Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-11-19

The history Of the United States for some years
after the close of the Revolutionary war; 10 replete
with difficulties growing out Of weak and unsta-
BILE government, and with expedients proposed
BY the statesmen Of that day, to put an end to
them. Finally, the minds Of all Intelligent and
patriotic men settled down in the conviction,
that an efectual remedy was to be found only In
a thorough revision Of the federal constitution,
and the delegation to the United States Of sufi-
cient powers to enable them to command respect
at home and abroad, and especially to preserve
the federal union. This conviction found ex.
preston in a resolution Of Congress, adopted on
the oath Of February, 1887, In the following
words. viz:
60 Rssof-ed, That in the opinion Of Congress, 1t
next, a convention Of dclegatss 0, who shall have
been appointed by the several States he held at
Philadelphia, for the sole and express purpose of
revising the Articles Of Confederation, and report
Ing to Congress and the several Legislatures such
alterations and provisions therein al shall, when
agreed to in Congress, and confirmed by the
States, render the federal constitution adequate to
fion Of the Usionh
There was already, by compact, perpetual
Union;" and this perpetual Union It was the
asowed object Of Congress to preserve, by revis-
ion Of the Federal Constitution" South Caro-
lima was present by her delegates, and doubtless
voted for the resolution.
The several States eoncurred In this recommen-
daton, and, in appointing their delegates, recog.
nized and designated the objects in view.
Virginia stated the object to be, " devising and
discussing SUCH alterations and further provisions
a. might be necessary to render the Federal Con-
stitution adequate TO the exigencies Of the Union
North Carolina stated the object to be "to dis
cuss and decide upon the most effectual means to
remove the defects Of the Federal Union, and to
procure the enlarged purposes which 1t was in.
tended to effect"
South Carolina stated the object to be "devisinR
and discussing all such alterations clauses, arti.
cles, and provisions as might be thought neces-
sary to render the Federal Consti tuition entirely
adequate to the actual situation and the future
good government Of the confedersted statesn
All the other States stated their object In STELLAR
language-all concurring In the project Of giving
additional power and strength TO the "perpetual.
union" already in existence.
The object Of the Convention which framed the
Constitution, in this respect, IL shown in the
letter signed by "Gsorge Washington, P,esidsnt,n
transmitting that instrument, as framed by them,
to the President Of Congress He says:
''In all our deliberations on this subject we
Kept steadily in view that tchich appears to rs the
greatest tntersst Of sv.ry true American, TIE con-
soLIDArIoN OF OUR UNION, In which 10 involved
our felicity safety, perhaps national
existence
Thus, we have, distinctly avowed, the leading
object Of Congress which recommended the call
ing Of the Convention, and Of the Convention
itself after they had finished their work
The Convention proposed that the Const ION
framed by them should be submitted for ratiaca.
ton, not to the Legislatures Of the States but to
Convention in each State chosen by the people
thereof, and Congress adopted their recommends.
ton. Conventions were held, the proposed Con-
sttution WINS ratified, and thus became the act Of
the people. Their objects In ratfying Ii are Get
forth In the preamble, and foremost among them
is the increased stability 81 the union
"We the people Of the United States, i" say they,
"in order TO form perfect xnion," re-, 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 on
Ito face 1t purPorh to be Of unlimited duration,
and contains within itself the means Of perpetu.
atng in own existence. The Publications Of all
the States were unconditional, and in the lanpu
Of Mr.. Madison, bound them s.fersre,n
+ The State Of Vermont was mot a memb., ~ IN.
perpetual union' established BY the Articles of
Confederation, but when she came in und.r N.
Constitution, she expressly recognized il perpe-
tual obligation. BY her Convention she declared
that on her admission into the Union by Congress,
the Constitution Of the United States should fin
their own words) ''bs bindsss on ~ and fAs pso-
pie Of Vermont FoRxvEn." Yet, who at that dav
supposed it was more binding on the people Of
Vermont than IL was on the people ofSouth Caro-
lima. @ -
Ii thus appears that Congress, the State Lepis
latures. the Philadelphia Convention, and IN.
people Of the States In exchanging the Articles Of
Confed eration for our present Constitution, in.
tended to give additional strength and security 10
the Union. Yet, II the doctrine OF secession be
sound, they did not understand their own work
and exchanged perpetual union" for one which
any discontended State may break up at pleasure
In another article, shall endesvor to show
that the men Of hat day did In their object
but In fact added strength and stability to the
preexisting Union. AMOS KsNpALL