Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-06-23

1 L. ms
tsrds confirmed by the Legislatures Of every State
II will be seen by reference to the OF the
Annapolis Convention quoted above and the resolution o
Congress in pursuance Of which the Convention assembled
at Philadelphia in May 17S7, that nothing more was m
tended to accomplished By that body than to
if possible the conficnginterests and OF the o
rept States and agree upon the necessary
to the Constitution to render it adequate to the
ces of the Union, aud repart.the same to CJngesS
in order that my readers may that more clearly WI"
quote entire the preamble and resolution aaopsu oy
Congress the 2st day of February Isi, tue H Lo
which the report of the Annapolis Convention was 'Ae
WHsRKAs There is provision in the articles of Confed
Grafton and perpetual uniOn for making alterations tnere
in nv fine ascent of Congress of the United States and
of the Legislatures the several States and whereas ex
perience hath evinced that there are deectS IN 1ns
Copfederation to remedy which several oil the
States and particularly the State OF New fork by express
instructions their delegates id Congress- have
Convention for the purposes expressed IN the following
resolutions and such Convention appearing to be the most
probable means of establishing in these States firm ma
PssoSeL That in the opinion of Congress- it is expe
dent that the second Monday in May next ConVen-
ton of delegates who shall have been appointed by the
several States be held at Philadelphia, for tie S"e and r
press purpose Of revising the articles of C5nederat'0n ana
reporting to Congress and the several Legislatures sucn
alterations therein, shall when agreed ton Congress-
and confirmed by the States render the Federal GonSu
ton adequate to the exgences OF government ana tue
DreserUIki0n of the Union"
In Of and for the objects set forth in the fore
going resolution all the States with the single exception
of Rhode Island appointed delegates to the proposed Con
venton; Virginia being the first in ORDER and the IAN
guage which She and indeed every other State used IN ne
credentials given to her delegates will think prove 20 IN
satisfaction every one-the President of the Confederate
States the greatest of all American statesmen past or
present living dead, alone exeepted-Inat sac never
thaught of or contemplated secession me ACT OF tne
General Assembly of Virginia under which her ueieeS
were appointed, IS entitled as follows:
"AS ACT for appointing deputies from this Common
PTadephis in May next for the purpose Of rsUsiag the
Federal OasttatiOn and the language used IN the ere
from the same as follows for the purpose of revising the
Federal Constitution. We are at a loss to see how even
great" man as the President was able To discover
any evidence of intention tO secede from or dissolve
the Union in this language. New Jersey followed next,
and the language used by her in the credentials t. her del
egates follows: For the purpose Of taking into con-
sderaion the OF the Union to trade and other I'M
portaut objects and of deviSng such other provisions rs
shall appear to be necessary to render me VI
Of" PENNSYLVANIA next, and empowered her dele
gates to meet such deputies as may be appolnted and
authorized by the other States to assemble IN SAID Con-
Yent0n at the city aforesaid aud to join with them IN de-
vSng celebrating and discussing all such alterations
Federal Constitution fully adquIte to the exigencIeS OF
the Union and in reporting such act or acts Tor that pur
pose the Une States in Congress assembled when
agreed to by tham and dny confirmed oy me several
States will efectually provide for that purpose"
Nextcame the State of North Carolina using the fol,
Constitution" Next followed Delaware in The following
language: Devisng celebrating and discussing such
alterations and further provisions may be necessary to
render the Federal Constitution adequate TO the
of the Union" Georgia next in language almost
identical with that of Delaware Then came New York
Georgia The State of Smith Csr1lna came next, mpow
erin her commissioners join with the commissioners of
the other States sin devising and discussing all such al
eraOnS clauses articles and provisions may be thought
necessary render the f idk Constitution entirely Ade
quate the actual situation and future good government
the Confederaed States Next Massachusetts, in
this emphatic language for the sole and eDSs purpose
of revising the articles of Confederation The State of
Connecticut followed in the exact language of Massachu
sets. The language of Maryland aim OSt identical
Eh that of Delaware aud some other States New Hamp
shire sent delegates "to discuss and decide upon the most
ec means to remedy the defects Of our Federal Union,
and to and the enlarged purposes which 1t
was intended to effect"
In the foregoing powers the Delegates met
in Convention at Philadelphia the 4th day. being the End
Monday in May a. d. 1887 and the nth of September,
1877 agreed the present Constitution the United States
which they transmitted to the United States in Congress
assembled accompanied by resolutions in which the
Convention the 0piHOn that 1t should be su
mted to Convention of delegates chosen in each State
by the people thereof under the recommendation Of its
legislature for their assent and ratification and also the
opinion that the Conventions of nine States
should have ratified the Constitution the United States in
Congress assembled should fix day which the electors
should be appointed by the State which shall have ratified
the same and day which the electors should assemble
to vote for the President and the time and place for
meuc;ng proceedings under the Constitution. 1t
also accompanied by letter from the President Of the Con-
ventOn Gen. Washington, written by the unanimous
der of the Convention in which he saws, in all de-
SeratiOns this subject, ept steadily in view
that VIII appears to the greatest interest of true
Amerlcan-ths CnSthation UHi0n-in which Is in
existence"
W.
UndntHsoask That the said report with the resolutions
and letter accompanying the same be transmitted the
several Legislatures in order BE- submitted
ton OF delegates chosen in each State BY the people there
of in conformity TO the resolves of the Convention made
and provided in that case; and the 18th of September
1884, eleven States having the mean time ratified the
Constitution, Congress passed the following resolution:
ReScUeG That the first Wednesday in January next be
the day for appointing electors the several States which
before the said day, shall have ratified the Constitution
that the first Wednesday in February be the day for the
electors to assemble in their respective States and vote for
be time and the present of Congress New York;
place for commencing the proceedings under the said Con-
should perhaps have stated that every one of the States
represented at Philadelphia instructed their delegates to
report their acts to Congress- order that they might be
first agreed By that body conformity with the provis
ions of the 18th of the articles of Confederation would
also refer such of readers wish verify any of
the foregoing quotations to the Journals Of the Congress
OF the Confederation and of the State Legislatures during
that PERIOD and also to the valuable Compilation of Mr.
Hickey in his edition and history of the Constitution
oil the United States published years since by order
North-Carona.
think have sufficiently shown the object of the
great statesmen who framed the Constitution the Uni
ted States Their object beyond all question to ere
wise and amend the Federal So as to render
adequate to the exgences of the Unon in the tcay and
I"ner provided for in that Constitution and this at all
events was all they did 1t was agreed to by tae
Congress and referred BY it to the Legislatures of the
ea STATES aud IN pursuance of the recommendaon-not
the dt-Ot the Convention referred by them to con-
Venons OF the people in each State called by Legsa-
the consolation provided that 1t should be confirmed BY
tne OF the several States yet think no one
Will deny that they had the right hey thought proper 10
90 So IN accordance with the Recommendation of the Com
t; TO refer to their masters the people in Conven-
n assembled The only particulars then 10 which there
was the slightest departure from the provisions of the Con-
Ssu'on was IN its being put into operation when it had
Oeen a'ned only by eleven of the States instead of by oil
OF them The other States howe, err soon ratified IL
and thus remeded that deect and there little doubt that
result was ioreseen and contemplated by the National
Convention And is believed that the enlightened bodv
OIL statesmen foresaw, that if the government was put m
under the amended Constitution upon its ad,p.
nine OF the States it would it's speedy adop-
f inc other four, and thus by temporary departure
ment "'eV 'eo"ie 'S@ S"''"e Iuinii-
1a may however be said that the Convention did no9e
10 Ia a aenu the Old Constitution but adopted an entire
i1ton put thls IS not the The old Const
ouOu OF the principles Of national gov
eramen but the Confederate principle largely preiom-
naed The present Constitution contains some of the prn
cpes OF Confederate government but the national prin
cpe largely PredomnOes Sd it apparent that there was
not total change of SYSTEM but revision and smend.
ent OF the old Constitution the way uud manner ~