The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-07-20
The Importance ofthe History of Yer
hal Terms.


bsen characterized by the principle Of con-
soidation 1t is based upon the assumption
that the United States form not only one gov
eminent but one people. The rights OF
States and peoples are ignored, and they are
rsparded as provinces OF one great empire
rather than as separate and independent pow
ers which have united, or confederated for
mutual protection and a common good. Thus
the course of legislation has been towards
Capitalization of power in the General Govern
ment The principle of individualism has
been rendered subservient and has become
absorbed in the nationality" so to speak
The term 1--WE the people, which originally
meant, as designed by the trainers Of the
Constitution, 1--WE the people" Of the separate
States, that is, Of Maine, New Hampshire,
Vermont, &C., as the preamble to the Consti-
tntion read in its original form, has been prac-
tcallv interpreted by the radicals in their e-
gislative action, to mean, we the one consoli-
dated mass of the people of the United States
One people, as the people of Great Britain,
or France. Such view is unhistorical and
onposed to the intentions of the trainers of the
Constitution
When the original preamble was drawn up,
commencing, eve the people" it recited the
name of each State-"W the people of
Maine, New Hampshire" &c. In this form it
went to the revisory committee But as no
one could tell what States would adopt the
Constitution, the committee came to the very
proper conclusion that the preamble could
not he reported back to the Convention in
the form in which it came to them. 1t was
impossible to know what States would adopt
and what would reject, hence they struck out
the names of all the States, and reported the
preamble as adopted-"We the people of the
United States;" that is, we the people of such
States as should unite and adopt the Consti-
tuition. 1t is upon this mere form of ex-
preston, 1--WE the people of the United
States that the theory of zone people" was
based by that party in the country which fa-
vored Capitalization or consolidation. The
result of the late war has tended to favor thi :
Interpretation, and to encourage the views
which looks upon our really confederate sys-
tenn of government as nationality. Hence,
such phrases as are now heard in tie Senate
and the other branch Of Congress, such as for
example-''the time had come for them to
assert the Independence of the National Gov
eminent over the States a
Any man who has read the debates upon
the Constitution previous to its adoption will
remember that this very word national"
when used, was objected to as liable to misin-
depreciation, and was actually expunged as
not expressive of the sense of the trainers of
the instrument, and that of Omitted States"
substituted. If the idea had been broached
and insisted upon in the Convention-the
idea we mean, Of "the independence of the
National Government over the States in the
sense now entertained and acted upon, as ex-
hlbted in the character of the legislation of
the radicals, the Constitution would never
have been framed, and certainly never adopted
and the delegates to the Convention in Phla-
delphia would have returned to their homes
and rellnqnshed the powers with which they
had been clothed, and we should either have
remained under the old Articles of Confedera-
ton, or resolved ourselves into the separate
and independent States, or Powers, which
had united in framing that form of govern
ment-Just as the representation from the lit
tie State of Delaware threatened, when there
appeared ''a squirting" in the Convention
which looked to deprivation of equal rep
resentation in the Senate.
The historical references which we have
made are indisputabe and cannot be gain
sad They are facts of history which can
not be ignored, and he who denies them, only
uiscoses his ignorance OF the history of the
formation OF hatinstrument which radicalism
now seeks to trample under foot by uncon-
sntutlonAl legislation and by depriving eleven
e'ates Of participation in its common rights
s. and benefits.
.