The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1860-12-27

L
1881. 1t is true that the powers OF this
government were not, and indeed could
not, he very we'll defined. But its soyer-
eighty and controlling power over the Col
Onies were. in many cases, universally ad-
m;tted. And. though the Colonies were
usually regard ed as individually "soyer-
eign and independent" yet it is obvious
that these terms were understood in mo-
diied and subordinate sense, So that
the States were not. really individual SOW
ereign,ies under this government. If any
Colony had claimed that it was not bound
by the acts of the Continental Congress,
this would have been regarded as here
sy.
This government, however, vas merely
Ihs creature fthe exigencies Of the times,
and fr m the febieness ofits organization
could not possibly have been permanent.
The Colonies (now called Slaes, well
knowing this, and knowing. too. that their
future separation into independent States,
with no mutual ties, or controlling nation
al government. would expose them 10 the
chance Of rcconquest by the Mother Coun-
try. and subject them to all the perlls OF
internal dissentions, determined to estab'
lish union Of greater strength, And on
the 1l.h of jane. l776. the Continental
Congress resolved to appoint committee,
10 consist of a member from each State, to
prepare the form confederation, to be
entered into between the States. Pursu-
ant to this resolution committee for that
purpose was appointed on the day follow
lug. On the 18th Of July, this Commit
tee reported draft Of the Articles OF Con-
fede lation and Congress adopted this re-
port. Congress then issued circular re-
quesiing the States respectively to author.
ize their delegates in Congress to subscribe
these Articles for the Slsfes. They were
finally ratified in 1881. Thus were estab.
lished second Union and government by
the adoption of these ARTICLES Of Couied-
Grafton and Perpetual Union ;"-the words
, perpetual Union" clearly showing that
the States did not even contemplate an ex-
istence as erarate independent sovereign
ties afterlh termination Of thewar inwhich
they we're then engaged. This Confeder.
alton differed from mere league in that
, the former was designed 10 be perpetwatly
obligatory on the States. whereas the later
is only intended to be binding during tho
, pleasure of the parties 10 it. The 18th
, Article of the Confederation provides that,
EVERY States shall abide the determine.
ton of tho United States in Congress as
sembled, in all questions which by this
Confederation are submitted to them =
that "tLe Articles of CONFEDERATION shall
be invio1aJly observed in every Stale !" that
"ths Union shall be perpetual" and that
'the Articles Of Consideration shall not
be alfred unless agreed to by Congress,
and the States." Some ofthe prohibitions
imposed on the States by these Articles
are the following mo State shall send
any embassy 20, or receive any embassy
from, or enter into any conference, agree
ment, alliance, or treaty with any King,
Prince or State "No two or more States
shall form any treaty or alliance between
themselves, without tlieconSent of JongresS;'
f mo State shall lay any imposts which
will interfere with treaties formed by the
United States with foreign States:" "No
vessels Of war shall bo Kept up by any
State in time of peace, unless deemed ne
cessary by Congress-" "No state shall
engage in war without the consent Of Con-
4 gress." Congress exercised all these pow
ers the States none Of them. Now, were
the States, possessing none of those pow
O crsIunder the Confederation absolute cover
J. eighties? Evidently not; the end Article
q OF .he Confederation 10 the contrary not
a w,thstanding.
8 But there were two leading defects il
J. the Confederation, which proved fatal tc
J. il. 1t established no national Executive
+. power; TO national Judiciary. 1t provid
:, ed no power to give the necessary sanction
;. to the laws Of the Congress; no coerciv'
/, authority to execute them. And lis true
3 as iutimated by "T'] that after the re
10 storalion Of peace, some of the States re
}. fused 10 obey the laws passed by Con
j. gress. But. because few Of the State'
!. chose to violate the Federal Constitution
and refused to yield obedience to the law
Q passed in pursuance thereof, does it there
o fore follow that those States were justi6
J. ed ? Assuredly not. Then there unwill
II iugness TO allow Congress the legimaie ex
}. erclse Of those powers which they had ex
?, pressly granted to it, is no proof Of thei
/. then sovereignty. Besides many of tn
o States condemned the recusant ones, ant
determined so to enlarge the powers of lh'
a General Government, that all the States
;. would be compelled to submit to its laws
/, And in February 1887, upon the recon
q mendation Of five Of the States, Congress
H passed a resolution requesting Conven
!. ton of delegates from the States 10 NEE
!. at Phiadelphia, in the ensuing May. 1t
n compliance with this resolution, all tbC
r States except Rhode Island, appointed de
8 legates to this Convention, which wat
r held a, the time and place agreed on. A
daft of our present Constitution was drawn
Y and adopted by this Convention, and by
n resolution referred to Congress the Con
!, vention declaring in the same resolution
}. that "tho Constitution should, after the
\, action of Cong,oss upon it, be submitted
}. TO convention OF delegates chosen il
each State by the people thereof. for Msi'
@ assent and ratification Congress. on re
= ceiviug the report of this Convention, re-
d solved, "That the said report with the
/. resolution accompanying the same, b
transmitted to the several legislatures, il
q order TO be submitted d"-not to the legisla
!. tures, but to convention Of delegates cho
y sen in each State by the people thereof, ii
i conformity 20 the resolves of tho Conve l