The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-01-20

years later we saw them Assem- Ullng Il
le-model the plan of General Union
Not 10 set up an autocratic centralized
government. Nothing could have beer
more prepOsterous than such d propo
sltICn; since they had just finished a
seven years war 10 throw off that sort OF
government
Their design was simple, yet saga
clous; having for It's pattern the agree
mcnt between brothers OF a common
family. AL the States, or brothers,
we're to have equal rights, equal priv
leges. and equal protection. All were
to adopt the same system of foreign
polify; aud all submit their inter State
disputes to tribunal or congress com
posed of representatives sent by each
brother. All were to ray a proper pro
portion towards the expenses of keeping
UP detenseS, mails, etc, and all were to
divide their wild backwoods territory
for the use of the families of each bro :
ther as they increased. A written
agreement, or Constitution, was drawn
up and signed by all the Thirteen bro
thers; and it was agreed that this
agreement should stand as perpetual
COub pact DeUWGtn lUeID.
This Constitution, by the by, is of it
self a sufficient proof of the co equal in
dependence of the BrotherStates.
Else why should all the States have
the same number of Senators although
some OF the brothers were old and rioh
and powerful. while others were small
and toddling like little Delaware and lit
tie Rhode Island? Or. why should the
constitution forbid any State from max
ing war, or sending out privateers,
if all tue States had merged their exis-
ence into the Union? If they were in.
deed a Nation" what was the need
to waste words in de ,laring that mo
State shall max e war, or do SO and so :?
1t should be added that not only are
the words Nation and National
no where used in the constitution, but
it is matter Of history that there were
fierce debates 10 the convention over
the effort to use them, aud with the re-
suit Of excluding them. In every in
stance where Nation" or "National,'
would have been used but for these dis
putes. the phrase reads The States,
or The people Of the United States,
or the United States, the intention
being to avo d any te 'm that could sig
Nifty Consolidation.
Indeed, at that day all the States
were sensitive as TO their Rights
This is illustrated in the well known in
cident of Gov. Adams afterwards Pres
ident) of Massachusetts, refusing to call
upon the President when the latter
came to Boston on tour; his excuse
being that a Governor IN his oaon State
was superior TO the President.
SO strongly did New England uphold
the State Right, that on four or five
occasions within the first half century of
the Republic she threatened to secede,
because the government was assuming
National action For example, her
members in Congress openly declared
they would break up the Union if Lou
isiana were purchased. We have seen
that she took no part in the second war
against Great Britain; and actually
sided with the enemy in many things.
Pennsylvania raised the first rebellion
against the government to avoid paying
tax on whiskey.
We have traced the growth of liverse
views and interests until Que half the
country stood arrayed against the other !;
the North full of sectional fury, aboi
ton fanaticiSm, and greed for Power
the South indignant, alarmed, vengefu,
and stung by the continual success OF
her enemies. Both hot with passion;
both willing to come TO blows.
Then follow the darkening of the
storm; the wild clash of war; the ia
nous year of Southern triumphs in the
field over largely superior forces; the
wonderful campaigns of Lee and Jack
son, and Stuart, and Morgan, and For
est; the change Of the tide; the grad
ual waneing of Southern vitality the
fearful thinning of the battle line the
narrowing circle Of fire and sword; su-
per human efforts to stem the flood,
and thrust back the hosts Of the world
in arms; the closing year when grand
sire, son, and son S son. stood side By
side in the ranks, or followed each 9th
er to the Death Pit and, at length, the
final col apse, when with millions Of ra
venous wolves without, and millions of
starving women and children within
and daily deepening Despair cutting
ground from under foot, and NO spark
of Hope IN all the horizon, the tattered
remnants Of Resistance one by one laid
down their arms, and the flag of the
free South was rent from the staff and
the Government of our choice fell to
rise no more Fell with a Requiem of
National anguish" Rachel weeping for
her children = Fell through Exhaus-
tion rather than Defeat, and without
stain Of treachery or cowardice, or di.
grace on any part. Fell as fell Constan-
tine the Great, at the front of his CAPT
tai, fighting valiantly until crushed BY
the weight of bis foemenl
Yea, aud glorious among the glories
Of the South was the manner of her
fall History has no smile for the pic
ture. When the hour OF Defeat rang
upon the clock of war she met it more
grandly than even the news Of her mar
velous victories at an earlier epoch.
TOBE CONTINUED.