The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-10-30

citizens-The wheel of time has barely regis
tered century since forty nine men sat
in solemn conclave in the city OF Phlladel-
phia. In many respects 1t was WONDERFUL
group of the representatives OF the people
Though small in numbers. IL was large IN
collective wisdom Almost every mem Der
was a scholar. in whose breast burned the
fires of patriotism, and whose heart beat for
the freedom of his country aud the future
happiness of his people. This most dlstin-
guished and important convention. was. as IL
we'll known presided over by George Washing
ton. son of Virginia Its purpose was TO
;rame a constitution for the government OF
the United States which should replace the
original articles of confederation because OF
certain defects nterlaced in its most impor-
tant features.
They had been called together TO solve the
problem of human government and were
devsing q plan which should EN- race the
greatest freedom to the citizen They were
attempting TO erect q huge human tortttca-
ton which should withstand the assaults OF
the enemies of popular government. and
where should forever securely dwell the
liberties of the people.
II was grand work. worthy OF the lntelii-
gent labors OF the greatest minds.
A COMPROMISE.
The Constitution % It came from tho hands
Of its trainers was q compromise of the opln-
members OF that convention OF 1871. under
the guidance of Alexander Hamilton, desired
10 establish strong central government.
because in their opinion the Interests con-
fded TO 1t could DO best protected. Others
maintained that too much power conferred
on tie General Government would he de-
structve Of the rights of the states which
formed it's component parts, and that in the
safety of the States could alone be found the
safety Of the | MON that the States were the
original repositories Of power. They were
the original soverelgns. while powers 10 lie
conferred upon the departments of the Gov
eminent of the nited States should DO cleariy
defined and specifically limited.
They were not primitive but deriyative
powers and all power not specifically desig-
mated was reserved for the States themselves.
These latter were the planets o. the govern
mental system. Their orbits were marked
and must not be interfered with by the gov
ernmental sun or their llglt lessened too
greatly by the brilliancy of his rays. in the
heavenly bodies the paths of the sun and the
planets are separate and distInct Should
the former move out of his designated course
aud INTO the orbits Of tie planet darkness,
death and destruction would follow whi!e X
thu planets sh uld for any reason leave their
markei paths and infringe upon the broad,
w l-dehn j course OF the centlni or con u
on gloom. and dosoatiOu would result.
The mon could be preserved Only by the
iudtstructi ltf Of tie Stntes grl 9 ulI le
brok nto rag leuts - ihe y.lucfa With
dr4wa oi ther sllerA &c snd support.
caUss THE srarrs.
Tl for1ap' atlng tue fuios sor tbs - 6anco o.
tiis nev + erutlic 10 was not intended tlat
tre cre tors, tho States themselves. should be
crushed b. any ustiumsnt %. tneir ohn cre,-
tiH1. In that case Tie people wou.l re- re-
turned go .0rm az government they a.
horned SUD from rhHse tyranny aud Oppre-
sIOa tleI for, fathers Lad breasted tie st0rm-
tossed oil Tvs ~ ths ina este Atlautic.
any attempt 20 inseIt IL clause n the Con-
stitution prob biting the Secession Of State
could not We succeede as every student OF
the early political history Of this country well
knows. but if the Constitution said nothing
on this subject, many Of the States TINT natl
ned it said much. Pennsylvania. Msssachu-
sets and Connecticut are on record through
the acts 81 their state legislatures and Gov
ernors on this question OF tates rights,
while the New England states through their
Representatives IL the Hartford convention OF
1874. evidently hell the same opinions. and
would have recommended secession as q
remedy for the grievances they then com
planned of if the war with Great Britain.
which was destroying their commerce and
coast trade. had not ceased
CONSTRUCTION OF THE CONSTITUTIONS.
In those days this construction of the Con-
stitution was recognized by the North as well
as tho south and even AZ q later period many
mon from the former section Of the country
maintained the same opinion. for no less .
parsonage than William Tecumseh Sherman
wrote in 1860 from the Alexandria Military
Academy in Louisiana that il would not dofer
him 10 stay there. lest he might have to tight
for louisiana against Ohio.
Whatever may be said as 10 the powers OF
the States which afterward joined the Amerl-
can Union. there can be no question Of such
rights. 30 fer a. they referred TO the original
thirteen States ratifyng it the right Of their
withdrawal was clear. aud their statssnsn