The Washington critic., 1888-02-25
MASHINGTON'S WISDOM
Was He Not the Gamaliel at Whose
Feet Jefferson Satl
THE STATES AND THE UNION.
Dur Federal Polity as Understood
by the First President.

Cardinal principles of polity in consti-
tutional republic must be matters of fact,
because they are Established as funda-
mental laws. What was constituted
Who did itP What right had they ETC.,
are questions of fact, and If Washington
and Jefferson entirely concur, and are
corroborated by all the leading fathers, it
would be absurd for Americans TO toler-
ate any other theory than the factual one
thus established.
II is remarkable fact that Washington
preceded jefferson in the statement of
those faotual principles of our polity,
which We are Indicted 10 styling
JEFFERsoxIAE DEMOCRACY.
II will be seen that Washington, like
Jefferson, thought the Union avoluntary
association Of pre-existeDt political bodies,
each acting with its own absolute will, in
ratifying, and thereby establishing, "the
Constitution of the United States"
In letters to General Knox and Madi-
son aud Randolph, in March and April,
1857, he repeatedly speaks of ''the States"
as free ITO appear in the convention or
not No one disputed that In said con-
vention, they acted and voted rs distinct
bodies in the character they agreed upon
in the second article of confederation
sovereign States"
"By unanimous order of the conven-
tion, he stated to Congress, concerning
the Constitution he enclosed, that it was
for the Federal Government of these
States and that the powers vested in
the General Government were the "dele-
eating ofa extensive trust"
To- Madison, October 10, 1887, he spoke
of the Constitution being Submitted to
n convention of this State'
To David Stuart, October II, 1887, re.
plying to objections, he wrote: mo men,
or bodies of men, or countries, will enter
into any compact or treaty If one of the
three'is to have negative control over
the other two. % There must be
reciprocity or no union"
To ,Bushrod Washington, November 10,
1887, he wrote: "a candid solution of
simple question does, in my opinion, de-
eide the dispute, namely: Is it best for the
States to unite?" Further on he asks
what the opponents will propose for Vir-
gjnia ''if nine other States should accede
TO the Constitution He has no idea of
sovereignty in government, but says 'the
power under the Constitution will always
be in thepeople. 1t is intrtIsted, for GER
limited period, to representatives of their
own choosing. Their servants
can, and undoubtedly will, be recalled, !" if
they act contrary to the interests and
wishes of the people,"
To Jefferson, January /, 1888, he names
''the only. States that have as yet decided
and mentions Others that are TO hold their
conventions
To Count Rochambeau, January s.,
17Ss, he writes that the Constitution is to
be submitted TO conventions in the sew
eral States and by them approved or re-
jected"
To General Lafayette, February I, 1888,
he explains the investing ofpowers needed
for 'the functionsofa a good government, :"
and concludes by speaking of the eprospect
of the Constitution being adopted by nine
States ormore. Pennsylvania, Delaware,
New Jersey and Connecticut have already
dQneit; 1t is also said that Georgia has
Acceae1. anu TO the same he writes,
April g, 1888; "The people retain every
thing sHsgycs Hssy 40 R RS 6y Spsss tss@s gys
And again, on June IL, 1888, to the same,
he speaks of "the accession of Maryland
to the proposed government" and adds
that 'the accession of one more State will
complete the number [nine] needed to
establish it,"
TO General Pinckney, June 90, 1888, he
says that "Virginia has adopted by q
vote of 50 to 70; that this is a day of re-
1oicing at Alexandria; and that the pleas
ure is increased by the news that New
Hampshire, on the 21st instant, ucceded
20 the 9le,c Confederacy by majority of
III yoices-that is to say, 81 to 49, He
<speaks further of ''the ten States that
, have actually adopted the General Gov
ernment," and "hopes the Union will
now be established on durable. basis.''
i will now conclude Washington ante
Presidential views with. short, pithy
phrases of conclusive meaning from his
letters written between June, 1888, and
March, 1850, to Pinckney Jay Madison,
General Lincoln, Sir Edward Newenham,
and otbers-thus enabling the reader TO
see at a glance the highest possible expo
sltion of our polity, as a matter of fact,
written with the clearest insight and with
candor aDdpatriotic feryor, by the Father
of his Country.
He speaks of .'the members of the
nnion;" 'the now Federal SYSTEM, "the
decision of ten States;n ''the accession of
ten States" confederated government
meaning the one before us, and the
hope that North Carolina will soon ac-
cede to the new union"
To General Lincoln he writes: "Who-
ever shall be found to enjov the confidence
of the States'' for President, win suit
me If be President. To General Pinck-
ney he says. "After New York shall hare
acted, only one little State will remain;'
and to Madison he writes: 'Toward New
York we look for whatever Is interesting
till Me'Stotes begin to act under thenew
tale" comes his letter TO Brother Jona-
than TrumbulI, dated July 90. 1873.
as ~sf'% we may, with q kind of
pious and grateful exultation, trace the
finger of Providence through those ozark
and mysterious events which first IN
duced the States to appoint q general oon-
Vention,s and then led them, one after
another, by such steps as were best calcu-
lated TO effect the object, into an adoption
of the'aystem recommended by that gen.
eTal convention" ..e.,si. l.l-ess-...l.I..
AS theabove statements Of Washington,
concerning our present Federal polity,
preceded jefiers0n.s yolunlinous exposi-
as the 6amaliel at whose feet the latter
eat2 ,s-.,, ~,
THE PRESIDENCY CAUSED NO CHANGE.
Let us see IL office caused Washington
10 modify his statements Of factual'or in
stitutional principles.
quoted his phrase few paragraph,
back about '!the States beginning TO ac
under the new form" and now quote
his letter to Jefferson, dated February 10
1859, speaking of "the measures taken by
the different States for carrying the new
government into execution.h
He wrote TO Governor Johnston o
North'Carolina Of his hope that his Stat,
would speedily accede 70 the new Gen
eral Government" and OF 'the politica
relation which is TO subsist hereafter be
theState Of North Carolina and tn,
Btatesnow in union.n And to Gouyerneul
Morris, early in 1883, he expressed tn,
hope thar Athe non-acceding States vii
soon become members of the Union.n
To Governor Fenner, of Rhode IslGnd
DE wrote n, 1890, of the then reeen
ratification Of the Constitution by th,
convention Of Rhode Island and con
gratulated him upon 'all those State
which were originally confederated,
Being "Once more as one family" An,
- ~ IaII.. 4 ...nl.A