The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1892-08-11
THE gDNS!Il-[ y71l1N],
WILL, IT PROVE ADEQUATE
To the Growth Of our Population
and the Progress OF ClVlllza-
tiODo

Tie following IS The response Of
Hon. Thomas X. Jernigan editor OF
the Raleigh .gIate ChrOmcIe, to the
aIayc toast at the Press Bouquet IN
Charlotte Thursday night, July 27th.
spcaking Capt. lernjgan said:
5z< Consnkuhon.-HIHHbro7 ols-
1uqr to Me groz2h cfonr b2bnla.
len, anIMr hQgre5S IF fi'TA73-
tim
Yes: why should We doubto Our
Constitution wa. born Of necessity and
not Of theory. 1t was not the dream
Of the philosopher, the song OF the
,a..t. the creation Of the artist. Rather,
!, vas a voice in the wilderness, pro
claiming with prophetic utteranccs'
tEc new, the true and the enduring
dlepcnsation Of liberty,
The Declaration Of Independence
was the battle-hymn OF separate ana
sovereign States, the Articles OF Con
federation and Perpetual Union thcr
al.snmcnt: thus inspired, and touch
lrg elbows, they fought the battle OF
undcpcndcrcc and marched to victory.
In the long contest these sovereign
States came to know each other as
comrades who share the hardship OF
war and its glorics, BY campfire and
council board, while the British guns
drew them together, they scveralIy
entered into a finn league of friend
shin with each other for their COM
mon defense and the security OF their
Liberties, for their mutual and general
welfare; binding themselves to assist
each other against all force offered to,
ar attacks made upon them, or any OF
lhem, on account Of their religion,
sovereignty, trade, or any other pre-
tense whatever. They agreed TO meet
each other on the first Monday in No
vcmber, in 4 congress, that they
might consult and lay plans for the
common good. They agreed that all
charges Of war and all other expenses
incurred for the common defense or
general welfare should be betrayed out
OF a common treasury to be supplied
b. each Of them in proportion to the
value of all land within their respcC
tive borders. When they sat together
in council they were senSltlvely
mindful Of each others rights and OF
the COurtcsics due each other as sOver-
cien peers. At last victory came to
them, and the dclinitivc articles of
pclCc end friendship between Great
Britain and the United States Of
America were signed at Paris on the
third day of September, 1883.
They hail learned the cost and
value of liberty in the hard but endur-
ing school OF experience. Nay, more,
they had learned what was OF inestim
able value OF them: That the price
of liberty Is eternal vigilance. They
were vigilant, slceplcssly 50. They
had secured independence, bnt they
had not secured liberty. y new
alignment was needed with which to
VIII the victories of peace. With It's
dawn they hurried from their early
settlements, along the Atlantic coast,
and stood looking, with eager, won
derIng eyes, over the Mississippi
toward the towering peaks which they
were soon to climb and plant their
feet upon TIL shores of another ocean.
That great river, the artery, not only
OF commerce, but of the very blood
and life OF orr Union, Vas their
western boundary. ThIther moved
Their sturdy sons, driving the Indian
before them, subduing the forest and
bringing into being the tccming COM
mCnwcalths chat now stretch along its
eastern and western shores from the
guilt 10 the lakes. They felt the thrill
OF lusty health and growth. y con
tinsnt lay under their feet. They felt
that the old Articles of Confederation
did not suffice to make it the abode of
liberty. They determined to ''form a
more perfect union They declared
their purpose "to establish Justice, to
insure domestic tranquility, to provide
for the common defense, to promote
the general welfare, and to secure the
blessings of liberty to themselves and
their posterity." They met III con-
ycntiOn in Philadelphia on the 18TH
day OF May, I7S7, to ordain and es-
tahlish Constitution for the United
States of America, in order to carry
into effect their purposes with that
clgnestncss with which they had ut
te.ed the Declaration of Independence.
They called George Washington to
preside over their deliberations. They
invoked the counselS of their wise
men. They debated with severe
criticism, every proposition, and,
before approved, brought it to the
ties, of each intellect in their assembly.
They were terribly in earnest, because
they were building, as they had de-
Cl1rcd, not for themselves only, but
tOr their pOsterity. The men Of the
Revolution were preserving for their
children the liberty for which they had
struggled through seven years of war,
On the 18th day of September,
1857, they presented to the States
Constitution. Then came another
period OF scrutiny In every State it
was debated and searched and tried in
the crucible Of every mans opinion,
Its defenders and opposers, filling vol
umcs of learned criticism that are now
the text books Of Constitutional law
yers. One on 18th of March. 1850,
it went into effect, having been rati
fed by eleven Of the thirteen States.
On the 2Ist of November it WAS rats
fed by North Carolina, and on the
2Sth of May previous by Rhode
Island.
Thus seyerally, carefully, cautiously
did these sovereign States give their
St-sa Iort Of II