The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-10-20
any portion OF their sovereignty
such a mancr as to bind posterity.

lNiI6tuAuh 31CtkOus
Virginia, indeed, that there might be
left no doubt as to her conception of
this matter. acting for her people. in
her ordinance OF ratification OF the
Federal Constitution. expressly re-
served the right to resume the powers
delegated to the Federal government.
whenever the same shall be perverted
to their injury or oppression"
The idea OF the Individual citizen
having surrendered. absolutely, certain
natural rights, in order that civil So
ciety or government might be formed.
under the theory OF tho Original con-
tract" the social contract" the $50
ciaI compact" or the Implied social
compact" discussed by numerous Euro
pean writers.-some treating such con
tract" or compact" as having been In
fact made, some as wholly imaginary
and come as implied,-was familiar to
the trainers OF our Federal Constitu-
ton. But the conception that SOW
ereign State could make such sur
render. absolutely, OF certain sovereign
rights. in order to form civil society
or government was. at the time OF
the Formation and adoption of our Fed
cral Constitution. wholly new.
Pelat,ah webster. In 1883. first ex-
messed the idea that Federal GOV,
eminent could be formed that snouia
act not on the States ; but nut d Rlsdsas
p re- inu in note on page 81 Of the work
the credit Of the idea mentioned to
Noah webster.) The former, y Is trme.
him. the idea that the States could
surrender. absolutely, certain sovereign
have been clearly defined. He saw az
but Through glass. darkiy on this
subject. In truth neither he nor any
ward reaching the conclusion that e
divided sovereignty might he made abb
solute, from any historic light upon the
matter.
Hannis Tay1or's View.
AS we now know. as expressed By
many modern writer's and speakers, but
by none more clearly and suscinctly than
by the learned author, Mr.. Hannis Tay-
!can Review tyoi. 1s5, No. 8. PIP. sl6-7):
From the days OF the Grek leagues
down to the making Of the present
Constitution of the United States. all
ctructed upon a single plan. at once
clumsy and Inefficient. The most per-
feet OF the Greek leaguese was the
Achaian. of which the founders real
4 - hne W luusHlHS
The only Federal governments
| With whose internal organizations
the builders OF the Federal Republic
we've really familiar. and whose lis
tories had any practical effect upor
| their work, were those which has
1 grown up between the LowDutcf
/ communities. al the mouth of the
Rhine, and the Hfgh-Dutch communi.
! ties In the mountains of Switzerland
/ and upon the plains of Germany
Down to- the making of our, presen:
! Federa} Constitution. the confedera.
1 tlon OF Swiss Cantons. the United
Provinces of the Netherlands. and thu
German Confederation, really repre-.
| scented the total advance made by tht
modern world in the structure OF
| Federal governments. Such advance
was embodied in the idea of Fedora
/ system made up of a union OF States
cities, or districts, Representative!
/ from which composed single Fed
4 eral assembly whose supreme power
/ could be brought to bear. not upor
Individual citizens. but upon cities o.
i States as such. The basic prlncipl,
upon which all such fabrics restet
was the reauisitione system, unde
i which the Federal head was slmpl!
endowed with the power to make req
uisitions for men and money upon tn
States or cities composing the leagu
| for Federal purposes; while the State
1 alone. in their corporate capacity, pos
4 sessed the power to execute and en-
force them. Tho first advance mad