Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-09-19

/ tUtI UdQ AfOHh h'f~a
The great charter. wrested from the
weak and treacherous John. had oeet,
made impregnsble by the sta.nsd ar,ned 70
Parliament the exclusive right OF taxation.
These two formed the solid basis OF tne
| English Constitution. Tne statute Was
bulwark of defence for the charter Ior
with the power OF taxation in the pos
session OF the raJresentatiyes OF LIE
people the castle OF their liberties was
The REvoLuTIoN.
II was now that Parliament. under the
dlctation OF weak but stubborn KING
and in contravention OF the Engnsn Cln. C9l,
stitution. determined 70 ,be,- tS 'ne naessembIies
They respectfully demonstrated, then
| vigorously protested, ana nnally look W
arms In defense Of the great bulwark Oh
| their liberties. God gave them the VIC VIC
! tory, and the dependent colonies became
| Independent States. In framing their
State government they had the advant-
age not only Of their own EXPERIENCE
! but of the experience OF the wOrld-anu
| most wisely did they use 1t. No great
| revolution was ever led by abler men %.
by purer patriots. virginia was tne IL. 10
colony 10 assume independence, anu .iish usb
| lncompa rable statesmen. following 1hslIaI' sl
| precedent. framed a bill Of rights settihs
| forth the Fundamental principles OF nei
! new government. This remarkable pap
| the greatest OF lts hlnu tNti, -, a.,
| marked the growth Of free instituuonS III
| America. IL was copied more or less
| closely by the other States ana Oecainc
| the foundation OF American IoNernibSsI,,.. =, :.
OF it Mr.. Bancroft says: ne VI ,s,inrI si1,.t,
| BiU Of Rights formed the gronud-work
| of American institutions. III announce 81
| governmental principles for all peOpleo
for all time IL was the voice OF reason !,
going forth to speak new pollticai "oiiu
Magma Charta, and the Bill OF Rights
| Of 1858. had been drawn by great sldtes
| men. and had been accepted az the ~ n..st
presentation. Of the rights oi iTstTS piff ~
| Rights. drafted by George Mason. Nlr.
| ginia farmer. while embodying All thil
| was Of permanent value IN these Two, Tar
| excelled them in the tullness anu ciea, os
| frcemen and the fundamental principles oI
a free State
Upon these fundamental principles writ
| ten constitutions were framed by the
states. defining and limiting the powers
Of government. and limiting the exercise
Of Sovereign power by the people them
! selves thus securing permanency 10 thelr
| republican form of government
THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION.
But soon another important step was
| tions. The war Of the Revolution had
| forced the colonies to unite in the de.
| fense OF their common liberties. They hau
| conducted their common affairs through a
congress. without any articles or cohIed-
| Grafton until near the close Of the war,
| and the articles then adopted were Dul Il
league between sovereign states. Inc
| federal functions We're to be exercised Dy
| the Congress. in which each State dele
| cation counted but as one vote. The BODY
| had no real power over the states, ana
| could only advise them. As has been wen
| said: ut could ask the states for money.
V.at han a
| could ask them for troops, but cOuld not
| force them to heed the requisition; IL
| could make treaties, but must trust the
States to fulfil them; II could contract
| debts but must rely upon the STATES
| to pay them" Under such system, after
| the pressure of the war had been removed
| there could be nothing but state jeal-
ousies. internal disorders, weakness, ana
| had won freedom and independence saw
| this clearly. and within half decade
| after the signing OF the treaty OF peace.
| the articles Of confederation were cass
| aside and a new union formed uhder the
Federal Constitution. -
This marks the beginning OF our history
| as a nation. and IS an era in the develop
| ment OF free institutions. Inc propItIu
before the convention which framed the
| Federal Constitution was new ana dlIlcult
| indeed. and by many deemed lnsoluple;
| IL was the creation OF nation out Oh
| the citizens OF the several states Wltho it
| destroVing the autonomy of the States.
1
! II was to divide the sovereign power De-
! tween the nation and the states, so as 10
| invest the nation with ample supreme
| pOWcrs to conduct national aHalTs, anu
| 10 leave with the States enough or SOW
| ereignity 10 conduct State AFFAIRS. IL Wii9
| to cause both Governments 10 operate Oh
| directly on the citizen. inVeStel Win d
| double citizenship. without a conlllct IN
| his allegiance. II was 10 pcrpetuate re
| publican governments for both the hatlOh
| and the States, each supreme IN lts iunc,
/ IL.
| snhere that they could never clash. The
| able men who solved this problem were
| statesmen of the highest order. as well az
patriots Of the greatest purity. Ihey
| thought that they understood clearly their
| work, but they builded better than they
| knew. The form Of government that
| tbov constructed had excited the admira-
ton of the world. IT has stood every
| test in peace and in war and under II a
| great and cver-gToWing nation mas deNel-
| oped which reloices more ana more as
| the years roll around, In the incalculable
| blessings IT secures.
At the: close of the civil War another
| step forward was taken In the aInend-
| ments. which abolished slavery and So
| cured equal privileges and lmmunitie,s. 10 to
| ali citizens throughout the Union. Thus
| our free institutions have developed until.
| from the Lakes to the Gulf, and from the
| Atlantic to the Pacific. nation or 61.op,-
| ana Of freemen rejoice in the liberty whicn
| constitutional republican government mas
| assured to them. The ancients WorshlppCl
| their divinities as the guardians OF thelr
| States. We only bow TO law as the guar
| dian OF our institutions. ana, IN the IAN
| arlage of the eloquent Rufus Choatc, we
| can say. I'VE have built no national tenn
| pies but the Capitol We consult no COM
| mon oracle but the Constitution.
| When we entered the family OF nations
| as n republic II was predicted that our
| government would be short-livcd, but
now the ablest writer's point out elements
of permanency IN our INSTITUTIONS, chloi
| among which Is the devotion Of our peo-
| Dlc To their form of Government. es'
| To-day freed from fears felt by Mr.. Web
| ster in 1851. We can repeat MS noble Worus
| with increased emphasis, he II known
| that on this day the union OF the nlted
| states Of America stands nrin, that thelI
[ constitution still exists unlmpalfed, ana
| with all its original usefulness and glory
| growing every day stronger and stronger
| i'm the affections OF the great body OF the
| Nmertcan people. and attracting more
ami more the admiration Of the world.
| our fOrefatheTs trusted the ptrmdnehc.
of the government they founded 10 the
| virtue aud intelligence of the people. Wy
! inc and intelligence. divine attributes
| given To man wnen ne was made In the
! image Of Cod As the two cherubim,
| with Out-stretched wings covered and
guarded the holy oracle IN which was de-
| Uosited the ark OF the covenant. so may
these guard and protect our Constitution
| in which has been deposited the priceless
|
| generation To generation, I'LL time shall
| end And. filed with the patliptc spirit oi
cur founders, may those who administer
| the government come year by year to this
| CaDitol and by wisdom in counsel do
continued honor 10 their memory in con-
tributing 10 the happiness OF this great
people illustrous founders.
Ages on ages shall your fa;e admire
No future day shall see your names ex
pirc
dOme"'
While Mr. Henry was speaking the mul-
titudc of spectators became very dense
as the crowds which had been watching
thc procession added their numbers tC
those who had already oiled up the vas
space In front. Some women tainted anC
some had to be taken off in the police pa
troi wagon. but for the hour or more dur
ing which Mr. Henry stood upon the plat
form and read his address, the greatest
patience and best good-humor were man
ifcsteI by the crowd.
AT the close Of the oration Of Mr.. Hen
~. the Marine band which had by thi.
time gotten IN place upon the stand, to
gether with the chorus. rendered the mag
niGcent "Te Deum" ip E fiat by Dudley