The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-10-13

centraism, subject to the check of her own con-
sentative influence as one OF the indiyidualiZing
elements Of the system.
Am not right, then, in regarding this day as
memorable in the history of the past las recall
ing an event which was the manifestation Of
that antagonsm so important to The interests
and happiness OF man; aud upon which, as it
were, des inies of Ame lea hinged! And
should our hearts swell with emotion, when
we remember that our noble commonwealth
linted the way, and threw herself into the van
in this conflict of liberty with despotism
We hear much of the cradle OF American
liberty Sons of the Old Dominion, be it our
boast, that freedom in the manhood Of its being
first stood erect in its noble Independence, ia its
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 I'M
founded assertion Of certain political school,
that prior to the Declaration of Independence,
the several colonies were one, and that deca-
ration the act of nati0n, with supreme
controlling powers--in contradistinction to its
being merely the united act of the several colo
mes, only bound by heir separate consent
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 incorporation,
In the defence OF each other, except at the will
OF eat h, and dlrec! rejection of scheme for
mutual defence upon repeated occasions; if to
have main tanned the control of their own inter
nal polity, exclusive not only of any concur.
renee by the others in the action of each bit
even by Great Britai If the assumption in l65l ,
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 in respect to bour daries, commerce
and other subjects, and to have formed con-
federation, which existed for more than n 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 commemorative prior to the alleged national
action in the declaration of July Attn, l776; if
these and other known facts in history do not
dsprove the assertion of the oneness of the col
ones, and do not establish their essential sep
arateness as political communities, | confess
am at loss to know what certain conclusion
can be drawn from historical facts If these
hngs prove Virginia to have been the decimal
of unit, the fraction of whole, and not one
among many unit Of a 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
consign her but in it we would witness the ia
tai triumph Of the principles Of centralsm over
those Of individualism.
Having thus shown 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
uch lis moral power and meaning then, what is
lis political use and efficiency noU?
Much and important, answer, in giving life
md energy to the decaying principles of liberty
in the country. If 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
leeds, can find no champion in their degenerate
posterity.
Before solving the question proposed, pre-
liminary enquiry involved in its solution is sug-
gested by the nature of the event itself Does
the struggle which gave it birth still exist? In
9th words, do the central and individual ee-
ments develop themselves in conflict in our sys-
tenn of government? This is most important
inquiry, and one which hasten to 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, were the psinci-
pal circumstances which induced the formation
of emparary defensive alliance
Virginia had, on the 5 h day of May, l776,
recommended to Congress by instructions to
her delegates, to make declaration of the in
dependence of the colo les 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
eminent as they should severaIy deem expedient
Accordingly on the same day she referred to
committee the determin ton of her future form
Of government, ard the subject of Bill of
Right. That committee reported a Bill of
Rights, which was adopted on the 18th of Jun :.
and constitution, adopted on the ooh of June,
I776
One Of the deputies from Virginia in obedi-
ence to her instructions, introduced into Con-
gress on the 7th of June, resolutions proposing
such declaration. As is well knC 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 V ginic 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 federaJive gov
ernment Finally, in pursuance of instructions
as above stated from Vir MIA, as we'll as from
other States, Congress proposed, and the States
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 It
was marked step in the progress of central.
ism, as shall now proceed to show; but il dis
tinctly showed the original character and previ-
GUS relations of the parties to it.
The exercise of powers by Congress prior to
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 exercise was generally ratified by the
separate action of each legislature. This will
readily appear by reference to the ere entails
and instructions of the deputies and by numer
Gus other facts impressed upon the history of
the time, some which have area ly referred to-
But by the articles of confederation, a "league"
between the States was formed, by which gov
e nment with distinct powers was organized
Centralism, which had been previously only at
'oH, with no permanence in its being, thus be- |
came AN orun a1 an horifv 800, -.