The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1859-10-12
TERMS--S2,0,

'he contest, q majority of the Colonies Tefilsg-
to permit their Delegates to sign the Declars
ton OF Independence except upon the distin,r
condition that express reservation to each Gal
ny OF the exclusive right to manage and controi
its local concerns and police regulations wit
out the Intervention of any general Congress
which might be established for the United Col
onics.
Let us cite one Of these reservations as a
specimen of all, showing conclusively that thew
were fighting for the inalienable right of local
sef-government, with the clear understanding
that when they had succeeded in throwing off
the despotism of the British Parliament, no
Congressional despotism wa to be substituted
forit:
1--WE, the Delegates of MARYLAND. in conver.
ton assembled to declare that the King of
Great Rritain has violated his compact with
this people, and that they owe no allegiance TO
him. We have therefore thought it just and nee
eSSary to empower our Deputies in Congress to
JOIN with majority Of the United Colonies ia
declaring them free and independent States, in
framing such further confederation between
them, IN making foreign alliances, and in adopt-
ing Such other measures as shall be Judged nee
esSary Tor the preservation of their liberties:
"Prowded, the sole and exclusive right of
regulating the internal polity and government
OF this Colony be reserved to the people there
"We have also thought proper to call new
convention for the purpose of establishing y
government in this Colony.
IN ambitious views, no desire of independ
ence, induced the people of MARYLAND to form
an union with the other Colenies To procure
an exemption from Parliamentary taxation, and
to continue to the Legislatures Of these Colo
MES the sole and exclusive right of regulatins
their Internal Polity, was our original and only
motive. 10 maintain .inviolate our liberties
and to transmit them unimpaired to posterity
was our duty and first wish; our next, to con
tinue connected with and dependent on Great
Britain. For the truth of these assertions We
appeal to that Almighty Being who is empha-
ically styled the Searcher of hearts, and from
whose omniscence none is concealed. Relying
on his divine protection and assistance and
trusting to the justice of our cause, we exhort
and conjure every yirtuous citizen to join cor
daily in defense Of our common rights, and in
maintenance of the freedom of this and her
sister Colonies" ..... t...-,
The first plan of Federal Government adopt
ed for the United States was formed during the
Revolution, and is usually known as "The Ar
tlcles Of Confederation" BY these Articles it
was provided that "Each State retains its Soy
ereignty, Freedom, and Independence, and
every power, jurisdiction, and right which is
not by this Confederation expressly delegated
to the United States in Congress assembled
At the time the Articles Of Confederation
were adopted--July 9, 1775-the United States
held no lands or territory in common. The en-
tire country-including all the waste and un-y
appropriated lands--embraced within or per-
tanning to the Confederacy belonged to and was
the property Of the several States within whose
limits tie same was situated. ,.-s ~
On the 9th day of September, 1880, Com
gress recommended to the several States inthe
Union having claims to waste and unappropria-
ted lands in the Western country, liberal ces-
sion to the United States of portion of their
respective claims for the common benefit Of the
Union" IA 1,ggEs
On the goth day Of October; 1888, the Legis-
ature Of Virginia passed an act authorizing the
Delegates in Congress from that State to convey
to the United States "the territory or tract, Of
country within the limits of the Northwest Of
the River Ohio"-which grant was to be made
upon the Condition that the territory SO ceded
shall be laid out and formed into States;" and
that "the States SO formed shall be distinct re-
publican States, and admitted members of the
Federal Union, having the same rights OF Sow
roignty, Freedom, and Independence as the 9TH
cc States" gaH
On the 1st day of March, 1884, Thomas JEFF
ferson and his colleagues in Congress executed
the deed Of cesson in pursuance of the act of
the Virginia Legislature, which was accepted
and ordered to "be recorded and enrolled among
the acts of the United States in Congress as
sembled." This was the first territory ever ac-
qured, held, ar owned by the United States
On the same day of the deed of cession Mr..
Jefferson, as chairman of a committee which
had been appointed consisting of Mr.. Jefferson
Of Virginia, Mr. Chase Of Maryland, and Mr..
Howell of Rhode Island, submitted to Congress-
"a plan for the temporary government Of the
territory ceded or to be ceded by the individual
States to the United States" 5essss
1t is important that this Jeffersonian plan Of
government for the Territories should be care
lulls considered for many obvious reasons. It
was the first plan ofgoyernment for the Terri
tories ever adopted in the Unitod States. It
was drawn by the author Of the Declaration of
Independence, and eyised and adopted by those
rbon hi I,oh
olution, and formed the foundation upon which
our whole American system of governments
rests. 1t was not intended to be either local
or temporary in its character, but was designed
to be applied to all territory ceded or to be ce-
ded, 'and to be universal in its application and
eternal in its duration, wherever and whenever
we might have territory requiring govern
ment. 1t ignored the right Of Congress to leg
isate for the people of the Territories without
their consent, and recognized the inalienable
right of the people of the Territories, when Or
ganlZed into political communities, to govern
themselves in respect to their local concerns and
polity. 1t was adopted bv the Con-
gress Of the Confederation on the 23d day Of
April, 1854, and stood upon the Statute Book
as general and permanent plan for the govern
ment of all tertorry which we then owned or
should subsequently acquire, with provision
declaring it to be a "Charler Compactf ~ and
that its provisions should "stand as fundamen1
tai conditions between the thirteen original
States.,!nd those newly described, unaltera-
bic but by the joint consent of the United
States in Congress assembled, aud of the particss
ular State within which such alteration is pro-
posed to be made" Thus the JeiFelsonmn
Plan for the government Of the Territories---
this "Chaater Compact'- fun1ainental
which were declared to be .iunal-
lerable" without the consert Of t,e p;vple. .of
"the tarticu ar State Territory within which