Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-07-17

4
and lndissouble. The articles of Confedera-
tion being firm league of friendship with
/ each other for their common defence, the Sc
! curlty Of their liberties and their mutual and
| general welfare, binding them selves to assist
each other against ali force offered to, at
! tack made upon them or any of them on ac-
count ofreligion, sovereignty, trade, or any pre-
| tence whatever, were adopted by the respec-
| i've States. Each state expressly reserved
| It's sovereignty, freedom and independence,
and every power, jurisdiction and right which
| was not by the Confederation expressly dele
| gated to the United States in Congress assem-
| Dled. The government, if SO it can be called
was merely Congress of the States. The
| powers of the Congress were limited, but the
compact which conferred those powers, con-
tanned the provision that the articles of Con-
federation shall inviolably be observed by ev-
cry State, and the Union shall be perpetual :;
nor shall any alteration at any time hereafter
he made in any of them, unless such alteration
be agreed to in the Congress of the United
StateS and be afterwards confirmed by the
Legislature of every State.
The insuficency of the powers conferred on
Congress the necessity for providing for the
public debt created by the war, and the en-
barraSsments and difficulties growing out of the
regulation of trade, resulted in meeting of
Commissioners, at the instance of the Gener-
al Assembly of Virginia, to consider the best
means of remedying the defects OF the FEEDER
al Government. Congress promptly took ac-
tion, and under its authority convention of
delegates, for the sole and express purpose of
revising the articles of Confederation, met on
the End Monday of May 1887. The manner in
which that convention, composed of the most
eminent and patriotic men of the day, per-
formed its work is shown by the Constitution
of the United States, which they after careful
and mature deliberation, framed and present
ed to Congress. The views of the delegates
may be CLEANED from the discussions during
their protracted session, and are embodied in
the letter addressed by the convention,
through their President, George Washington,
to the President of Congress. quote its lam
guage. ssThe friends of our country have
long seen and desired, that the power of making
war, peace, and treaties that of levying mon
ey and regulating commerce, and the cores
pondent executive and judicial authorities,
should be fully and effectually vested in the
general government OF the Union; but the
impropriety of delegating such extensive
trusts to one body OF men, is evident, hence
results the necessity of different organiza-
ton. 1t is obviously lyrHimpracticable in the
federal government of these States to secure
all rights of independent sovereignty to
each, and yet provide for the interest and
safety of all. individuals entering into socie-
ty must give up share of liberty to preserve
the rest. The magnitude OF the sacrifice
must depend, we'll on situation and cir
cumStance, as on the objects to be obtained.
Ii is at all times difficult to draw with preciS-
ian the line between those rights which must
be surrendered, and those which may be re-
served and on the present occasion, this diff
ficulty was increased by difference among
the several States as to their situation, extent,
habits and patcular interests. In all our de-
liberations on this subject, we kept steadily
in our view, that which appears to us the
greatest interest of every true American, the
consolidation of our Union, in which is involved
our prosperity, felicity, safety, and perhaps
our national existence. This important con-
sideration, seriously and deeply impressed on
our minds, led each state in the convention to
be less rigid on points of inferior magnitude,
than might have been otherwise expected
and thus the constitution, which we now pre-
sent, is the result of spirit of ap1ity and of
that mutual Difference and concession which
the popularity of our political situation rem
dered Indispensable
No one can contrast the articles of Confed-
Grafton with the original Constitution Of the
United States without arriving at the conclu-
sion that the adoption of the Constitution was
for the express purpose OF consolidating the
Union that is, out of several free, Indepen-
dent and sovereign States, to create one free,
independent and sovereign Power. The Ar
ticles of Confederation were merely a league
of firm friendship-the Constitution, the ba-
sis of a new government. By the former,
tain limited powers were conferred on Con-
greSs-under the latter, the legislative, judi
cial, and executive powers, attributes of SOW
eregntv, were lodged in the three Co coordinate
branches of the new government. The one
professed to be an agreement between the dele
gates of the respective States-the other to
emanate from, aud be ordained and established
by, the people of the United States. The Ar
ticles of Confederation were intended to cre-
ate perpetual Union-the Constitution to
form more perfect Union. In the first COM
pact, each State expressly reserved its sover
eighty, freedom and independence. In the
second. the sovereignty of the different States
merged in that of the general Govern
ment. No right was reserved but by impli-
cation until by amendment to the Con-
stitution it afterwards declared that the
powers not delegated to the United States by
the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the
States, are reserved to the States respectively,
or to the people. If such a contrast should
leave doubt on the mind of any one that the
general government operates directly on per-
sons and things in the respective States, and
in such States the Constitution and laws in
pursuance thereof constitute the Supreme law
of the land, which cannot be altered or an
nulled at the will of the States individually, l
would refer him 10 the history of the times
Immediately proceeding the adoption of the
Constitution, and to the speeches and writings
of Washington, Hamilton, Madison, Monroe,
Jefferson and other eminent men who assisted
in framing securing the adoption of
that instrument, and who expounded it or COM
mented thereon. At the time notification,
eldest born but least mischievous of the here
sizes of South Carolina, was disturbing the
peace, James Madison wrote ssI know not
whence the idea could proceed that concur
red in the doctrine that although State could
not nulify law of the Union, it bad right
to secede from the Union. Both spring from
the same poisonous root" Time would not