“On the 11th of November, 1620, those humble but fearless adventurers, the Plymouth colonists, before their landing, drew up and signed an original compact, in which, after acknowledging themselves subjects of the crown of England, they proceed to declare: ‘Having undertaken, for the glory of God, and the advancement of the Christian faith, and the honor of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, we do, by these presents, solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God and of one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation, and furtherance of the ends aforesaid. And by virtue hereof do enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and officers, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience.’ This is the whole of the compact, and it was signed by forty-one persons. “It is, in its very essence, a pure democracy; and, in pursuance of it, the colonists proceeded soon afterwards to organize the colonial government, under the name of the Colony of New Plymouth, to appoint a Governor and other officers and to enact laws. The Governor was chosen annually by the freemen, and had at first one assistant to aid him in the discharge of his trust. Four others were soon afterwards added, and finally the number was increased to seven. The supreme legislative power resided in, and was exercised by, the whole body of the male inhabitants, every freeman, who was a member of the church, being admitted to vote in all public affairs. The number of settlements having increased, and being at a considerable distance from each other, a house of representatives was established in 1639, the members of which, as well as all other officers, were annually chosen.” (1 _Ell. Deb._ 25.) These are two examples typical of the way in which the English colonists, for the first hundred years, largely governed themselves by legislators chosen from among themselves. In this manner, while legally “subjects” of their European government, these Americans were actually “citizens” of their respective communities, actually governed in their individual lives and liberties by governments which derived all their powers of government from these “citizens.” In this manner, through the best teacher in the world, personal experience, they learned the vital difference between the relation of “subject” and “citizen” to governments. Later, the echo of that education was heard from Lincoln when he pleaded that government _of_ the people, _by_ the people and _for_ them should not perish from the earth.