The sun., 1891-05-17

Who are free people 2" he asks. for instance
mot those over whom government Is reason
ably and eauitably exercised. but those WHIT
lite Under q Government so constitutionalll
checked and controlled that proper provision
ia made against its ever being otherwise exer
clsed." Soon Dickinson is found urging tn.
adoption OF the non-lmportation and non.ex.
portaticn association at q mass meeting In
Philadelphia; but though 30 far he was in sym.
patty with the Wings throughout the coun.
try. his constitutional principles excited
tho indignation Of tho Boston Liberty
Boys and when, in May. 1T74. news
came Of the Boston ltes party. and
he publicly recommended that they pay for
tho tea." his words were never forgotten OF
forgiven In Now England. Nevertheless. he
held tho Boston Port act uncons stitutional. and
as member OF an extra.leeal convention OF
the province. he drafted tho instructions Of
tho delegates from Pennsylvania to the CONT
mental Congress. In tho Congress. though he
took his seat only week before its adjourn-
ment. Dickinson was the leader and mouth
piece Of the Constitutional Wings. and drafted
the First Petition to the King and the Address
to the People OF Canada.
In the second Pennsylvania Convention
Dickinson was Chairman OF Committee OF
Safety anc Defence. und when q military force
was organized he was elected Colonel OF the
! first battalion. Such offices are not apt to
be bestowed on tmId and vacillatinR man.
Whom Congress convened again. amid tho
shock OF arms. Dickinson quietly drafted and
carried the Second Petition to tho King" and
| was at once contemptuousv termed by John
Adams merely "A certain great fortune and bid
ding genius" On the day Of its passage he re-
ported Declaration Of Our Reasons for
| Taking Up Arms" and 1t seems to be abun-
dantly proved here that this tame and
sptritless creature" as Bancroft describes
him. was the author OF its brave. stirring
phrases. Gradually. with every month. the
| question OF independence became more and
more question OF practical politics. On the
final vote. Dickinson alone remained in opro-
sition. 1t was this act Of moral courage that
ruined his reputation for courage and patriot-
Ism In the minds OF posterity. But what were
his reAsons1 In the first place. Dickinson was
profoundly impressed by the lack of harmony
between tho colonies and feared that In tho
absence OF any strong central authority a ma
| tional existence was impracticable. Negotia-
tons were pcnlihg for treaty with
France: he thought that oil possibility OF
reconciliation with England should not be
abandoned till foreign alliance was fact.
Thero were other special reasons connected
with the peculiar political condition OF Penn
sylvania- The old proprietary charter invested
Lu0 AooomUly Will uuubuuI pOW0TB, anu DV
the freedom OF worship 1t had established. and
the llberality Of it's naturalization laws. 1t had
become suddenly appreciated by tho Quakers
and Germans whom they found that the radical
Wings were indifferent to such privileges. The
latter. who were eager for Independence. held
that the old charter was repealed By the act OF
Congress recommending the institution OF new
forms OF government. and usurped the author
ity Of the Assembly by associated committees
OF vigilance. However, the Assembly still con-
tinued nominally In session. though without
quorum. and had never rescinded the instruc-
tions TO its delegates against Independence.
What right, then. had Dickinson TO vote for the
Declaration? Even the New YORK delegates
refrsined from voting till they were sneclally
authorized SO to do. Dckinsons vindication
as man and patriot seems complete.
For time Dickinson was ostracised. though
meanwhile the Articles OF Confederation wore
reported and finally adopted as he had drafted
them. He was forced to resign his military
command. and he failed OF reappoin tine ent to
Congress. He was elected. 1t is true. to the
now State Assembly. but Withdrew on the
ground that 1t was not representative. For
two years he retired to Delaware. and by
Delaware he was appointed a Brigadier.
General and returned as it's delegate to Con-
gross. There he drafted q paper on tho state
VI tuo AuouC0o, udu bDoCldl Cu0IR0 Oh the
Spanish negotiations. and prepared tho in
structions to the Commissioners abroad.
Resigning from Congress. he WAS elected
President OF the Supreme Council OF Delaware.
tho chief executive officer OF tho State. In
1882 he returned to Philadelphia. and was
elected President OF the Council OF Pennsyi.
vania His character was rolentlessly aud cum
ninRly assailed by an Anonymous "Valerius."
for military cowardice. opposition to inde-
pendence. and other conduct misoscomiug
patriot. but nevertheless he was for the second
and tho third time reelected President. His
administration was disturbed by military riots
and agrartan outragss. which he met with
humanity and discretion. though his advice
was not approved by the Council.
Though he was the author OF the Articles OF
Confederation. ne was one Of the first to admit
their defects. Ofthe Annapolis Convention he
was President and drafted the report to Con-
grsss recommending the convokinR OF what
was to be the Constitutional Convention. A
the delegate from Delaware In that Conven-
tion he advocated the interests OF tho smaller
States. and insisted upon the ennal represen-
tation OF tho States In the Senate. To him.
is due the distinctive characteristic
OF tho Constitution. its fundamental correlu.
ton OF national and State sovereignties he
drafted the section prohibiting the formation
VI - bcW clut0 Out vi VbFtS Vi OtH0t DtAtOb,
without the consent Of those States. lie set q
limit OF time on the power OF The Union over
the State militia. He was however. the cham
pion OF the individual States. because hs
deemed their preservation essential to stable
In this he was indubitably right
for over.cenlralizarion In the ono danger that
ever threAiens the existence OF q free federal
powsr. and It 10 only 10 be avoided BY
risidly distinguishing and protecting the |
rights and powers OF local sel:-Rovsrnmspt |
For this service TO the people OF the United |
Btstos. John Dickinson has claim to national
gratitude perhaps above any other OF the dis |
tinguishsd patriots in that Convention.
Under the name Of 'Fabius." Dickinson
urged with calm. bipartisan arguments thu |
OF tho Constitution. laying special |
stress on its securing the autonomy Of the |
States. BY this time ne had retired psrma-
nentiy from public life, but he kept in close
touch with the political leaders OF the time. es-
p0cisiIy with J0fforson. A n citzsn of fhs |