Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1864-09-16

A few weeks later. March II 1887, he sal
Of the delegates 10 the convention from thl
State:
"Col. Hamilton, with Mr.. Yates and Mr.
Lansing, arc appointed hy New forS- The "
latter are supposed 20 lean TOO much toward Stat'
considerations % he good members Of an assembly
which will be only useful in proportion 70 its supe
riority to partial views and interests"
In another letter, few days before the con-
vention, Apt s. l7s7, he slys
"I am also perfectly Of YOU opinion. that in franz
ing system material sacrifices ought . be made
70 local or temporary interests. . p hold IL 2
I a fundamental point that independence OF thc
States Is utterly irrecoucilable with the idea ol az
aggregate sovereignty Let tlIc natl Hrifl
Government have negative In all cases whatsoever
on the legislative acts % the States the In of
Great Britain heretofore he'd This conceive 90 ,"
essential, ant the least possible ahrtsemcnt oi the
/ State sovereisnties.n
THE CONvESTION.
When the convention met, MAY @, 1775, Mr.
Randolph presented resolutions embracing the
result Of a previous consultation on the sugieet,
and substantially agreeing with Mr. Nalson's
views. Those resolutions were the basis u the
convention, and to them the constitution may be
tracel.
In the convention there were two scheme
proposel-that by Governor Randolph, Of Viz
ginia, which have mentioned, and the other by
Mr.. Patterson, of New Jersey They were JUST
" characterized in debate By Mr. Lansing. q
this State, June Is. l7s7.
Mr. Lansing called for the reading Of the first
resolution Of each plan, which De cQu-llcICi as ir-
vOlvinE principles directly 10 contrast IlIt ui
Mr- patterson say he susia.ns The sovereignty 81
the respective States that cf Mr.. Randolph des'r ~
II. The latter requires e-atFc on a-t tire lass
Of the particular states the i1-mcr onlt c.rtains
general power Tor the general good. Toe plan oi
Nj. Randolph ahsorhs all power except el4t may
be exercised in the little local alters o. the states
rrf.fu Ffrr rf.FH H H.rs.
When the two plans came to a vote the scheme
Of Mr.. Patterson was voted down. and after two
days was never again entertanel while the
convention went on 10 perfect Mr. Rauiolphs
plan. giving It the form Of the present constitu-
ton Of the United States the sovereign power
one great nation under an entire Government,
Of which the States, rs orglnizei divisions,
bodies polite, are necessary constituent function
a. parts, for local, domestic legislation and So
cial, and for constituent action and nothing else
Gov. Randolph was the first Attorney General
and the second Secretary Of State under the
new Government
The CONSTITUTION.
That constitution not only denied to the States
all the attributes Of nationality and sovereignty
but in the most solemn and explicit manner
conferred them or the Government Of the United
States. That constitution declares that il was
made 80 To form more perfect Union. TO esJlb-
lish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, rto-
vide for the common defense, promote the seu-
eral welfare. and secure the blessings Of liberty
TO the people of the United States"
For these purposes it organized '' the Govern
ment Of the United States AMI prescribed its
general functions-the legislative department,
with power 20 lay all sorts Of taxes. to borrow
money, 20 regulate commerce, naturalz itiCu, b
bankruptcy, money, weights and measures, t.
coin money and 20 punish c0unterfeiters, ostib- .
lish post Offices aud post roads, TO give authCrs
and inventors their copyrights and patents, 20
declare war and raise and support armies anil a
navy, TO regulate the land and naval forces arf .
the militia, and to makeall other laws Necessary
for enforcing the constitution and all the laws or
the United States, and all the powers ofi's Gov
ernments thereof IL organized iud;ciHl svs-
TEN TO dispose Of al eases arising under it-au
Executive Head, entrusted with the civil author
ity and the army and the navy and the militi1. .
and clothed with the power and bound 10 the Z
duty-houni with M oath upon bis c7nsc;ence- .
TO faithfully preserve. protect anil defend The .
Uuitei States and its constitution 20 the best of .
his ability-when the life ot the nation ], in .
peril, the authority ami the discretion % -eilc. .
the means and direct the modes Of preserving IT., P
being limited only by bis rooi faith, his cru-
supreme Jaw o. the land. - above STATE laws auI .
constitutions and governors anil iIi.es-
This is 'the Government of the United .
States, given 20 us by the Gol-iusp'red mon
who. really wiser than they knew. hI broad
and deep and strong. the iouulitous li a ultiou .
then SO feeble, now So majestic AMI powerful
This Is the Government whose measures 90 ,tli- .
defence in It's great strife for national lif-aui
such a strife the Governor desires 90 see
'' break down" snail | venture the reason
why, Because the traitors i,r years have been
his party associates and frien 's-the very reason
why be should have done as the great body ot
the Demcratic party did, turn urou them with
the feeling Of insultod party prize, with resent
ment and patriotic Indignation, to spurn, % de-
splse ami 10 crush them.
For the purposes Of war, .or the purpose of
defending and preserving the nation, our Govern
ment has all the powers which any nation ever
had, and our President all the power that any
or National Head ever had.
and that power may be eXercssl wherever the
national flag has a right to float 50 far rs ul-
tIonal rights and duties are concerned, 50 far as
the family Of nations IS concerned, so far rs war
is concerned, It Is our only Government.