First in its pages, appropriately, will be found the "Declaration of Independence," the great corner stone of American liberty; and as a fitting close, one of our most distinguished historians has furnished a "History of the Flag,"--the Flag of the Union, the sacred emblem around which are clustered the memories of the thousands of heroes who have struggled to sustain it untarnished against both foreign and domestic foes. To the Declaration of Independence, Constitution of the United States, and Washington's Farewell Address--truly "Key Notes to American Liberty"--have been added many important proclamations and congressional acts of a later day, namely: President Jackson's famous Nullification Proclamation to South Carolina, The Monroe Doctrine, Dred Scott Decision, Neutrality laws, with numerous documents, state papers and statistical matter growing out of the late Rebellion; all of which will be read with new and ever increasing interest. And as long as our Republic endures, these pages will be cherished as the representative of all that is great and good in our country; and will prove incentives to our children to follow in the footsteps of the patriots by whose genius and valor our institutions have been cherished and preserved, and liberty, like water made to run throughout the land free to all. CONTENTS. PAGE. DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, 9 CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, 18 AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION, 39 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ABOLISHING SLAVERY, 44 PROPOSED AMENDMENTS OF THE XXXIXTH CONGRESS, 48 THE ORDINANCE OF 1787, 51 THE FUGITIVE SLAVE BILL OF 1793, 52 THE FUGITIVE SLAVE BILL OF 1850, 55 THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE, 67 THE STATES OF THE UNION, WITH THE DATE OF THEIR ADMISSION, 69 INAUGURAL ADDRESS OF GEORGE WASHINGTON, 70 WASHINGTON'S FAREWELL ADDRESS, 77 PRESIDENT JACKSON'S PROCLAMATION TO SOUTH CAROLINA, 105 MONROE DOCTRINE, 144 DRED SCOTT DECISION, 146 PRESIDENTS AND VICE-PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES, WITH THE POPULAR VOTE FOR EACH, 154 POPULAR NAMES OF STATES, 166 BATTLES OF THE REVOLUTION, 167 NEUTRALITY LAW OF THE UNITED STATES, 168 POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES, 176 SLAVE POPULATION IN THE U.S. IN 1860, 177 STATISTICS OF SLAVERY BEFORE THE REVOLUTION, 178 SPEECH OF HON. STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS,--HIS LAST WORDS FOR THE UNION, 179