The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-10-15

centralism, subject to the check Of her own con.
sentative influence as one Of the individuazinp
elements Of the system. fhg M
Am Inot right, then, in regarding this day as
memorable in the history Of the past--as recall.
irg an event which was the manifestation Of
that antagonism so important to the interests
and happiness of man; and upon which, as Il
were, the destinies of Anne lea hinged? And
should not our hearts swell with emotion, when
we remember that our noble commonwealth
pointed the way, and threw herself into the van
in this conflict of liberty with despotism!
| We hear much of the era lie OF American
liberty Sons of the Old Dominion, b. it oul
boast, that freedom in the manhood of its being
first stood erect in its noble independence, in ts
contempt Of danger, and in open defiance OF
power, here, upon the soil, and speaking through
the voice OF the sovereignty Of this our own
loved Virginia
| | should not have deemed this point of SO
much Importance, but for the bold and un-
founded assertion Of certain political school
that prior to the Declaration of Independence
the several colonies were one, and that decla-
ration was the act Of nation, with supreme
controlling powers-in contradistinetion to its
being. merely the united act Of the several colo
mics, only bound by their separate consent.
| Now, ii to have been colonized at different
periods and by different nations; ii to have had
distinct territorial Jurisdictions, and various
forms Of government, and modes of connection
with the mother country If non-co.operation,
in the defence Of each other, except at the will
of each, and direct rejection of scheme for
mutual defence upon repeated occasions; if to
have maintained the control of their own inter-
nal polity, exclusive, not only of any concur
renee by the others in the action of each, b 1T
even by Great Britai if the assumption in 1851,
by Virginia of her own supreme authority, and
to have treated at arms length with the English
commonwealth; if to have made treaties with
each other Ia respect to boundaries, commerce
and other subjects, and to have formed con-
federation, which existed for more than GEN.
fury under the colonial system; if, in fine, the
separate action Of Virginia, and of other States,
in announcing themselves as free and independ-
ent commonwealths prior to the alleged national
action In the declaration of July 4th, l776; if
these and other known facts in history do not
dsprove the assertion of the oneness of the COL
onies, and do not establish their essential sep
arateness as political communities, confess
am at a loss to know what certain conclusion
can be drawn from historical facts II these
things prove Virginia to have been the decimal
of unit, the fraction of whole, and not one
among many, unit of multiple, then would
We not only mark her fall from the dignity to
which the Jefferson creed had raised her. to the
humiliation to which the Harvard school would
consgn her; but in it we would witness the ia
tai triumph Of the principles of centralism over
those Of indvidualism,
Having thus ahown the relation of this event
to that antagonism of political elements of
which have spoken, | recur to the question
proposed in the early part of this address; if
ueh lis moral power and meaning then, what is
It's political use and efficiency noU'
Much and important, answer, in giving life
and energy to the decaying principles of liberty
in the country. IL it shall have none, it will be
because the truths our ancestors taught in burn
ing words, illustrated by the event Of this glo-
rious anniversary and maintained by immortal
deeds, can find no champion in their degenerate
posterity.
Before solving the question proposed, pre-.
Urinary enquiry involved in its solution is sug-
gested by the nature Of the event itself Does
the struggle which gave ii birth still EXIST In
other words, do the central and individual ele-
ments develop themselves In conflict in our sys-
tenn Of government! This IL most important
inquiry, and one which hasten 10 answer
At the period Of which am speaking, the
external motive to union was strong and urgent
The imminent peril of each Of the colonies
the invasion of rights common TO them all; and
the hostile attitude of Great Britain, together
with their separate weakness, We're the princi-
pal circumstances which induced the formation
Of Temporary defensive alliance.
Virginia had, on the 18Th day Of May, l776,
recommended to Congress, by instructions to
her delegates, to make declaration Of the in.
dependence of the colories Of the government
Of Great b itain, and also the formation Of a
confederation between the colonies, reserving
TO each the right to establish such forms Of gov
ernmentas they should seyerally deem expedient.
Accordingly on the same day she referred 10 a
committee, the determin ton Of her future form
of government, ard the subject Of Bill Of
Rights. That committee reported n Bill of
Rights, which was adopted on the 18th OF June,
and constitution, adopted on the 29.h Of June,
I776.
One Of the deputies from Virginia, in obedi.
ence 10 her instructions, introduced into Con.
gress on the 7th Of June, resolutions proposing
such declaration. A,is we'll knt wn Congress
adopted declaration, that the colonies were free
and Independent States, on the 4th OF July fol.
lowing; five DAYS after the constitution and
government Of Virginia, based upon the asser.
ton Of her separate independence, had been
fully organized and established
From this period The tendency became stronger
every day for more centralized federative gov.
eminent Finally, in pursuance Of instructions
as above stated from Virginia, as we'll as from
other States, Congress proposed, and the States
separately each for itself alone, ratified the eel.
ebrated articles Of confederation. This was an
event in which the jealousy Of their exclusive
rights, yielded TO the fears Of the States II
was market step In the progress of central.
ism, ss shall now proceed TO show; but Il die
tinctly showed the original character and previ.
Gus relations Of the parties 10 it.
The exercise Of powers by Congress prior 10
the confederation, resulted chiefly from lnstruc.
tons given by each Of the States TO its own dep.
uties; or where not so, being only recommends.
tory, such exerci.e was generally ratified by the
separate action Of each legislature. This will
readily appear by reference 10 the ere entails
and instructions Of the deputies, and by numer
Gus other facts impressed upon the history oi
the time, some ofwhich have slrea " referred to-
Bot by the articles Of confederation, aleague'
between the States was formed, by which gov.
eminent with distinct powers was organized--
i ~