Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-05-09

t.on, the reverent oath Of Washington, the
sccaim of the multitude greeting their
president, marked the most unique event
of modern times in the development OF free
institutions
The occasion was not an accident, but a
result 1t was the elimination of the
working out by mighty forces through
many centuries of the problem OF self-RoV-
eminent. IL was not the triumph OF sys-
ten, the application of n theory, or the re-
duction to practice Of the distractions OF
philosophy. The time. the country, the
heredity and environment of the people, the
folly of its enemies, and the noble courage
of its friends, gave TO liberty after ages OF
defeat, of trial, of experiment, OF partial
success and substantial gains, this immor
tai victory. HenCeforth it had refuge
and recruiting station. The oppressed
found free homes in this favored land, and
invisible armies marched from IL by mail
and telegraph, by speech and song, by pre-
cept and example, TO regenerate the world.
Puritans in New England, Dutchmen III
New York, Catholics in Maryland, Hugue-
nots in South Carolina had left the fire Of
persecution and were welded TO religious
liberty. They had been purified in the fur
mace, and in high debate and on bloody
battle fields had learned TO sacrifice all ma
terai interests and TO peril their lives for
human rights. The principles OF constitu-
tional government had been impressed upon
them by hundreds OF years of struggle. and
for each principle they could point 10 the
grave of an ancestor whose death attest5 d
the ferocity of the fight and the value Of
the concessions wrung from the arbitrary
power. They knew the limitations of au-
Jhority, they could pledge their lives and
fortunes to resist encroachments upon
their rights. but il required the lesson Of
Indian massacres, the invasion Of the
armies OF FRANCE and Canada, the tyranny
of the British crown, the seven years war
of the revolution and the five years of
chaos of the confederation to evolve the
idea, upon which rest the power and per-
nancy of the republic, that liberty and
union are one and inseparable
Mr. Depew then related the genesis OF the
fathers of the revolution, sons OF men who
had sprung from every persecution in
Europe; tod how bravely they signed a
document that was to be death warrant
or a diploma of immortality. The central
idea of the declaration OF independence
was the sovereignty of the people. Thomas
jefferson most clearly grasped possibilities
OF the idea. He constructed his system on
the equality of all men before the law.
In his passionate love of liberty he be
came intensely jealous of authority. He
destroyed the substance of royal preroga-
tive, but never emerged from its shadow.
He would have the states as guardians of
popular rights, and the barriers against
Capitalization, and he saw 10 the growing
power of the rrtion ever increasing en-
croachmentS uicn the rights of the people.
For the success of the pure democracy
which must precede presidents and cabi-
nets and congresses, IL was perhaps provi-
dental that its apostle never believed a
great people could grant and still retain.
could give and at will reclaim, could dele
gate and yet firmly hold the authority
which ultimately created the power of their
republic and enlarged the scope OF their
own liberty.
The union of the states was not govern
ment but ghost. The states elected dele
gates to congress without regard 10 popula-
ton. All the states had an equal voice II
required but nine states TO pass measure
and but five TO block the government. Con
gress had no powers of sovereignty. 1t
might call on the states, but could not in
force its demands. Each state levied dis
eliminating duties against the others, and
might tax inter. state commerce. The
fathers of the republic saw those fetal
weaknesses aud finally achieved their most
significant triumph, that which secured the
assent of the states TO the limitation of their
boundaries. 10 the grant OF the wilderness
beyond them 10 the general government
and TO the insertion in the ordinance erect
ing the Northwest territories of the i'm
mortal proviso prohibiting slavery or in
y
domain. The states carved out of this
splendid concession were not sovereignties
which had successfully rebelled, but the;
were the children of the union, born Of the
covenant aud thrilled with its life and lib
erty. They became the bulwarks Of ma.
tionality aud the buttressCs OF freedom.
Their preponderdting strength first check
ed and then broke the slove power, their
fervid loyalty halted and held at bay the
spirit of state rights and secession for gen
erations; and wheS .Ss crisis came il was
with their overwhelming assistance that
the nation killed and buried its enemy.
The corner stone Of the edifice WHOSE GA
tenary we are celebrating was the orGi-
nance of 1889. II was constructed 10y the
fecblest of congresses, but few enactmeuts
in ancient or modern times had more far
reaching and benetcent influence. 1t is
one of the sublimest paradoXes of history,
that this weak confederation of states should
have welded the chain against which, after
"a years Of fretful efforts for release, its
own spirit frautically dashed and died.
Thence Mr.. Depew sketcEed the extern
sion of federal powers, the building OF the
constitution by Washington, Franklin
Ellsworth, Gouveneur aud Robert Morris.
the Pinckncys, Hamilton and Madison,
with no precedent TO guide them, and ex-
periences which lead some TO lean to abso
lutte Capitalization as the only refuge from
eighty OF the states as remedy against
despotism, they erected their government
on the eternal foundations OF the power OF
the people. jefferson was the inspiration
of independence, Hamilton was the incar.
nation of the constitution.
Washington became president. He alone
could be trusted with so much power. The
Inauguration was the greatest triumph
ruler had ever received The memories
and forebodings awakened in him were
thrilling and fearful ike, but the govern
ment was begun in dear earnest, he select
ed the best advisers obtainable, the central
federation was established, parties crystal
lied and passions subsidized. But with the
first attempt to exercise national power
began the duel to the death between state
sovereignty claiming the right to nulliiy
federal laws or secede from the union, and
the power of the republic TO command the
resources of the country, to enforce its
authority and protect its life. 1t was the
beginning Of the 90 years war for the con
stitution and the nation. 1t scared con
sciences, degraded politics, destroyed par
ties, ruined statesmen, and retarded the
advance and development of the country
it sacrificed hundreds of thousands of pre-
cious lives, and squandered thousands of
millions OF money; IL desolated the fairest
portion of the land and carried mourning
into every home north and south; but il
ended at Appomattox in the absolute tri-
umph of the republic.
Mr.. Depew then sketched the national