Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-09-24

/ Ing OF tue COIuoi-SuOuc vi OHV w"
federate monument at Montgomery
he said:
81 have come to join you in the
performance of sacred task, tC
Law the foundation Of a monument
at the cradle of the Confederate
Government which shall commemo
rate the gallant sons of Alabama
who died for their country, who
gave their lives a freewill offering
in defence of the rights of their
sires, won in the war of the revO-
luton, the State sovereignty, free,
dom and independence, which were
| left to us as an inheritance to their
pOsterity forever
These masterful words, "the
rights of their sires, won in the
war of the revolution, she State
sovereignty, freedom and indepen-
dence, which were lett to us as an
inheritance to their posterity for
ever" are the whole case, and they
are not only statement, but a
complete justification of the Con-
federate cause TO all who are ac-
ouaiuted with the origin and chara-
ter of the American Union.
When the original thirteen colo.
nies threw off their allegiance to
Great Britain, they became indie
pendent States, "independent OF
her and each Other," as the great
Luther Martin of Maryland ex-
pressed it in the Federal COnven-
ton. This independence was at
first a revolutionary one, but after
wards, by its recognition by Great
Britain, it became legal.
This recognition was of the
States separately, each.by name, in
the treaty of peace which termi-
mated in the war of the revolution.
And that this separate recognition
was deliberate and intentional, ,
with the distinct object of recog-
nizing the States as separate sover-
eighties and not as one nation will
sufficiently appear by reference to
the last chapter of the 9th volume
of Bancroft's History of the United
States.
The Articles of Confederation
between the States declared, that
"each State retains its sovereignty,
freedom and independence"
And the Constitution of the
United States, which Immediately
followed, was first adopted by the
States in Convention, each State
casting one vote, as a proposed
plan of government and then
ratified by the States separately,
each State acting for itself in its
sovereign and independent capacl-
ty, through a convention of its
people. And it was by this ratifi-
cation that the Constitution was
established to use Its own words,
"between the States so ratifying
the same"
1t is then a compact between the
States as sovereign, and the Union
created by it is a federal partner
ship of States, the Federal govern
ment being their common agent for
the transaction Of the Federal bust.
ness within the limits Of the dele
gated powers. AS to the new
States which have been formed
from time to time from the Ter
rtories, when they were in the
Territorial condition, the sover-
eighty over them respectively, was
in the States NQf the Union, and
when they, respectively, formed a
constitution and Sta,te government
and were admitted intro the .llaiop.
the sovereignty passed to them
respectively, and they stood in the
Union each upon an equal footing !
with the original States, parties
with them to the constitutional
compact.
In the case of a partnerlhlp be.
tween persons for business pur.
poses, it is a familiar principle of |
law. that its existence md con.
tinuance are purely a 'oluntary !
matter on the part of its lembers, |
and that a member ma. at any |
time withdraw from and dissolve |
the partnership at his Ieasure;
and it makes no difference in the
application of this princiIe il the |
| partnership, by its terms, e for a
fixed time or perpetnal--it OF be.
ing considered by the lawsound |
policy to hold men together bust.
ness associations against their
will.
Now if a partnership bageen |
persons is purely yoluntar and |
subject to the will of its mGbers |
severally, how much more so one |
between sovereign states, al it |
follows that, just as each tate |
separately in the exercise its
sovereign will entered the Udon,
so may ~ .Sparately III the excise
! of that win SthdraW thereerOm,
And furthe> The CONSTIPATION
hoin~ 'da cOmpatS 20 which the
U.a Uela Is are s 1arties, having 40 com.
/, "a a.,1Y.-,Sse2h party has y
uli'ual right to judge for Itself. os
Yell of infractiOns a. c-stbe mao.
and measure of redress as declar.
ed by Mr.. Madison, in the celebrat.
ed resolutions of 9S, and the right
of secession irreslstibly follows.
But aside from the doctrine
either OF partnership or compact.