Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1897-07-01
THURSDAY, JULY /, 1897.
OUR GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATIONS.

Next Sunday will usher in the one
hundred and twenty first anniversary OF
the Declaration of independence, declar'
alton which proclaimed to the world the
existence ofthe United States of America,
and laid the foundation for magnificent
constitutional republic nthe Western Con
tinent.
On the 18th day July, 177G, a com.
mttee appointed to prepare plan
of confederation for the colonies reported
plan based upon sketch which had
been submitted by Dr.. Franklin, entitled
articles of Confederation and perpetual
union ofthe Colonies. These articles were
debated and amended from time to time
until the 18th of November, HI, when
Congress resolved to propose them to the
several states of the confederation for rat
ifcation. The ratification of the articles
by the thirteen states purports to be signed
on the 9th of July, l77S, but the fact is only
eight states had ratified them at that time.
They were ratified by two additional
states in the same month, the 2lst and oath,
by another on the Goth of November, and
by another on the ODD of February, 1779,
while the thirteenth (Maryland) did not
ratify them until the 1st OF March, 1871.
Our government was conducted under
these articles of confederation, with alter
terations, until the first Wednesday in
March, 1889, when the operation OF the
government began under the present Con-
stitution of the United States. The con-
vention which framed the Constitution
convened on the 25th of May, 1857, and
George Washington was unanimously
elected president of the convention. Its
proceedings were concluded on the 9TH OF
September, 1887, when the Constitution
as agreed upon was signed by all the mem
bers of the convention present, except Mr.
Randolph and Mr.. Mason from Virginia,
and Mr.. Gerry from Massachusetts.
The Articles of the constitution were pre-
coded by this splendid declaration:
ave the people of the United States, in
order to form more perfect Union,
established Justice, insure domestic tran
guilty, provide for the common defence,
promote the general welfare, and secure
the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and
our Posterity, do ordain and establish this
CONSTITUTION for the United States of
America"
A resolution vas adopted by the conven'
ton submitting the Constitution to Con-
eress, then in session, and expressing the
opinion that it should ''be submitted to a
convention of delegates, chosen in each
state by the people thereof, under the
recommendation of its legislature, for their
assent and ratification. In Congress, on
the 2Sth, of September 1877, q resolution
was adopted directing the Constitution to be
transmitted to the legislatures ofthe several
states to be submitted to a convention OF
delegates chosen IN each state by the peo-
Die thereof. The Constitution was ratified
bv the several states, and as ratified it has
stood the supreme law of our land until
this time, there being only fifteen amend
ments thereto in the one hundred and
eight years which have interviewed.
Our Constitution is the most perfect
written article of government that has
ever been framed. 1t has stood the test
of time and the rude shocks of the mos:
stupendous civil war the world has ever
known. Under its benign provisions a
perfect Union has been established with q
LOYALTY of feeling in all sections that is
greater than when the government was first
established. The immense growth of our
country in territory, wealth, population
and intelligence gives undeniable proof Of
the promotion of the general welfare. That
the Blessings of Liberty have been secured
to us and will be extended tolour posterity is
proved bv the unaltered and unalterable
conditions of individual, personal freedom
that now exist in our nation. There are
nassimists and anarchists in our land who
condemn the quality of our citizenship
and denounce the operations of our
general government; but faith in the
character of our citizenship and yeneration
forour republican institutions grow stronger
and deeper in the hearts Of cur people as
the republic advances in years.
We are blessed with country that is al
ways filled with plenty. Our form ofgovern-
ment is one which has never been surpassed,
in fact has not been equalled. As nation
we stand in the front rank of the civilized
peoples of the earth. Why then should the
American citizen feel otherwise than proud
of his country and government? Or why