The Red Cloud chief., 1889-05-03

anarchy" To raise four millions OF dollarl
. year Wa beyond the II the
Government. and three hundred thousand
was the limit OF the loan II could secure
from the mOney-lenden OF Europe. Even
Washington exclaimed in despair: Il see
one head gradually changing into thirteen:
I zee one army gradually branching into
thirteen. which. instead OF looking up to
Congress A. the supreme controlling power.
are considering themselves = depend;
later, when Independence had been
won, the fmpotency Of the Gov
eminent wrung from him the exclama-
ton: After ~glOriously and successfully
cOntending against he surpatiOn Of Great
Britain. We may fall q prey to our own folly
and disputes."
But even through this Cimmerian dark
ness shot q flame which illumined the CON-
ing century. and kept bright the beacon
fires Of liberty. The architects OF consti-
tutiOna! freedom formed their institutions
with vi dom which forecasted the future.
They may not have understood II iirst the
whole truth, but. for that which they knew.
they had tho martyrs spin: and the cru
seders' enthusiasm.
The government OF the republic by aCon-
gress Ot States. a diplomatic convention OF
the ambassadors OF petty commemorative.
after seven years trial. was falling
asunder. Threatened with civil war among
its members. insurrectiOn and Iawlessness
rife within the states, foreign
ruined and internal trafle paralyzed. It's cur
rency worthless, its merchants bankrupt,
its farIls mOrtgaged, it's markets closed, its
labor unemployed, II was like q helpless
wreck upon the ocean, tossed about by the
tides and ready TO be ~engulfedin the storm:
Washington gave the warning and called
fog action. 1t was q voice accustomed TO
command: but now entreattng. The vet
Grams OF the war and the statesmen OF tho
Revolution stepped to the front The
patriotism which mad been misled, but had
never faltered, rose above the interests OF
States and the jealOusies OF Earring Con-
fedeIates TO find the basis for union. 1t 10
clear to me as A. b, C."said Washington.
that an extension Of Federal powers
wOnid make Us one Of the most happy.
wealthy. respectable and powerful nations
that ever Inhabited the terrestrial globe.
Without them we shall soon be
every thing which IL the direct reverse. /
starved. limping Government, always NOV
ing upon crutches. and lettering at every
step" The response of the country was the
convention Of l1S7, at Philadelphia. The
Declaration Of Independence was but the
vestibuIe Of the temple. which this jllustrt-
p~recedents TO guide. It a~uspiciously worked
out the problem OF Constitutional Govern
ment. and Of imperial power and home
rule. experimenting each other in promOt-
ing the grandeur Of the Nation. and preserv-
ing the liberty Of the individual.
The deliberations Of great councils have
vitality affected, at different periods. the
history of the world and the fate Of En-
Iires; but this Congress builded. upon pop
ular sovereignty. institutions broad enough
to embrace tho continent, and elastic
enough to ut all conditions OF race
and traditions The experience OF
q hundred years has demonstrated
tense against foreign foes, and for self
preservation against dome stic insurrectiOn,
for limitless expansion In population and
material development, and for steady
growth In intellectual freedom and force.
Its continuing influence upon the welfare
and destiny Of the human race can only be
measured by the capacity OF man to Guilt
vate and enjoy the bOundless opportunities
OF liberty and law. the %e!oquen: character
ization OF Mr.. Gladstone condenees its
merits: The American Constitution f. the
most wonderful work ever struck of at .
given time BY the brain and purpose Of
man"
The statesmen who composed this great
Senate were equal to their trust Their
c. ncluRiOns were the results Of calm debate
and wise concession. Their character and
abilities were SO pure and great as to com
IA NV CsbuilNACIbCC ~ LILO OuItA " VIC
reversal of the policy Of the Independence
Of the State OF the power Of the general
Government. which had hitherto been the
invariable practice and almost universal
opinion, and for the adoption Of the idea of
the Nation and its SUPREMACY.
Towering I'm majesty and Influence above
them all stood Washington, their President
Beside him was the venerable Franklin.
who. though eighty-One years OF age.
brought to the deliberations OF h cOnven-
ton the unimpaired vigor M resources Of
the wisest brain. the most hopeful
the times. Oliver Ellsworth. afterwards
Chief Justice Of the United States.
and the ~profoundest jurist In h
country; Robert Morris, the won
derful f%inancier Of the Revo-
versatile genius OF his period; Roger Sher- !
man. one Of the most eminent Of tho sign |
ers of the Declaration Of Independence. and
John Eutledse. Rufus King. Eibridgc Gerry.
Edmund Randolph and the ~Pinckneys, were
leaders Of ~unequaied patriotism. courage.
ability and learning; while Alexander Ham,
and james Madison. a. original think
ers and constructive statesmen, rank among
the immortal few whose opinions HAYS for
ages guided Ministers Of State and deter
mined the dcstinies Of nafiona
There were no examples TO follow. and the !
experience OF it, members led part of them |
AVoh "" ! ooSvAAOo CbN ~ 1
the only refuge from the anarchy OF the
confederation, while the rest chung to the
sovereignty Of the States. for fear that the
concentration OF power would end in the
absorption Of liberty. TIL larg- States did
not want to surrender the advantage Of
their position. and the smaller States saw
the danger to their existence.
Az this crisis the courage and confidence
needed to originate q system weakened
Tho temporizing spirit Of compromise |
seized the convention with the allurins !
Of not proceeding faster than
the people could be educated to fol- |
low. Tho CRY: Let US not waste
our labor upon conclusions which will
not be adopted. but amend and
adiourn." was assuming startling unan-
unity. But the supreme force and majestic
blage TO tn, Lofty plano Of tts duty and op-
portanity. He said: 1T n too probable
that no plan We propose will be adopted |
Perhaps another dreadful conflict Ii TO he |
II to please the people We offer
what we ourselves disapprove. how can We
defend our works Let Us raise
. standard to which the wise and honest
can repair: the event Il In the hands Of God
Freed from the limitations Of its envir n
meut. 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. It discussed the
theory Ut . compact between tn
States. and derived National, |
from the people Of the United States
Ii broke up the machinery OF the Confeder-
and put in practical operation the
Offering generalities " the Declaration Of
From chaos came order from
insecurity came safety. from ~disintegra-
ton and civil VA cane Law and liberty. |
with the principle proclaimed IN the pre-