Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1906-03-31

Virginia. under her charter of 1909
had received a grant of all the territory
along the coast of the Atlantic for two
hundred miles both north and south
from Old Point Comfort, and extending
"up j1to M, kind Hro"ghout, from S,,, h.
sal. ,r,xt uHd uoHh,rtSf."
The smaller states of Rhode Island,
New Jersey. Delaware and Maryland,
not having "Sea-to-sea' charters, could
have no hope of expanding ,Oward the
west, like their more influential neigh.
bOrs.
These disparitcs and conflicting
claims We're destined to produce results
not then apparent to the most far-Sce-
ing eye.
The Declaration of Independence dis
solved the old colonial government in
l116, and Straightwav the Congress
urged upon the several States the neCes-
sty of forming separate governments
and framing separate Constitutions for
themselves. All adopted Constitutions
except Connecticut and Rhode Island.
and they elected to retain their old
charters.
Maryland framed her first Constitu
tiOn i'll l1o6, and i'll her Bill of Rights
declared that ''all government of right
originates from the people, and is
founded Ill compact only, and institu-
ted solely for the good of the whole. ~
She had ever been the home of freemeu
her people knew their rights, and We're
bold in proclaiming them.
The first ten amendments to the Con
Stitution of the United States, constitu-
ting our Federal Bill of Rights, were
copied, some of them almost word tor
word, from tins the first Constitution
adopted by her people.
While the States We're forming sep
arate governments for their own pro-
lection, Congress was formulating IA
plan of general government for the
whole under the Articles of Confedcra-
ton, and urging the States to unite
i'll accepting 1t.
Upon this question the course of
Maryland was 'epoch- making says Dr.
Fiske, and destined to be followed by
consequences of momentOus import. TO
her matchlesS statesmen of that day we
owe debt of gratitude that should not
be forgotten or undervalued.
The larger States stood ready to ratify
the Articles; they had, as they believed,
nothing to fear, but the weaker ones
hcsitatcd to adopt the new experiment
in government All protested, and
while they protested Maryland acted.
II r,Hpujl,cd for her, and her uioue, nm
Snpportrd uod uDoxsjxt,d, 10 drtcruj,r
Hc fu0i rc&uH.
On the Both day of October. l716,
three months after the Declaration of
Independence, a Maryland Convention
adopted resolution declaring that Con-
,l,,,, Il 1.
North west Territory.
In October, l711, Daniel Carroll, "A
member from Maryland. arose from his
seat and offered IA resolution declaring
that 1.-The United States in Congress as
scmbled shall have the exclusive right
and power to ascertain and fix the west
ern boundary of such States as claim to
the Mississippi, and lay out the land be.
yOnd the boundary SO aScertained into
separate and independent States from
time to time, as the numbers and cir
cumstances of the people may require. 4"
This could have but one mea ming
The idea was new; 1t was bold it was
startling in its possibilities, and be
tokened a far-sighted wisdom seldom
surpassed in the realm of statesman
ship. 1t meant that the four large
States, claiming under their charters to
the MISSISSIPPI, must surrender their
claims to the Federal government for
the common use and benefit of all those
whose blood and treasure" had wrestcd
the land i'll question from their common
foe, the King of England
This was too bold and radical a
proposition to he received with favor at
the hands of Congress.