The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-05-01

somaeo wose <qual - th1tr &renf 0unG
I1eEx eunefUnfon8 We<e - Gen0f0 q Goz0
deAaze an1 N1sG oo1nem6on Ihefx Char
1eser 81 nofht1es were - PARE - ennx
~ Eor Ne rerefsna u ske policy u The
undergraduates 81 szze sf9<1 of the power 81
lie &euernf EpFefn0&Es. which had HIN
e<zo been The lESa<fa5se r<ncxic9 md ~
most zntversaf oFlnsocs sst for the a<iop-
f1on 81 ne f1es OF she nsx1on and -
forer1rr 10 ns5ezzy snd infuence above
them 81 stood Washington. fk5etr ple4i-
d<ux Beside Etm uas the venerable
FrnakIir. wbo. fhouxh eighty enc ytn<s
convention the ur<EapAircd stgur and r.
SOURCES Of TIE Wtses< kzaxE. the E1qsx h<pe-
I <uz pkfsoecrlaY, and the largest exp<rsence
OF the fsrzks- Oliver EEiswerfhr Afterwards
enief 5nsfsce ef the uzi.k1 states. snd the
Eofonnasst suriss Of the country, kossfr
rexpinkien. and Governor Morris. the
most versatile Eeuius OF bis period; kcEef
Sherman. of1e Of ths most eminent Of TIE
n1xncu OF tie Declaration Of tndeFend-
e1es. md Jofn Rutlsdyes Rufus King
EabrSdre Gerry, Edmond Randolph lnd
the Pzuckneyk uere Leaders Of unsqsnlIed
patriotism, conrsxe. ability and learning:
while Alexander Hamilton and James
Madison. - original fhinkefs and con
straetlye statesmen, rank ansong the tm-
guided uiuis.exs Of state, and determined
the destsniss Of nations
This great convention keenfy felt, IND
with sevout and serene intelligence MET,
It's tremendous responsibilities y had
ne Mora q S.s 81 lev s.e ss 7,
uewed By the triumph OF the American
revolution, and the active hostility of
eveyy government In the world.
TAsse we're no examples 20 follow, and
the experience Of it, members led part OF
! them 20 lean toward absolute eenrrnlza-
ton as the only refuge from the ansr,hy
OF the Confederation, while the rest chung
10 tie sovereignty of the states, for fear
that fhc concentration OF power would ind
in the absorption OF liberty. The large
states did not wan 70 surrender the sc-
vantage Of their position, and the smaller
states saw the danger 10 their existence.
The leagues Of the Greek cities had ended
In less OF freedom, tyranny, conquest ssnd
destruction Roman conquest and &ssiu1-
iatfon had sfrewn the shores OF time with
the wrecks OF empirs 5. and plunged ciyfii-
xaticn into the perils and horrors Of the
dark ages. The government OF Cromwell
was the isolated power of the mighfest
man Of his age. without popular authority
TO Ill his place or the hereditary pFincip Q
20 protect his successor. The past furnished
was fun of doubt and desuair. The future,
the experiment OF self government. the
psrpetuity aud development Of freedom.
almost the destiny of mankind, WAS in
their hands
AZ this crisis the courage and confidence
needed 10 originate . system Weakened.
The tsmporizing spirit Of compromise
seized the convention with the alluring
proposition of not proceeding faster than
the people could be educated 70 follow.
conclusions which will not be adopted,
but amend and adjourn was assuming
startling unanimity, But the supreme
force and majestic senxe of Washington
brought the assemb)age 10 the lofty plane
OF its duty and opportunity: Hesaid: ut
win be adopted. Perhaps another dread
ful conflict il 10 be sustained. II 20 please
the people we offer what we ourselves els
approve. how can we afterwards defend
our work. Let us raise . standard to which
the wise and honest can repair: the event
said Louis the Fourteenth. bat his line
ended in the grave of absolutism. Forty
centuries look down upon you," was Ma
poleon's address TO his army in the
shadow of the pyramids, but his soldiers
saw only the dream OF Eastern empire van
fsh in blood. statesmen and parliament
AIRY leaders have sunk into obiibion or led
their party TO defeat by surrendering their
convictions to the passing passions Of the
hour. bat Washington in this immortal
speech straek the keynote of representa-
i've o5ilgs,io,n, and Psopounded The fands
uity OF constitutional government
Freed from the limitations of its envi-
roumenf, and the question OF the adoption
OF Its work, the convention erected its gov
eminent upon the eternal foundations of
the power OF the people Is dismissed the
deiusiye theory of a compact between in
dependent states, and derived national
power from the people OF the United
States II broke mp the machinery Of The
Confederation and put In practical opera
ton the giittering geueraiities Of the ID G.
larstion of Independence. From chaos
came order. from insecurity came safety,
from disinfegfation and civil war came
law aud liberty, with the pfineiple PRO-
claimed in the preamble of the great char
ter, .We, the people OF the United States,
Ia order 10 form more perfect union.
establish justice, insure domestic tranquil
ify. provide for The common defense. pro-
mote the general welfare, and secure rhe
blessings Of liberty TO ourselves and our
posterity, do orGain and establish this
Constitution for the United States" With
wisdom inspired OF God, to work out
upon this continent the liberty Of man,
they solved the rroblem OF the ages
By blending aus yetspreserying, local self
government with national authority. and
the rights OF the states. With the majesty
aud power of the republic. The govern
articles o. As confederation aA'st became me
bankrupt because it could aot
raise $1,000 600. the government of The
Union, under the constitution OF the
United states. raised s. coo 0oe, eco, its credit
growing lrmer a. its power and resources
were demonstrated. The congress OF she
Confederation fed from regiment. which
IL could not pay; the Congress of the Union
reviewed the comrades of a million of | 3
victorious soldiers, salutipg as they
marched the nag OF the nation, whose su-
preinacy they had sustained The prom
ises of the Confederacy were the SCOT of
It's states; the pledge OF the Republic was
the honor of its people.
The constitution. which was TO be
strengthened by the strain OF century, to
be mighty conqueror without a subject
province, 90 trfgmphantly survive the
greatest Of civil wars without the confis.
cation of sn estate or the execution Of a
political offender; to create and grant
home rule aud staie sovereignty 10 tween
ty-ntne additional commemorative, and
yet enlarge its scope and broadensd its
power, and 10 make the name OF an Ameri-
can citizen a title of honor throughout the
world. came complete from this efeat
convention 10 the people for adoption. As
Hancock rose from his seat in the old
congress, eleven Years before. 20 sign the
Declaration OF Independence. Franklin
saw emblszoned on the back OF the presi-
dents chair the sun partly above the hors-
z0n. bat IL seemed setting Ia a blood red
sky. During the seven years OF the Con
federation he had gathered DO hope ffo;n
the giltteriug emblem. but nov rs with
clear vision he heheld fixed upon eternal
foundations the enduring structure Of
constitutional liberty, poiutiDg 10 the
sign. he forTot his eighty-two years, aue
with the enthusiasm OF youth electrified
the canyes tion with the declaration:
New know that IL Is the rising sun"
The pride OF the states and the ambition
OF their leaders. sectional tealousies. and
the overwhelming distrnst OF centralized
power were all arrayed against the adop-
ton 81 the constitution. North Carolina
aud Rhode Island refused TO join the
Union until long after washington's inaug.
uFatioa. For months New York was de-
hStahle grouad- Her territory extending
frem the sea TO the lakes made her the
keystone of the arch. Had Arnoid's treason
in the Revolution not been foiIed by the
capture of Andre, Ensland would have
held New York and sahsugsted the cslo-
sizes. and in this crisis. unless New York
asssnfed. . hostile and powerful common
wealth dividing The states, made the Union
impossible.
success was due 20 confidence in WISH.
inetoa end the genius Of Alexander HHm-
ilfon. jefferson was the inspiration OF
ssrnaflon of the constitution. In o age
preeocfuas or Amazing intelligence than
Hamilton. AZ seventeen he aunlh,lsfed
the pxesi3enF 81 his college. UPON the Qsies-
tiom Of the rights cf the colonies, Ia a
series sf smons nous srttcles which were
serx.fftsf Ia se atfaA<4 nssst I'm the fzsstutrv