 Marsteller, Thomas Porter, Bartram Galbraith, Joseph 

 Sherer, John Ilubley, Henry Slaymaker and Alexander 

 Lowrey. Tiie convention, after framing the first consti- 

 tution of tlie State of Pennsylvania, adjourned the 28th 

 September.'* 



•Several of the provinces had adopted state constitutions 

 before and after Pennsylvania. JSicw Hampsliire adopted the 



