THE NATURE OF THE COIWENTION OF THE PEOPLE 



By the Declaration of Independence, the thirteen American 

 Colonies absolved themselves of all allegiance to the British 

 Crown, and brought to an end the sovereignty of the Croim within 

 their terri t cries. Immediately the question arose, where 

 should sovereignty thenceforth reside? What should be the source 

 of authority of governmental institutions? 



It was entirely consistent with liberal eighteenth century 

 political theory that the Declaration should affirm in ansxrer 

 "That to secure these rights"— life, liberty, and the pursuit 

 of happiness — 



"Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their 

 just powers from the consent of the governed; That 

 whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive 

 of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter 

 or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, 

 laying its foundations on such principles, and or- 

 ganizing its powers in such forms, as to them shall 

 seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." 

 Or, in the less elegant but more forthright language of the 

 opening lines of the North Carolina Declaration of Rights of 1776, 

 "all Political Poxjer is vested in and derived from the people only." 



The governments initially established by the nevj states to 

 carry on the governmental functions which had theretofore been per- 

 formed under the authority of the Croim were revolutionary in nature. 



•'•Declaration of Rights, 1776, Sec, 1, 



