The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-11-01

articles of confederation and tho COnsI-
tuition Of the United States. That Con-
sdiuuon is not mere body OF amend
meuis 20 the articles in whole. but cam
not even be said 10 have any legal con.
uecton Whatever with these articles. IL
is an entirely indepedent creation. and its
adoption marks a peaceful but radical
revolution. II shows the stage Of growth
and the capacity OF the men Of that day
TO recognize the growth Of an adopted
law without a too formal regard for the
rieht Of the existing law.
Ger written constitutions have served
not TO originate notions or even forms Of
government. but 20 express and 20 record
our political experience. and their sta
biliiy exis.s not go the fact that they are
written. but IN The fact that they bear
faithful record Of the better part OF what
no have discovered By arduoas expert
ence.
SECESSION DISCUSSED.
Written constitutions are not mere le-
sal documents. they arc the skeleton
frame OF a living organism. and are SUBJ
fcct 10 an the changes that living or
ganisms undergo. This Is proved IN the
case Of our own Federal Constitution By
the varying opinions as 10 the right OF
State 10 Withdraw from the Union. Dur
Ing the early days Of our national eX-
istcnce this right II not openly avowed,
was tacity assented 90 in every section
of the country-in the North as wen as
ln the south But in the North the
course Of events hal natOnelized me
government that had once been deemed
confederate. Before 1860 vast areas OF
new territory had been acquired by pur-
chase aud conquest out Of which twenty
new States had been organized and added
90 the original thirteen. and almost all
of these were actual creations OF the
Federal Government hrst as territories.
.hen as States Five Of these new states
hal been carved out OF that great North
west Territory which Virginia with
pr'nceiy u5erah,y bad given 10 the ma
f0nal government that the Union might
Boo formed Into this great domain ana
farther stiu into the ever expanding
West the North had projected Itself with
its growing ideas of naturalization ana
there had played upon the whole north
e~n and northwestern regions those great
forces OF material development which
made steadily for the unihcation or IN
ferests onf purposes During al these
years the South had retained her social
and Industrial institutions unchanged
while the North and the Northwest had
undergone great social and Industrial
revolution. The South had stood Sill
while the rest Of the country hal un-
dorsone profound changes. and standing
stu the South had retained the ola pIlh-
cip'es and the old Interpretation oil me
constitution that had once been uni
versal
BOTH WERE RIGHT.
The South IN seeding from the Union
was right from her point or view th-
North in resisting secession was also
&c rHfr
tional catastrophe resulted from the W.
Inherent interpretations Of the consu-
tn+ion one OF these methods may be
oaffel the lawyers method, which looks
s+ the constitution as a legal doccmenl
u.itboi,t regard 10 subsequent events anc
,ocrotiors The other Is the stateman
.,. bfsfo,ian's method. which inieiprets
constitutions not only In accordance WIZ
rhe intention Of the trainers pul dIs' D"
the light of subsequent events ana 'N'
VARYING needs arising from ne" con-
dit'ons % national life. one lnle tp'els
constitutions according to the logic OF
,..,rds the other according 20 the logic Of
events and the irresistible streams OF
methods has mainly 10 30 with Inter
nreting written constitutions as Ne-
nicle of life: and this method Is now be-
canning accented I'm the South as well as
IN the North. The conflict Of ideas that
-qsulted i'm the Civil War bad 90 be
fought out I'm the Court Of Mars and
after the conflict was ended and the nlt-
fe~nees az sectional strife had subsidel.
the country emerged with "a stronger
nationai iife pormeatng all sections and
on parties
Dr Wilson was heard with profound
attention and his rhnosoohical utteranres
enthusiastically apolapded. 10 is The
general impression that Dr. Wilson's lee
ture last night was one OF the most
powerful and scholarly ever heard in this
city.
DR. Wilson viii deliver The fourth Of
the series to-ni1ht IN The COLLEGE chanel.
His subject will be Theory and Practice
I'm Organization"