The times., 1901-05-19
AN ANCIENT PUBLICATION
Proceedings of the Virginia As
sembly Century Ago.
One of the Five Thousand Copies of
Resolutions Adopting the Consfi-
tuition of the United States Owned
by j. ID. Arnold, of Alexandria.

RESOLUTIONS Adopting the COnsff-
tuition of the United States Owned
by j. ID. Arnold, of Alexandria.
J. D. Arnold. of Alexandria, Va. is the
owner of one of the 5000 copies of a docf1-
ment containing. the Declaration of Inde-
pendence. the Constitution of the United
States, the alien and sedition laws. and
Of certain proceedings of the Legislature
of Virginia, on June %. 17sS. endorsing
and ratifying the Constitution The pub
hcation also contains copy of the reso-
luton passed by the State convention
which endorsed the Constitution of the
United States.
These coDies were printed by Jones &.
Dixon, at Richmond. during the year 17g9.
and distributed throughout the Common
wealth of Virginia at that time. accord
ing TO a resolution adopted by the House
of Delegates of Virginia, and it is doubted
if there are as many as half a dozen
copies of the publication in existence at
this time. The copy owned by Mr..
Arnold has turned brown from age, even
the printing. which is of the old style
Roman type, being extremely discoIored.
All the acts are signed by John Stewart.
Clerk OF the House of Delegates of Vir-
ginia and Keeper of Rolls, and the copy
hCdAS OA AilG lsiSl lEctA lllt HdIlES OF w IL
liam Thomas and Thomas Mountjoy in
writing, which were probably written
there a century ago. The printed matter
does not indicate who these men were.
After the ratification of the Constitution
the General Assembly Of Virginia issued
an address to the people of the Common
wealth, copy of which is printed in the
old document in the possession of Mr.. Ar
mold, setting forth the conditions prevail
ing throughout the country and the rea-
sons for the action taken by the Legisla-
ture. 1t is pointed out that the sedition and
alien laws contain dangers TO a republican
form of government, and especial objec-
tion is raised in this address TO the great
powers vested in the President by these
laws.
The following is the language of the res
olution adopted by the State convention.
affirming the Constitution of the United
States:
We, the Delegates of the people of
Virginia, duly elected in pursuance of a
recommendation from the General As
sembly. and now met in convention. hav-
ing fully and freely investigated and dis
cussed the proceedings of the Federal
convention, and being prepared as well
as the most mature deliberation hath en-
abled us, to decide thereon: Do in the
name and in behalf of the people of Vir-
Sinia, declare and make known that the
powers granted under the Constitution
being derived from the United States
may be resumed by them, whensoeVer the
same shall be perverted to their injury
or oppression; and that every power not
granted thereby, remains with them and
at their Will. That, therefore, no right
of any denomination can be Cancelled
abridged, restrained. or modified by the
Congress, by the Senate. or House of
acting in any capacity
by the President or any department or
officer of the United States, except in
those instances in which power is given
by the Constitution for those purposes.
and, among other essential rights, the
liberty of conscience and of the press
cannot he Cancelled. abridged, restrained.
or modified by any authority of the
United States.
with these Impressions with a solemn
appeal to the Searcher of Hearts for the
purity of our Intentions and under the
conviction that whatsoever imperfectiOnS
may exist in the Constitution ought
rather be examined in the mode prescribed
therein, than to bring the Union into
1anger by delay. with hope of obtain
ng amendments previous to the ratihca-
ion;
I'VE, the said delegates. in the name and
IA behalf of the People of Virginia, Do,
BY these presents. assent TO. and ratify
,nteenth day of September, one thousand
seven hundred and eighty-seven, by the
Federal convention, for the Government
If the United States hereby announcing
o all those whom II may concern. that the
Constitution is binding upon the said peo-
lie, according 10 an authentic copy hsreto
inneXed, &c.