Constitution

The first written constitution of modern times seems to have been the Union of Utrecht, or Constitution of the United Netherlands, framed in 1579. The first suggestion of a written Constitution for England was made in the ‘‘ Agreement of the People,’’ drawn up in 1647. During the Commonwealth England had two written Constitutions, the Instrument of Government, 1653, and the Humble Petition and Advice, 1657. Vane’s “Healing Question ’’ (1656) firet suggested the separate constitutional convention. The first written Constitution which any American community framed for itself was the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, 1639. At the time of the Revolution the desire to have governments of limited powers made it inevitable that the Constitutions should be set down in writing. The existence of colonial charters helped to familiarize the idea. “ Constitution,’’ the most famous of American frigates, a ve el of forty-four guns, was finished in 1798. Under Barry it had some service against the French in 1799. On July 5, 1812, under Captain Hull, it started from Anna polis and ran into a British fleet of five frigates. For three days it avoided an attack by masterly seamanship and at last escaped without damage. On August 1g it encountered the ‘‘ Guer-. riere,’? Captain Dacres, not far from Cape Race. The ‘‘ Constitution’ was the stronger ship in the proportion of ten to seven, but Captain Dacres of the ‘‘ Guerriere’’ believed the Americans could not fight. Within thirty minutes after the battle began his ve el was a wreck and seventy-nine of his men killed or wounded. This victory greatly strengthened the Americans in self-confidence and prestige. On December 29, 1812, in the West Indies, the ‘‘ Constitution ’’ encountered the “‘ Java,” thirty-eight guns, Captain Lambert. After two hours’ battle and an hour spent in repairing damages, Captain Bainbridge (now commander of the ‘‘Constitution”’?) was about to renew the attack, when the ‘‘ Java’ surrendered. The British lost about 100 killed and 200 wounded. The Americans lost thirty-four in all. The ‘‘Constitution ’? in this battle earned the name of ‘‘ Old Ironsides.”’ Both the ‘“‘Guerriere’’ and the “Java,” on capture, were so disabled that they were blown up. December 30, 1813, the ‘‘ Constitution,” Captain Stewart, sailed toward the West Indies. February 14, 1814, it captured the “ Picton,” sixteen guns, and a convoy. Next year, February 15, 1815, it attacked and captured two ve els, the ‘‘ Cyane,’® thirty-six guns, and the ‘“‘ Levant,” eighteen guns. The latter was afterward recaptured, the ‘‘ Constitution ” itself narrowly escaping capture at the same time from three British frigates. 177