White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1915-09-26

vi uCUutA1o -
the separate states or municipalities,
but still acting for the whole body OF
States as one nation or n people.
No one of the colonies, so far as we
are aware, ever declared its indie
pendence of the mother country.
That act was the joint act of all. The
different colonies raised regiments
of trooD within their W j%urisdic-
ton. but when placed in the field
they were under the command OF
generals appointed by the central
government. At the beginning of the
revolution there was no written law
or constitution defining or limiting
the power of Congress. The govern
ment had no courts and no civil min
isterial officers; it had. in fine. no
machinery for carrying its laws, de.
crees or resolutions into effect. All
had to be enforced by the machinery
furnished by the municipal govern
ments of the respective colonies.
They were obeyed and enforced as
DEGREES of revolutionary tribunals are
usually enforced, by the universal
consent of the revolutionary party,
and the general belief hat any fail
ure to implicitly obey such mandates
would cripple the efforts of the rev.
olutionists, and restore the former
government to power.
At the very outset of the contro-
versy with the mother country it was
forseen If a separation took place
some form of government must be
adopted for the seeding territory.
Not a government for each of the
colonies. but a government for the
whole. After considerable delay,
Congress. in the month of November.
1777. finally adopted a written Con-
stitution CASUALLY called Articles of
Confederation') for the government
of the new nation then struggling in
W t&ioNVfi1ts ihiO q Suohiittth "
the different colonies for their rati-
fication. This was approved by the
different colonial legislatures from
time to time. We believe most of
them had approved it by the summer
of 1T7S; but one state. Maryland, did
not approve it until the year 1881.
But Congress conducted its bust
ness in accordance with the general
provisions of that instrument both
before and after its approval by the
separate colonies. That instrument
shows as near as may be the original
form of government adopted by the
people of this continent when they
threw off their allegiance to Great
Britain.
Whilst the articles OF confederation
snow that most of those powers
ereignty were vested in the central
government, in one particular the
United States government, as then
constituted. was entirely defective as
to its sovereign power. That gov
eminent could not enforce its laws
against individuals. When Congress
passed a resolution it must call on
the State authorities to enforce 1t.
II the States neglected their duty,
the government had no way to COM
pei obedience to its mandates, unless
II were to make war on the refrac-
tory State. Private citizens were not
responsible and amenable to the laws
OF the United States. Under this
state of things the States generally
obeyed tat least partially the orders
Of Congress during the war.
AT the conclusion of peace the
States became negligent or refrac-
tory, and in many instances utterly
disregarded the resolutions of Con-
gress. 1t was evident to all that a
government of this kind must fall
to pieces as soon as the outside pres
sure of war and foreign difficulties
was withdrawn.
A constitutional convention was
therefore called to create a stronger
and better regulated government for
the new State.
That convention adopted a pream-
BILE in these words:
We. the people of the United
States, in order to form a more per-
feet union, establish justice, insure
domestic tranquility. provide for the
common defense. promote the gener-
al welfare and secure the blessings
of liberty TO ourselves and our pos
terity, do ordain and establish this
constitution for the United States of
| America"