The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-07-06


was a compact by its terms between in
dependent sovereign States? This
must be granted, but with the admis-
sion should go the fact that these ar
ticles of confederation never were
ratified and never became efectual
until the war of'the Revolution had
nearly been concluded. The ratifea-
ton took place and Congress first
met under them in 1871 and peace
came, In 1888. The Union was a
verify for six years and more prior to
the ratification Of these articles, and
they being a departure from the grand
principle of national unity, annonnc-
ed in the Declaration of Indepen-
dence were soon given up for the Con-
stitution of the United States, which
again spoke the national will by the
authority, not of the States, but of
one united people.
One other historical incident bearing
upon the same point, and / conclude
this branch of the subject. 4s
When the Commissioners of France.
Great Britain and the United States
met in Paris, In August, 1852, to
conclude a treaty of peace. the British
Commissioner produced a commission
in the language of a then recent act
of Parliament, by whichthe King was
authorized to conclude a peace with
certain colonies therein named, the
thirteen colonies being named sep
arately in the act. Mr.. Jaw. one
of the American Commissioners OBJ
jected to the suficiency of this author
ity ,and refused to proceed with the me-
gotiations until the British Commits,
crnna~ rokrrna1 ord n.~
tiOns authorizing him to treat with
(" the Commissioners of the United
States of America" and the treaty
was then made between France, Great
Britain and the United States; the
Commissioners of each representing
one sovereign and Independent power.
This historical review clearly shows
that Mr.. Lincoln was right when he
declared in his first message to Con-
gress that the States have their
status in the Union. and they have no
other legal status. IF they break from
this, they can only do so against law
and by revolution. The Union, and
not themselves separately, procured
their independence and their liberty. |
By conquest or purchase the Union
gave each of them whatever of indie
pendence or liberty it has. The Union
is older than any of the States, and
in fact it created them as States.
Originally some dependent colonies
made the Union, and in turn the
Union threw off their dependence for
them, and made them States such as
they are. Not one of them ever had
a State Constitution Independent of
the Union.'
So spoke the. good President" to
his c~ountrymen. and, though being
dead. SO he still speaks. May the |
people ever heed his words, and re-
member hat the Union has been the
ource of all our political blessings in
the past, and is the foundation of all
u hopes for the future.
The Declaration of Independence,
as we have seen, assumed the pre-
vious existence of the Union, and de-
clared the national independence. 1t
did more; it proclaimed the inaiien-
able rights of men, and these rights,
thus proclaimed, constitute another
of the broad, deep foundations of
American institutions, and introduces
the second topic proposed for your
consideration.
In the light OF the grand historic
transactions of the last six years
which have so .gloriously vindicated
u national unity, may we not to-day
repeat with a new emphasis the words
OF our fathers, that I'VE hold these
truths to be self. evident; that all men
are created equal; that they are en-
dowed by their Creator with certain
inalienable rights; that among these
are life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness. <oGIo1
This sublime utterance was. as [ have
said, one. of the broad, deep founda-
tons upon which the fathers of the
Republic built the infant nation, aud
though they and we as to a portion of
our people for a time practically ig-
nored the truths thus uttered, under
the alternate smiles and chastenings
OF the Supreme Judge of the world,
to whom they appealed for the recti-
tude of their intentions. we have
grown and prespered until the Grand
Republic has become the beacon
light as we'll as the marvel of the
world.
ALTHOUGH the Constitution of the
United States corrected the error
which had been committed in the Ar
ticles of Confederation, as to the ma
ture of our Union, and the relation of
the Several parts to each other and
to the. whole, and SO far restored us
to the principles of the Declaration of
independence it recognized, while
ashamed to pronounce or record Tthe
name of that monster iniquity, chattIe
and hereditary slavery. Thus we pre-
sented to the world the spectacle of