New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1900-06-20

people that a successful opposition can
only be attained through their united
efforts. This Continental Congress act
| ing with the consent of the majority Of
the American people had ISSUED the
Declaration Of Independence and had
carried the war almost to a successful
issue before it received any definite war
rants for its acts. But it is evident that
this body clothed with underlined power
OF the people could not establish last
ing union colonies when jealousy was
still the principal trait. Accordingly its
powers declined and passed away into
lnsigniticance and as it was lacking in
executive power its advices remained
unheeded. " ~ =. ss@.
| The next STEP towards the formation
of more consolidated union was taken
in entering upon the Articles of Confed-
eration. This agreement drawn up by
delegates from all of the colonies was 10
he firm league OF friendship with pow
er to levy tax, call for militia, declare
war, make peace and to treat with for.
eign nations.
But these articles had one vital defect
and that was. it placed too little power
in the hands of the general government.
1t granted the power to levy tax and
call for militia. But it withheld the
very power to execute those very acts.
On account of this defect Congress
saw its acts abused by foreign nations,
and European countries declined to ell
ter into an alliance with country where
today they might treat with one nation
and tomorrow with thirteen seperate
colonies.
Our ministers to foreign countries
were unable to form a political or CON-
merclal alliance. Our home troubles
were even more severe, hostile neighbors
ON every frontier, an oppressive debt in
CURED by the war, and the jealousy be-
tween The separate colonies themselves.
No wonder that this chaos brought
forth ridicule and laughter from Euro
pean statesmen. And yet the exclama-
tion Of Josiah Tucker one of the most
eminent and most farsighted statesmen
OF his time, that "the. American colonies
could never be brought to act in concert,
and the idea to do so to be one of the
ldlest and most visionary notions ever
conceived even of writer's and romance"
has proved itself entirely untrue
Since from the time of the settlement
of America, the Americans have been dis
tinguished by the acquisitson of tie
newest political ideas, which were des-
tined to be the foundation of the Amer
lean commonwealth. And one of their
strongest and most persistent elements
of natural development has been that in
heritance of political traditions and us.
ages which the new colonlsts brough,
with them. ii =,
The settling of the Plymouth settlers
in the Netherlands and the conquest OF
the Dutch colonies had brought the
Americans into contact with the singu.
larly wise and free institution of the
Dutch. The English commonwealth OF
1649 also did not pass without leaving
a mark upon the American settlers
Thus prepared then the delegates from
all of the colonies, summoned by con.
gress, assembled in Philadelphia in 1887
for the purpose either of revising the
Articles of Confederation or of drawing
up new constitution.
The assembly chose George Washing
ton chairman and then began It's mo-
mentOus work.
We should not think that every one
of those flfty-fve members tha. consti-
tuted the assembly was genius. They
were men selected from almost every
walk of life, from the high bred Univer-
sity man to common laborcr. The
Heterogeneous composition of this assem-
bly, made it an ideally perfect body. A
legislative assembly should consist of
men of different qualification. Some
critics, some geniuses, and number of
commonplace men. So that all classes
should be represented. All these points
we find illustrated in the assembly that
framed our constitution.
Thus equipped the assembly finding
it useless to revise the Articles of Con-
federation, drew up new document.
But we should not think that this
Constitution is an entirely new inven-
ton. We do not agree with the English
statesman that, 'The American constitu.
tion is the greatest work ever struck off
at any. one time by the mind and purpose
of man." nor do we agree with the other
English statesman who claims that it is
simply revision of the English consti-
tuition.
The work Of our forefathers was done
independently and not even in the elab-
crate work of Madison on Ancient, Me-
diaeval and Existing Governments do
we find a trace and this was written for
the very purpose of aiding the delegates.
The chief source for their material
was their own experience They were
all practical men and not given much to
theorizing. They had found to what
abuses country can be subject They
had found that this must be only one
union and thirteen semi-independent
They had found that the legislative and
executive departments must go hand IN
hand.
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