Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1861-02-26
The Chief Object-the Preservation of the
TIniOm~

WHO seem 10 nave IOTSOCteu Tue Culol ONj0oo AoeA
in view by our wise forefathers in changing the
government from the "Confederacy" to its pres
ent form, we will refer to portion of the histo-
~ of the establishment of our Federal Constitu-
ton that they may see what it was.
Experience having shown that the "Confed-
eracy" was inadequate to the exigencies of Gov
eminent and the preservation of the Union, they
changed the character of the Government that
it might be adequate to the 'exigencies of Gov
eminent and the preservation Of the Union"
The Congress of the Confederation which call
ed the Convention for the purpose OF agreeing
upon Constitution of Government, on the 21st
of February, 1887, adopted the following resolu-
ton:
Resozued, That, in the opinion Of Congress, it
is expedient, that, on the second Monday in
May next, Convention of Delegates, who shall
have been appointed by the several States, be
held at Philadelphia, for the sole and express
purpose of revising the articles of Confederation,
and reporting to Congress, and the several Leg
slatures, such alterations and provisions therein
as shall, when agreed to in Congress, and con-
frmed by the States, render the Federal Co7astS-
tuition adequate to the erigencies Of Government,
and the PRESER VATION OF THE UN-
ION. sa
In pursuance of the authority of Congress
thus expressed, and in pursuance Of the objects
had in view, viz; ''to render the Federal Con-
stitution adequate to the exigences of Govern
ment, and the preservation Of the Uaaiom," the
delegates met in Convention at Philadelphia on
the 14th day, the second Monday in May, 1887,
and were engaged in their arduous and patriotic
labours till the 18th day of September, 1857,
when the Constitution was agreed upon by that
body.
General Washington was the President of that
Convention, and, in his letter of Sept. II, 1887,
submitting the Constitution which they had a.
greed upon to the consideration Of Congress, used
this language:
''In all our deliberations on this subject we
kept steadily in our view that which appears to
us the greatest interest Of euery true American
the consolidation of our Uaion-om aohich Is IN
uoJ0ed oar national existence. This important
consideration, seriously and deeply impressed
upon our minds, led each State in the Conven-
tons to be less rigid on points of inferior mag
nitude than might have been otherwise expect
ed and thus the Constitution which we now
present is the result of spirit of amity, and of
that mutual Difference and concession which the
popularity OF our political situation rendered in
dispensable."
The Constitution was then submitted to the
Conventions of the several States for ratification
fled the same, the new Government, adequate
to the exigencies of Government, and the PRES
ervation of the Union," was substituted for tie
Oonfederacy. General Washington was elected
President by the unanimous vote of the electors,
aud the new Government went into operation
on the 4th day of March, 1889. On the 18th
day of September, 1896, exactly nine years
from the adoption, by the Convention, of the
Federal Constitution, General Washington issued
his Farewell Address-the wisest political doc
ument has ever emanated from any Statesman
of any age or country. In that address he says
1.-THE unity of Government, which constitutes
you one people, is also now dear to you. 1t is
Justly so for il is a main pillar in the edfce OF
your real Independence support of your
tranquility at home, your peace abroad, of your
safety, of your prosperity, of that very liberty
which you so highly prize. But as it is easy to
foresee that, from different causes and from diff
ferent quarters, much pains will be taken, many
articles employed, to weaken in your minds the
conviction of this truth: as this is the point in
YOUR potictl fortress against which the batteries
of internal and external enemies will be most
constantly and actively Though often covertly
and insidously) directed-it is of infinite mo-
ment that you should properly estimate the i'm
mense value of your National Union to your col
lectve and individual happiness; that you should
cherish cordial, habitual, and immovable at
tacment to it; accustoming yourselves to think
and speak of it as of the palladium of your po-
litical safety and prosperity; watching for its
preservation with jealous anxiety; discount
enancing whatever may suggest even suspicion
that it can, in any event, be abandoned; and
Indignantly frowning upon the first dawning OF
every attempt to ALLEVIATE any portion OF our
country from the rest, or to enfeeble the sacred
ties which now link together the various parts. y
"While. then, every part of our country thus
feels an immediate and particular interest in
union all the parts combined cannot fail to find
10 the united mass Of means and efforts, greater
strength, q eater resource, proportonably great
er security from external danger, less frequent
interruption of their peace by foreign nations /;
and what is Of inestima6le ua1ue, they must de-
rice from atnaon an exemption from those 6roats
and pars 6etaoeen Themselves aolaach 50 Frequently
q61ict meighborang countries not tied together oy
the same Government aoAich their oaon riodtshtp
alone aoould be sufficient to produce, but aohach
opposite toreiqn alliances, attachments, and in
trioues. acouM stimulate and em6itter. Hence,
H&epise. then soiW dUoid the necessity OF oUer-
groacn military establishments, whach, under amy
government, are inauspicious to liberty, and
whach are to be regarded as particularly hostste
to republican liberty in this sense 1t IS that yoatr
union ought to be considered US a main prop OF
vour h5ertv and that the bve of the one ought to
endear to you the preservation Of the other"
These facts show how the value of the Union
was appreciated by the trainers OF our Govern
ment. The Union is as important to us as a
nation now as it was then. 1t remains to be
seen whether we will emulate the wisdom OF
those who have estimated the Union at its true
value.
We will give some more authority upon this
subject next week.
A distinguish ed SubmissiOnist
The following was related to us yesterday by a
visitor, and regarding it as too good to be lost
we publish it.:
IA union man told a secession friend of his, a
few DAYS ago, that be wished to read him An ex
tract from a speech he had, which seemed to fit,
the existing condition of things better than any
thing he had seen and thereupoD, without let
ting him know what it was. read passage from