Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-14
PIONEER OF SECESSION.
The First Advocate OF states h'sn''
I'm the Continental Congress-

I'm the Continental Congress.
philadelphia Ledger)
At a meeting OF the Historical society
OF PENNSYLVANIA last evening, DIR. Her
bert Fiedenwald delivered an address, IN
which he gave an account of some new
Gy discovered information respecting
transactions Of the Continental Con-
gress. The speaker explained that the
material upon which his address was
based had been secured from abstracts
OF debates and letters written by Ben
jamin Rush and Thomas Burke, OF North
Carolina. The notes of debates taken
by the former had much TO say about
the relations that had existed between
Congress and the individual States. as
well as the methods Of electing the Of
hcers of the army. In discussing the
latter subject, mention was made OF the
remarks Of John Adams, when ne SAID
in February. IN:
There are certain principles which fol-
low us through life, and none more GER
tairfy than love Of the first place. l am
sorry to see that II prevails so little In
this Assembly which IS disposed to idolize
an image which their own hands have
made. | speak here OF the superstitious
General Washington. Although / honor
him for his good qualities. yet, in this
House, ] feel myself his superior. In
private life, l shah always acknowledge
that he is mine. Ii becomes us TO at
tend early TO the restraining Of our
army"
The information that Burke imparts,
DR.. Friedenwald said, gives US a knowl-
edge of the discussion over the articles
OF confederation, the first national Con-
stitution, such as has never before been
obtained. Burke took a most active part
in framing those articles, and wrote re-
peated letters to Governor Caswell, or
his State, detailing the course Of events.
They are all Of one tone, and show
q great jealousy of giving TO Congress
any powers that could possibly be re-
tanned by the States. Early in the his
tory of the framing Of the confederation
he states that one of it's clauses gave to
Congress very uncertain jurisdiction.
Fearing that, II II were not checked. and
Immediately, a union OF great strength
would be formed, he introduced motion,
providing that all those powers not ex-
pressly delegated to Congress should be
retained by the States. This, at first,
aroused much opposition, especially from
the learned James Wilson, Of Pennsyl-
vania, and from Richard Henry Lee, OF
Virginia; but in the end, after much de-
bate. he finally won over every State,
except Virginia and New Hampshire. TO
his views. and the article under conslde-
ration was adopted. and never changed.
Burke impressed upon Congress all
through his career the necessity for
guarding against any encroachment upon
the power and dignity Of the State, and
was an earnest advocate of the instant
dismissal of Captain Nicholson. OF the
Continental army, for having disrespect-
fully treated the Governor of Maryland.
At one time. when standing out for
what he thought were the prerogatives Of
his State, and desiring that a question
under discussion be postponed for a day,
he threatened to secede unless his views
were agreed to. 1t was a rule Of Con-
gress that any State might, before
vote was taken, have the question post
poned for one day, and after the matter
was discussed at length, he informs US,
insisting that it was a most violent and
arbitrary act Of power TO put any ques-
ton at all on this matter; and the others,
perceiving the determined resolution OF
the delegate Of North Carolina TO with
draw from Congress If any such question
should be put they waived their oppo
sition," and he won his point.
The possibility of States combining In
Congress in order 10 carry out repressive
legislation against Others occasioned