Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1920-01-03
HARVEY JOHNSON DEFENDS
THE CONSTITUTION.
.kcs Issue With New York World
4n tho Rights OF Sovereign State

x#ro the Edltor:-Will The editor OF
&c American allow space for some
ssfnarks on what | consider one Oh
) most vital subjects pertaining TO
&c United States Col4S tuition ana
"A vernment which was so strangely
81 mmented upon by the New YORK
q orld December &c, 1919? The
~ AMERICAN rcpuOIishCl tho comm ht
Dnter "PuDIic Opinion" rs follows;
~ II was no association of distillcr@,
brewers or saloonkecpcrs that po'i-
aioned tho Supreme Court Oh tue
II ited States for leave TO bring
hit to forbid the enforcement of the
3sR@ Id ton amendment. The plcadcf
&S the State Of Rhode Island jcal
8s Of it's sovereign y, and resolved
Il ION defense Of its liberty
~ The World says the State OF lthode
IA land is contcsting the consti'ullon'
&ity of the Prohibition Amendment
3ecause IL deprives that common
health of its bill Of rights. Rhodc Is
Sid nor any other State has Il Dill or
3hts that makes it independent Oh
Is Constitution and government OF
Is United States. The Tenth AT
4cle TO the Constitution certainly 40
Ia not give il, which read; as follows:
% power; not delegated to the UNIT
4 States by the Constitution nor
by it to the states are re
e& the states respectively or 10
x 4 BILE. Now the World would
/ IA readers believe that the Tenth
Rnent TO tho Constitution was
II n bill Of rights; but that artl-
$ilI needs judicial construction
$8 its relation to the sovereignty
70 general government.
Ia Sixth Article Of tho ConStitu
reads. This Constitution ana
laws of the United States which
s be made in pursuance thereof,
(as, srssatios made or w,Ech shall
l. de under, the authority OF the
/ States, shall be the supreme
lf tho land and the judges in
state. shall be bound thereby;
Ing in tho Constitution or laws
state to the contrary notWith
Ing"
8epeat that in view Of the Sixth
10 the Tenth needs judicial con
i 8tion as to whether it teaches
s5R3a sovereignty and state independ
for the Sixth Article just quot
3akcs all Of the States and Judges
srvient end subordinates them to
- Reconstruction and the general gov
4 kent. So the fact is the World
IMPLY Juggling with facts and fig
! = to effect its purpose TO subordi
: the general government to what
- pleased to call the sovereignty
liberty of the states for neither
these words is found i'll the Con
ution. It begins with the pream
and tho seven original articles,
tho words sovereignty and liber
4lo not como in either hut are found
u the Colonial Articles of Confedera
IN and the declaration OF indepcnd-
I ce of the sovereignty OF Great Brf-
i m and only in them This Declare
J reads: Resolved, That these
II lited Colonies are and of right ought
u be free and independent states;
II at they are absolyed from all alleSi
- CO to the British crown and that
- political connection between them
"A d the State of Great Britain is and
81 ght TO he totally dissolved" Now
- o we get the term free and indie
ldent states which words do not
|&& lr once in tho Constitution of the
a:ed States
REV. HARVEY JOHNSON,
&t 1923 Druid Hill Avenue,
~ baltimore, December %. 1919.