The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-06-25
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

The Boston Herald in recent editorial comment
ing on Mr.. Charles Francis Adams Phi Beta Kappa
Grafton at Chicago quotes the we'll known passages
from Henry Cabot Lodge and Prof Goodwin Smith
with regard to the souths right of secession and pro-
ceeds to attempt to conue the testimony of the Massa
chusetts historian and of the Canadian historian by
paper written by D. II. Chamberlain entitled THE His
torcal Conception of the United States Constitution
and Union" Here is the passage from Mr. Lodge:
When the constitution adopted by the votes OF States
az aenia ana accepted oy .he votes OF States in popu
lar conventions Is safe to say that there was not in
the country from Washington and Hamilton the one side
garded the system anything but experiment entered
upon by the States and from which each and every State had
iy to Be exercised ''e"' "''''N was 'eiy ike
Here is the passage from Prof. Goodwin Smith:
Had the issue Gnvoved in the of secc ;son been as
Lincoln Seward and represented being merely
political and territorial we (the English government might
into the history can doubt that the Union originally and
was generally taken by the partcs to it to be- compact dis
dssolublc certainly breach OF the articles of union
Now, Mr.. Chamberain's argument, which the Her.
aid adopts, rests mainly the jurisdiction of the Unit
ed States courts the alleged fact the constitution
is nowhere called "a compact" by contemporaneous
authorities and the alleged fact that the records of
the State conventions by which the constitution was
adopted there is evidence or statement or claim
Of the right to withdraw"
The first argument scarcely requires serious an
The grant to the United States courts of hlrs
dction in certain carries with it loss
of sovereignty than would be the case with nations
establishing an international court Of arbitration.
Said Alexander Hamilton in articles and s. Of
the Federais IF the new plan be adopted the Union
Will still be in fact and in theory association of
States confederacy Every constitution for the
United States must inevitably consist great variety
of particulars, in which thirteen independent States
are 10 be accommodated in their interests or opinions
Of interest. Hence the necessity OF making
such system will satisfy all the parties to the com
pact"
In article 80 of the Federaist James Madison
wrote: "The new constitution will be a Federal not a
National constitution"
The Virginia convention which adopted the consti-
tuition in the very ordinance of ratification declared
That the powers granted under the constitution being
derived from the people of the united states may be
resumed by them whenever the shall be perverted
to their injury oppression"
The New York convention which ratified the constl-
tuition lin tho and behalf of the people of the
State of New York" in the ordinance of ratification de-
clared the understanding of New York to be- THAT
the powers of government may be reassumed by the
people whatsoever it shall become necessary to their
happiness; that every power jurisdiction and right
which is not by the said constitution clearly delegated
to the congress of the United States or the depart
ments of government thereof, remains to people
of the several States to their respective State GOV
ernments to whom thy may have granted the same"
Let MS keep the historical record clear. For this
reason we have challenged the statements of the
Boston Herald and Mr.. Chamberlain and disproyed
them