New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-23

tution-makinR of the civilized world. To Mcllen
Chamberlain the American Revolution was not
a quarrel between British and Americans but
crisis in the conflict between two parties. Liberal
and Conservative, wagec on both sides or the
ocean. 1t originated. then. says DR.. Charles
Borgeaud in his careful study of constitutions,
not In the eighteenth century but In the six
teenth: and the Constitution OF the United states
Is the direct descendant of the Agreement OF the
People devised by the Independents adopted by
Cromwell's soldiers. and submitted TO the House
Of Commons by the army In that agreement.
sovereign new to European politics was pro-
claimed, namely the people. Had this or any
other OF the constitutions proposed under the
Commonwealth been lasting-as MI Meoiey
points out in his Manual Of English Constitu-
tional History"-the development OF the English
system would have been hampered. II not
checked by the fundamental laws. and the writ
ten constitution would hive been sovereign in
stead OF Parliament. while the executive and
legislature would have existed independent Of
each other as in the United States at the present
day" The substantial unity Of the English
democracy wherever II found. on these
pojnts-that a written constitution In the form Of
a compact Of the people, each individual with all
the rest was necessary, that the true sovereign
was the whole body Of the people, and that who
ever exercised authority must be chosen to do so
by the people was shown almost ten years be-
fore the English Agreement in the "Funda-
mental Orders of Connecticut" which assumed
as self-evident that "the foundation Of all au-
thority Is laid IN the free consent OF the people
There was. then, In America almost from the
outset clear conception Of what must be the
bond of union. II the time came that the union In
the person Of the King was rejected. Mr.. Scott
treats lightly the early declarations OF the colo
MES like that of the United Colonies or New
England and the occasional delegate assemblies.
But these could not have been trifes to a popu-
lace so we'll trained in political speculation and
practice as Mr.. Scott says the colonists were.
DIR. Borgeaud points out another series or Facts
that bears particularly on the view which the
coonists took of their proceedings at the
time when they were about to declare their own
independence. The first step was, of course, the
calling of Continental Congresses. Mr.. Scott
makes the point rightly that the Congresses Of
IVA, 1915 and 1776 up 20 he date of the Decla-
ration of Independence acted only In an advisory
capacity. After the Declaration, the Congress
took upon itself the care OF the external rela-
tons and other general business But there were
aspects Of colonial politics In which the mere ad
vice of the Congress had extraordinary force.
II was there that the colonies took the name Of
the United Colonies ard subsequently OF the
United States: and it not until the Congress
advised that the separate colonies undertook
to change their governments Legally. of course,
the suggestion or resolution OF Congress gave no
new authority to the colonies. but historically IT
preceded them. and. as DR.. Borgeaud shows was
the cause Of the acts by which they adopted pro-
vislona constitutions.
Only two colonies New-Hampshire and South
Carolina. anticipated the advice OF Congress. In
this series of events the most certain thing IS that
the coloniss held themselves to be united before
the Withdrawal OF the Kings sovereignty. and
before they took cognizance of their changed con-
dition by change in their organic laws. There
was no interval between the time when they
were United Colonies and the time when they be-
came the United States OF the imperfections Of
this early Union II is needless to speak Mr.. Scott
has enumerated them all with signal cleverness.
But between his criticism and that Of Lincoln
the origin of Statehood the single fact worthy
Of mention Is that there Union before
and after and at the time when the colonies be-
came States.