The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-02-20
VOL. XIV. NO. 81.

declaration or independence Isl "the
unanimous declaration of the thirteen
United States of America" The de-
| claration says that i'theso colonies are
and of right ought to be FREQ and inde-
| pendent States.n iig
Washington'a commission as Comman-
der-in:chief of the continental armies
was made out In tho name OF all the col.
| onies, each colony being expressly nam.
ed. The officers Of the army swore chat
they acknowledged "the thirteen United
States of America-namely, New Hamp.
shire, Massachusetts, ETC., etc, (ali being
named) to be frea, independent and sov.
ereign States." In The treaty cf peace
with Great Britain, in .7S3, "His Britain
ic Majesty acknowledges the indepen-
dence of the said United Gtatso, vi;
New Hampshire, MASSACHUSETTS,, etc,
tetc., (naming every enc of TIE thirteen,]
to be free, sovereign and independent
States" The articles OF confederation,
the iirst written constitution Of the Uni
ted States, were submitted ato tho re-
speotive colonies for their consideration
and ratification" and were not of legal
force until all the colonies had ratified
them. TIE allegiance of the citizen was
due to tie laws Of the colony Of which
he was amember. RESOLUTIONS Of Con-
greas. June "a, 1776.) Under the confed-
Grafton, ench State punished treason,
counterfei.ing and the like. The per.
mission of each State was asked and ob.
tanned before Congress could raise troops
within Its limits. Each State had ex-
elusive power to levy and collect taxes
and regulate commerce. Congress had
no such authority.
During the seven years Of its existence
| the continental Congress nevor claimed
to exercise any inherent powers. Il ney-
er pretended to compel dissentient
colony to easlform to its will, even
though all tho others had severally given
their consent. n neUer enacted a las0. Il
merely expressd opinions, passed resolu-
tions, made recommendations and re-
quests. Tho very frat declaration Of the
articles Of confederation, after setting
forth the style OF the .onfederacy, was
that leach State retains its own soyer-
eignty, freedom and independence, and
every power, Jurisdiction and right not
by the confederation expressly delegated
to the United States in Congress asseui-
bled." F3i g,
| The constitution Of 1857 was framed by
delegates commissioned by tho SEVERAL
States "for the sole and express purpose
of revising the articles of confederation
In all the discussions the vote was taken
by States, each State having one vote,
and the proposed constitution was sub.
mitted to the several States, and ratified
by conventions of the people OF tho aev-
aral States ccs!e;! cs!i;e;;i! f0 f0T TINT purpose. IN
the clauae providing for the constitution
going into effant w'.a,, nine States si.ss.iii si.sii
have ratified 1t, it was declared that IL
should only go into effect between the
States go ratifying the same"
Are not these historical facts, and do
they net show tnat the thirteen States
from the beginning of their dispute with
Great Britain "alWeys acted as separate
and distinct political communities, and
never as one nation or consolidated re-.
lpublic 2" AS / read and understand
them, they show this and this only /; and
| cannot teach otherwise. YOU csnno!
say that it is political hefesy to teach The
truth. II I have misstated. perverted OF
suppressed any historical fact, / wish
you would prove that ! have done 90.
have not intended to do is.
| The second question TO Which you take
exception as redolent of Calhounism il
as follows: 69 e
! IS. Demonatrat, from the provision,
of the constitution and the amendments
and from the history OF its adopt:o.., the
Federal character of the government
/ The equal representation OF the States
| in the Federal Senate, by which ma
| iority of States has the absolute power II
Yeto any measure adopted by the House
Of Representatives; the impossibility tt
deprive any State, without It's consent, O.
, this equality in the Senate, and the Ian
guage of the tenth amended article viii
reference to .he reversed powers of the
States, demonstrate, think, the Fedora
character of the government. Is it no
the prominent idea of the conatitntien!
from beginning to end, that 1t is "a com
pact between States just as much as thi
articles Of confederation were? Doe
not the history of its adoption prove chi
slime thing? J need only, refer to th!
stsiking out of the word national
!, dolph's plan, and the substitution of tn,
words "Government Of the United
, States" to prove that the trainers Of thl
constitution believed that they we're car
rying out their intention to frame q. Fed
eral, and not ats2nal, government
; Surely nobody can read the history o
, the "Grept Compromisen in the conYen
tion and come to any other conclusion
as to tho intent of a majority OF the State
Represented in that body.
Il The third question to which you oh
/ ject is:
"8. Show how the fact that the conai:
tuition was submitted to the Legislature
of the several States, that the Legisla
lures might provide for its submission t
conventions of the people Of ine severs
, States, proves that absolute sovereignt
waa E,sraby recognized :SS;ta: :es;i <, Wit it
| the people of each State respectively
and not with the people ofnll tEo State
: as ono :siass."
I It certainly cannot be denied that th
Z constitution was submitted 20 the Stat
(; Legislatures, that the Legislatures Nigh
:. provide for its submission 20 special con
! ventions of the several States, and that
] was go ratified by these conventions
Was not fhia act ef :s:;a :::s..;Sdt tioIl q 5ovoi
eign act in the fullest sense Of the word
u Could the constitution have bound
!. single State that might have refused t
ratify it2 Was it binding on Rhod
4 IslRnd and North Carolina during til
i period of their hesitation 60 ratieyf d
Q not these facts, referring emphntically {
8 separate State action, exclude the poSs
u bility Of o contemplated fusion of all th
J, States into one mass
hj Whether or not, Mr. Editor, had I III
Q MASKING Of the constitution, I shoul
f.as.e ;t differently 0biitterate State SO,
; ereignty and reduce the States 20 I'll
q condition of dependent provinces, I
J. "districts of people, cannot chang
10 the facts. hT. Mao son, Col. Hanhilto
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