The San Francisco call., 1897-03-12
The GROW I'll Of
A CONS IITUII ION
How Our Forefathers Sc.
cured Political
Freedom.
Judge Morrow Outlines the His.
tory of the Federal Gov.
ernment.
An Instructive Lecture Under the
Auspices of the Young Mems
Institute.

At Metropolitan Hall last night, under
the auspices of Columbia Council NO. 90
OF the Young Mems Institute, Judge w.
w. Morrow delivered an entertaining lee
ture on 1.-The Federal Government" Illus
trated by fine stereopticon views of Wash
ington faces and places.
The lecture was preceded by short
programme, which included organ seiec-
tions by Miss NJ. Georgiana and vocal
solo by John A. McAuliff, which were
we'll received.
James P. Foley, who presided, spoke OF
the advantages accrulng from the Y. NJ. L.
Bureau series of lectures. which are doing
much to promote the moral and intellec-
tual welfare of the community.
Judge Morrow, who received most
f1attering reception, prcfaced the more
serious portion of his address with some
humorous remarks on the subject OF I'M
de steele journalism, in which moving
panorama of pictures serves to illustrate
the dry details Of news previously in
fashion. The present lecture, he said,
recognized this necessity, and all the lee
turer had to do was to give brief history
of the most i'm portant aspects OF the FED
eral Government. He then proceeded:
The elements of an enduring federation. es-
tabllshed by the constitution OF the United
States, have been popularity attributed to the
trainers of that instrument as an original ex-
pertinent, and it has been said that we are
indebted 10 their political wisdom Tor the per-
tection of its operation. Mr.. Gladstone gave
vigorous expression TO this sentiment when
he said that the constitution OF the united
States was ''the greatest work ever struck on
at one time by the mind and purpose of man."
On the other hand, Sir Henry Maine denies
originality to the founders OF the Republc
thptr frr1tf of ha
United States is a modified version OF the
British constitution which was i'll existence
between 1850 and 1897" Without de -racting
in the least from the acknowi edged .ateSman-
ship and patriotism OF the great men of the
Revolutionary period, l think it may be said
with truth and propriety that the general
principles of self-g and federation
which we find i'll the constitution OF the
United States were not entirely original with
them but had been tried, and tried success
fully, on this continent Tor more than one hun
dred and fifty years before that time.
The history Of federation of local govern
ment commences, on this continent, within
twenty years after the landing OF the Pilgrim
Fathers at Plymouth Rock in December. 1920.
1t commences i'll the valley OF the Connecti-
cut when all the free men of the towns OF
Windsor, Hartford and Wethersfield asse mbled
at Hartford on January IA. 1859, and adopted
written constitution providing for the feder-
alton of independent towns. with all the at
tributes of sovereignty not expressly granted
to the General Court of the Colony OF Connec-
:icut, reserved as OF original right to The
towns. This document was known as the
Fundamental Orders Of Connecticut, and was
based upon the idea that the foundation of
authority is laid in the free consent OF the
governed.
! 1t was the first written constitution known
to history that created government, and IS
recogn lied by historians as the beginning of
the American democracy, and although
fra med for population not exceeding one
thousand it remained for nearly two hundred
years without cuange or amendme mt, The or
ganic law of the commonwealth of Connecti-
| cut, and its leading features were incorpo-
rated into the constitutions OF the several
States and of the United States. But the infu-
| ence OF Connecticut in the direction of fedora.
| ton was exerted in a still more practical way
| and in Il broader field.
| In 1857 she had made overtures to Massa-
| chusetts for q union of colonial interests. Her
settlements were then In the heart OF the
| indian country aud exposed TO the depreda-
| tjons of the willy and treacherous savageS.
| But this was not all. The Dutch, at New AM
sterdam, were pressing eastward and north
| ward into the Connecticut Valley, and the
French, at Quebec were pushing southward.
/ The situation was dangerous and Connec ticut
sought the aid of Massachusetts, but as the
latter was not seriously threatened she de-
! layed action. The proposition was renewed
/ in 1859 and again in l642.
! Judge Morrow traced the events which
| finally led up to the acceptance of the
present constitution and said:
| The powers of the Federal Government are
distributed by this constitution into tne three
|
cial The legislative consists of the. Two
! houses OF Congress- the exl cutive of The Presi-
| dent. and the judicial OF the supreme and in
/ ferior courts. The powers conceded to the
| Federal Government by the constitution of
| the United States are in brief: TO lay and col
| lect taxes, duties, imposts and excises; TO pay
| and provide for he common defense and gen.
] eraI we fare of the United States; to regulate
| commerce with foreign nations and among the
| several States and with the Iudian tr ibes; 10
! establish uniform rule of naturalizs ton aud
/ uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcy
! throughout the United States; 10 coin money
| regulate the value thereof, and of fore gn
! coins and fix the standard of weights and
| measures; TO establish postottices and pos
! roads; TO promote the progress OF science and
usetul arts, by securing for limited times 10
! authors and inventors exclusive right To their
respective writings and discoveries; 10 define
| and punish piracies and telonies committed
| on the nigh seas and otfenses against the
| law of nations; 10 declare war. grant
| letters of marque and reprisal, and make
rules concerning captures on land and
| water; to raise and support armies:
to provide and maintain navy; TO exercise