New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-11-21
AMOS KENDALL UPON SECESSION.
From The Warrington Star.
SECTION No. IL,
TO STRENGTHENS THE UNION WAS THE LEADING OBJ


composing the Federal Union from l77S to 1879, had
solemnly plgbed their faith to each other in the Ari
ces OF Confederation that the Union should be per-
petu0L" These Articles constituted the Constitution
Of the United States until 1882 when they merged
IL our present Constitution.
We will now show that the object of the change was
moi to relieve the States from their perpetH0i obgG
toH, or in any way to weaken the Federal Union, but
to give it greater strength and furnish 1t with means to
perpetuate itself by relieving 1t from dependence on
the States for the execution of Its acts.
BY the Articles Of Confederation, Congress had
power to determine the amount OF revenue necessary
to be raised for the service of the United States, and
apportion among the States but whether the neces-
sry taxes should be levied duties imposed and col
lected depended the State authorities. The conse-
quence that not long after the close of the reyol
tioDary war; through the refusal neglect Of of
the States to fulfill their Federal obligations in that
spect, the United States found themselves without
means TO support the public credit or perform the
AUCTIONS then entrusted to them 1t therefore became
necessary that the United States should have power to
levy taxes and duties and collect them with the aid
interposition Of the States. This required that the
United States should have independent legislative,
executive and Judicial powers together with the means
of executing their acts and decisions To such pass
bad the neglect misconduct Of some Of the States
brought the affairs of the United States that there
imminent danger of dissolution Of the Union from
the want Of selfsustaning powers.
Tie history of the United States for years after
the close of the Revolutionary il repete with diff
fculties growing out Of weak and unstable govern
ment and with expedients proposed by the statesmen
Of that day to put end to them Finally, the minds
of all intelligent and patriotic mon settled down In the
conviction that an efecual remedy was to be found
only in a thorough revision of the Federal COnstitu
tion and the delegation to the United States of sufi
Gent powers to enable them 10 command respect at
home and abroad, and especially to preserve the Fed
era Union. This conviction found expression in res
oluon Of Congress, adopted Feb. q, 1884, in the fol-
lowing words, viz:
that the second Monday IN May Convention Of Dele
gates who shall have been appointed by the several States be
held Philadelphia for the and purpo revising
the Articles Of Confederation and reporting to Congress and the
% sseed to Congress- and '1s by
render the Federal Constitution adequate to the exences Of
There was already, by compact, perpetual
Unon;' and this perpetual Union it was the avowed
object OF Congress to preserve by a revision of the
Federal Constitution" South Carolina present
by her delegates and doubtless voted for the resou
ton.
The several States concured in this recommendation,
and in appointing their delegates, recognized and de-
sgIred the objects in view.
Virginia stated the object TO be- deyisng and dis
"cussng such alterations and further provisions as
might lie necessary render the Federal Constitu-
ton adequate to the exigences of the Union.'
North Carolina stated the object to be I" to discuss
and decide upon the most efectual means to
the defects Of the Federal Union and to procure the
enlarged purposes which it was intended to effect"
| South Carolina stated the object to be devsing
and discussing all such alterations, clauses, articles,
"and provisions might be thought necessary to
der tie Federal Constitution entirely adequate to the
actual situation and the future good government of
| "tbe conf, derated States
All the other States stated their object in similar Lam
gusge--all concuring in the project Of giving adj
ditonal power and strength to the perpetual union"
| already in existence
The object Of the Convention which. framed the
Constitution, in this respect is shown in the letter
signed by George Washington, President" trans
hitting that instrument as framed by them, to the
| President of Congress. He says:
In all deliberations this subject kept steadily in
view that which appears the interest of every
American the consolidation of Union, in which Is
involved our property felicity, safety perhaps our national
| Thus we have distinctly avowed the leading object
of Congress which recommended the calling OF the
Convention, and OF the Convention hsef alter they
| had finished their work.
The Convention proposed that the Constitution framed
by them should be submitted for ratification not the
Legislatures Of the States, but to Convention in each
| State chosen by the people thereof, and Congress
held the proposed Constitution was ratified, and thus
became the act of the people, Their objects in rafy
ing set forth in the preamble and foremost among
| them If the increased stability of tho Union.
eve the people of the United States' say they,
sin order to form more perfect union," &C., edo
ordain and establish this Constitution for the United
| States of America
II was unnecessary to repeat in the Constitution that
the Union should be perpetual, because its face it
purports to be OF unlimited DURATION and contains
within itself the means OF perpeuating ts own exist
4
tional, and in the language Of Mr. Madison, bound
| them forever
| The State of Vermont was not a member of the
perpetual Union established by the Articles of Con-
fedeIation but when she in under the Constitu-
ton she expressly recognized ts perpetual obligation.
BY her Convention she declared that her admission
into the Union by Congress- the Constitution of the
United States should in their own words) be bpt-
iRgOn us and tie pcople 0f Vermont forerer." Yet,
who at that day supposed II was more binding on the
people Of Vermont than the people Of South
| Carolina.
1t thus appears that Congress the State Legislatures
| the Philadelphia Convention and the people of the
States in exchanging the Articles of Confederation for
present Constitution intended to give additional
strength and security to the Union. Yet If the doe
Tine If secession be sound they did not understand
| their own work and exchanged a perpetual Union
for one which any Discontinued State may break up at
pleasure
In another article, shall endeavor to show that the
men of thai day did not fail in their object but in fact
added strength and stability to the preexistng
Union. AMOS KENDALL.
BRUTAL TREATMENT OF A GEORGIAN.
From The Boston Tydnscript l9th
The steamer Joseph Whitney, Capt Loveland, ar.
rived at this port this morning having on board full
<Dst OF cotton, amounting to some ,4OO bales. Mr.
Rs.ro and family also came in the steamer. The
story OF his expatiat0n from Georgia, where ne had
long resided, told by himself is one OF extreme
ha ds ~.
1t appears that Mr. Ribero, who is a carpenter by
trade, was engaged in building bridge across the
Skddaway River about ten miles from Savannah. On
Thursday of last week he received his Savannah papers
ar usual. The negroes, Of whom there were eight IN
his employ, collected about him to hear the news lie
merely ad that the papers were full OF politics; one
OF the negroes remarked, Then Lincoln Is elected
and to be freed" to which Ribero responded
that 4" be did not know about that From this con-
vorsaton the report spread around the negibors
hood that the unfortunate man had said the negroes
were to be emancpated by the election of Dir. Lin
anlu Iharn lunvu of na