Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-05-20
W ORCES ER.
MONDAY. NAY go. 1879.
A,Tu,or,au, omission.

Mr.. Parton, continuing MS l-iieo vi "eueisou,
in the last number of the Atlantic Monthly,
gives some account of Jefferson in the CONT
mental CONGRESS. This, of course, required him
40 write a history of the Declaration Of indie
pendepce; but he has done it in a very imperfect
manner. II his studies OF the life of jefferson,
throughout, are equally defective, there will be
much in his work to need revision. He states
that Mr.. jefferson took his seat in the congress
of 1910, May 18th, that, few days after this,
Virginia, in convention, declared unanimously
for independence, and that the general public
sentiment now became eager to have the conti-
mental congress declare the domination of Great
Britain at an end. But the congress "still held
back" he says, although the feeling ''out OF
doors" was pressing ii to take the inevitable
step" Then follows his account of the motion
of Richard Henry Lee, June It'll, and the ap-
pointment of the committee, June 10th, to draft
declaration, although the movement, in the
congress, was found to be "stil little prema-
ture."
Ii Mr.. Parton had taken pains TO be more ac-
Curatey informed in regard 10 the proceedings
of that congress, he would have discovered that
it actually renowned the domination of Great
Britain and determined the question of indie
pendence, May Is, 1776 two days after Jeffer-
son took his seat. On that fifteenth day of May,
the continental congress adopted a preamble
and resolution which settled forever the relation
between Great Britain and the colonies. The
great Declaration of July 4th was nothing more
than formal announcement TO the world of
what was actually determined seven weeks
earlier. The preamble adopted, May 18th, con-
tanned three clauses which declared: that the
king and parliament had excluded the colonies
from the protection Of the crown; that they had
given no answer to humble petitions for,redres'
of grievances, but, on the contrary, were using
the whole force of the kingdom, aided by mer
ceDaries, to destroy the people of the colonies
and that it was now "irreconcable to reason
and good conscience" for the people of the colo
MES to recognize any duty of allegiance to Great
Britain, whose authority in the colonies should
be totally suppressed and supplanted by the
authority of the people properly organized.
Therefore,
Resolved, that it be recommended to the re-
spective assemblies and conventions of the United
Colonies, where no government sufficient TO the
exlgeneies of their affairs hath hitherto been estab
hshed, to adopt such government as shall, in the
opinion Of the representatives ofthe people, best
conduce to the happiness and safety Of their con-
stituents in particular, and America in general"
This was declaration of independence OF
Great Britain, with directions for organizing it
throughout the country. 1t was this creative
act of the congress which transformed the colo
mics into free states and began the independence
of our nation. 1t will be noticed that the colonies
were organized as states by direction Of the con.
gress, and that their organization was to have
regard, not only to the proper conduct of theil
own affairs, but, also, 10 the welfare OF "Amer-
lea IN general" That Is 10 say, they were horn
united, had mutual relations as paris of s whole,
and never were separate and independent SOY
ereignties. The union preceded the Orssniz4-
ton Of the states, and It's authority vas used 70
direct and requisite their orEanlBsisoa. Tais
relation Of the states - the central Euthorlzy
which at that time represented tAs5E znisz, Vas
very clearly recognized n u1osi q ihs ozsElztl
stsie constitutions. Tie preamble 70 The raz-
stitutioa OK South Csroll1z Ezs usrT az l5.-l q
this point. We 6nl lie sGzs ra.1,EritssG 81
TIE o9lGrass IS ths supreme su1b.r5lF, II he
constitutions Of Gsorezz, New Isrsey. md oqlsi
s5atas. Thz action q flss congress Il esnstE1isr
assigned as ihs rsEsaa Bod 51,s Euiburlfr sEr
orEzslzzns STATE E9Ter1ns1fs- II New BsmE-
shirs. TIE state g9Eeruratl1 was grsEuI5sa with
q provision thai il fAca8d lAsi 9nz Felr, ana D.
e0uiinaHd longer By 1te people Z the conn
mental congress EiTe 10 Instructions OF dirse
tons to the contrary"
No history Of The Declaration q I35spe1dsDes
or Of Mr.. JeGersou's e0u0ecF5ou with Il, czu
properly omit TO give : fan account Of Ela1 was
done by the congress in Mar, 17T6, nor Of The
effect Of its action in the colonies. Il vas in that
month Of May that The congress repudiaied the
authority Of king and parliament, sDd took
measures to organize the colonies against
it. Very naturally this part Of the history
has been kept out Of sight as much As
possible, by the democratic doctrinsries,
who have substituted the resolutions Of
'9s' for the national constitution. To have
1t distinctly recognized and compreheuded
would be fatal to the southern doctrine Of Estate
sovereignty for it would make this doctrine
appear to be what it actually is, an invention
unwarranted by anything in the history OF the
organization Of our national independence and
at war with the most vital facts of this history.
Mr. Parton, we suppose, was not aware of the
very important matter he has omitted to
notice. II it were favorable to the southern Sc
cesson doctrine of :" state sovereignty" instead
Of being inyinciby hostile to it, the secession
doctrinaries would have published it so often,
and brought it forward so prominently in politi-
cal discussions, that no intelligent person would
now lack distinct knowledge of it. Thetruth is,
their destructive heresy has no warrant in any
thing whatever, except the resolutions of 49,"
and especially those of Kentucky.