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The Western IleraM VOL. I. PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY MORNING. Terms.—Three dollars per annum, payable within six months after the receipt of the first number, or four dol lars if not paid within the year. Subscribers living out of the state, will be expected in all cases, to pay in advance. No subscription received for less than one year, unless the money is paid in advance; and no paper will be dis continued until all arrearages are paid, except at the op lion of the publisher. Persons requesting a discontinu ance of their Papers, arc requested to bear in mind, a set tlement of their accounts. Advertisements will be inserted at the usual rates; when the number of insertions is not specified, they will be continued until ordered out. fr 7 s * All Lett, rs to the Editor or Proprietor, on mat ters connected with the establishment, must be post paid inorder to secure attention. SC3 2 * Notice of the sale of Land and Negroes, by Ad mi listrators, Executors, or Guardians, must be published sixty days previous to the day of sale. The sate of personal Property, in like manner, must be published forty days previous to the day of sale. Notice to debtors and creditors of an estate must be published forty dais. Notice that Application will be made to the Court of Ordinary for Leave to sell Land or Negroes,must be pub lished FOUR MONTHS. Notice that Application will be made for Letters of Ad ministration, must be published thirty days and for Letters of / i,n<ssion. >iv months. From lite Phdadetplr Examiner. AV UPON THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE STATES, DELIVERED BEFORE The Stale Rights dissociation of Pennsylvania, and a Public „M feting of Citizens, on the ‘lth of .March, 1831, at the Commissioners’ Hall, in the Northern Libci tics <>J Philadel phia, By CON DY SiAGUET, Esq. JI member oj the dissociation. Fellow » itizens . i\ e arc assembled in commemoration of the day upon which, three and thirty years ago, a memorable revolution placed in the Executive chair, the great apos tle of American liberty, t liumas Jefferson. 1 use the word “Revolution,” not in a figurative sense ot that term, but as the true expression to signify that radical chang > m the theory of the government as then maintained, which was I accomplished by that event, and which restor ed the federative character of our Union, and saved the people from the despotism of a grand consolidated empire. It is nut the purpose of him who now ad" dresses you, to pronounce an eulogium upon the sage whose mortal remains now repose on the retired and peaceful summit of Monticello. A more appropriate occasion tor such an of fering, will be presented at the approaching an niversary of his birth, when to more able hands, will no doubt be confided, the task of recalling to memory the deeds f the man, whom the people, once delighted to honor; not however, it is uoped, in the spirit of man-worship, or of debasing adulation, but. in that spirit of v ner i tioti tor the gn at piinciples of freedom, waich were so eminently personified in that patiiotic statesman. My present design, and that tin which 1 have been especially invited by the State Rights Association, is simply to lay before von, in language adapted to the comprehension of all, a history of (he formation of out govern ment, and some detail oi those political facts, upon which the great doctrine of State Sovcr eighty is founded. In a republican government where the high est offices and hon us are alike accessible to the poor and to the rich—where there is no titled aristocracy invested with privileges deni ed to the mass of the people; and where educa tion is within the reach almost of all—it be hooves every man to have an acquaint. hi e with the nature of the gnverimi nt under watch c lives, and in the admimsti ring ut winch lie may some day be called to lake a part. Without such acquaint m c, how is n possnff for one to enter upon an office w ith the iiopes of ren dering the country a service, whi a, let me re mark by the way, is the eniy legitimate motive with which office snoul i lie sought* Ignorant us the first principles ot the science of government, and even o! th<- charactei ot tin one which he Geeks to s. ae, ho must enter upon his duties with as little capacity to perforin them, as would a lan is.nan possess, who had never seen a com pass, to navigate a ship at ross the ocean. I do nut mean to say that every man is bound to be a. statesman, or to be deeply skilled in polit" ical learning, nut simply that no one should be ignorant of tause elementary and fundamental principle-*, which, nave train the organization of our government to the presant day, constituted the test of pa ties, or, us tlrn/e historical truths, un ncqu.kuU.mce, with which is essential to the right understanding of the subject. You all well know, fellow citizens, that the great point upon which ihefc era! and demo cratic partK'S were originally uiJetl. wa-, the character oi hie ted, ~.l government. I'tie leu oral party maintained taut it was a government formed by the whole poop’e of tae thirteen I’. States, as one aggregate muss, m the s..mv manner that (tie government of Pennsylvania was formed by the people ot Pennsyivama. as one aggregate mass. I'he D moeratie party mamtaitKu that the government was foraieu, not by the whole people of (he United States one aggregate mass, but by the people of the thirteen States in their sepatate capacities oi Liu teen free S \ r «n and Independent com munities. I 4 .sliiH'tion, depends the whole question. It the federal doctrine be t ue, thru tgc rovcxuaics! cl ih-c I uikd States I? IF IB & iSEUBID 1818 By n. dolt, Jr. &w. E. ox ;s 9 IB 118 IB is a consolidated empire towards which, the several States stand in the same relation, that the counties of Pennsylvania stand to the State. But, if on the other hand, the democratic doc trine be true, then the government is a federal government, formed by a cons deration of re publics, each possessing rights winch have ne ver been delegated to the federal head. These two theories of government involve the most important consequences as respects the liberty of the people, and the Union of the States, and as there can be no better mode of ascertaining which of the two is the tru- theory, than by re ferring to history, 1 shall beg your earnest at tention to the following recital. Under the old Colonial government of Great Britain, each of her-colonies on the American continent, was wholly independent of the rest. Each had its own Governor, its own Legisla ture, its own Judicial tribunals, and its own code of law s, and each was subject to no'other juris diction Or'authority, than that of the mother country. Each stood to the crown of Great Britain, in precisely the same relation as the provinces of Canada and New Brunswick now, stand, and each, had it possessed the physical strength necessary to sustain it in the act might ri it had chosen, have de fared its i idividual se paration from the mother country, and taken its rank amongst tue powers of the earth, as a free Sovereign and Indepen ent nation. The limited population and resources, how ever, ot each of m. colonies, disqualified it for separate action; and when the period arrive at wmeh the oppression of the parent tale could no longer be borne by the children, a sense of common danger naturally induced them to unite in one common effort to throw off the yoke.— The first congress, which was assembled to take into consideration the actual situation of the colonies in rcfcience to their differences with Great Britain, met at the < arpcntcr’s Hall, in the city of Philadelphia, on the sth of Sep tember, 1774, not quite sixty years igo* This body consisted of Delegates, from New-Hamp shire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island, and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, from the ‘ city and county oi New York, and other coun- J ties in the Province of New York, New Jersy, Pensylvania, New Castle, K. nt, and Sussex, in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and N >rth Car olina, and continued in session until th 26th of October, when it dissolved, after recommending delegates to meet again on the 10th of (he fol lowing May. During its sitting, thi Congress amongst other things, r. solved, “that the Con gress approve the opposition of the ii.habitants oi Massachusetts Bay, to the obnoxious acts of Parliament; and if the same shall be ait* inp'cd to be caried into execution by force, in such case all America ought to support them in their opposition.” ft also adopted an address to the people ol Great Britain upon the subject of the grievances ol the colonies, and a petition to the King, and resolved, that letters be addicssed to lhe people ot Quebec, and to the colonies of St, John's, Nova Scotia, Georgia, and Last and West Florida, inviting them to unite in re sistance to the tyranny of Great Britain. On the 10th ot May, 1775, the second Con gress a- i inbled at the State House in f’hila. delphia.—On the Ist of August it adjourned until the sth ol September, from which day it remained in pt i manent session until aftei the consummation of the act, which dissolved the connection with the mother country. It is foreign to the, object of this' address, to detail the incidents ot’ this eventful period.— j Suffice it to say, that on the 19th of June, 1 , George Washington was commissioned the j ■ M.rucral and Commander in Chief of the Ar-■ my ot he United Colonies”—that on the same day, Congress r 'solved, “that they would main tain, assist, and adhere to George Washington with their lives and fortunes in the same cause” —that <>n the 13th of September, delegates from Georgia took their seats in Congress, and com pleted the numb r of the thirteen States Which had resolved to be free—that on the 13th of December, a naval armament of thntecn ships, was resolved on—that on the 27th of Febniaiv, 1776, the colonics were laid off into military departments that on the 23d of March. It ttf rs I ot marquo and reprisal were authorized—anti that on the lUlh of May, it was resolved, to “re commend to the respective assemblies and conventions ui the I nited Colonies, where no govei ment sufficient to the exigent s ot ti.eii affairs, had been established, to a. opt Mich a government as should, in the opinion of the representatives ot th< best conduce to . the happiness and safety of tin ir constituents in particular, and of America mg ueral.’’ AH t.iesc measures, let it l>e remembered, i were adopted prior to tne Det l.i a . n ot’ In- I dependence, and whilst the colonies writ .-trli united to tue British empire, but us thev produ- | red nu < hange in the policy of the king, nothing was left to the colonists, but to take the final step ot separation. On the 10th ot’ June, a committee was ap pointed to prt pare a declaration to the follow ing effect—“ I hat the I luted Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and in lependent ; •Slates; that they are ab.-olved from all allcgt anec to the British crowd; and that all political connexion between them and the .S7u/e ot Great B it.un, is, and ought to be totally dissolved.” ins noble determination was promptly sus tmu oby f'enn-yh anta. On the 25th of June, a declaration ot lhe deputies of that State met ui proiiuvial conference, expressing their w ihingut ss to c< ncur in a vote declaring the nited t olotnes Free ai.d Indi pendent States; 'as laid before (. ongres- and read, and on the , -Sth June, the vAuunittee* through its Chair-j DAHLOHNEGA' LU3IPKIN COWTV, APttlL 18, man, Thomas Jefferson, r porte I a draft, which was subsequently discussed, and finally adopted a?d signed, on th 1 4th of July, in the firm of the document so well kn »wn to us all, as the Declaration of Independence. In that glorious instrument, the truth was distinctly pr 'claimed to the world, that the act of separation from Great Britain, was a joint and several ict —that the thirteen colonics, al though they had unite i for the purpose of ac ting together in i sistance to Gr at Britain, had not agreed to becnm ■ one consemi ited State, but had resolved to comtnen e th ir indepen dent existence as thirteen distinct States, with all the powers and attn ijtes of in lividual sov. vcrcignty. The declaration was in these m . morable Avoids. “We, therefore, the Repre. sentatives of the United S/a/es of America, in General Congress ass * nblcd, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world, for the re< titude of our intentions, do, in th * name, and by the authority of the good people of these colonies. solemnly publish an ! d. < ! re, that these Unit Colonies are and of right /uglit to be free and .independent Slates— that they are absolved from all'allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connexion efwe n them, and the State ot Gn at Britain is and ought to be totally dis. solved, and tuat ? Free and independent Slates, they have full power.to levy war,c nclude pt ace, contract alliances, establish commer< e, and to do all other things which Indep ndent States may of right do.” And here I will take occasion to remark, that the term “State” > susceptible ot several dis. i’erent interpr- ations, according to the sense in which it is applied. It Sometim< s means the territory comprised within ceitam geographical boundaries, as w hen it is said, we reside in lhe Slate of Pennsylvania. It sometimes moons the government of a State, as if it w ere said, the State of Pennsylvania as appointed cornmis. sinners to treat with New Ji is. y, relative to the navigati nos the Delaware. But in its most ordinary sense, it means a people who are bound together by a social compact, which j constitutes them one nation. State in this i sense, is but another name for nation, and wh n this term was employed in the Declaiation of Independence, in r< for m e to “the State of Great Britain,” it could only have m ant the nation of Great Britain. And sowhen Stales were us 'd in reference to the colonies, it could only have meant the people of each colcny, now become an in. epert.ieni nation. But to resume th< subject. The colonies, having, by this act, j mtly and s verally thrown off the yoiv 4 th<-mother country they prepar. «•<! to encounter th<‘ perils to which that bold and determined measure had « xposed them.— In the war which t’olloAcd, they acted in their new capacity of free and indepi ndent States. Each one established its own commerce—eai h one levied war, and maintained its <>wi army, out ot its ow n private resoutces, besidesKontrib. uting towards the support o the < ontmeutal army, its fan proportion ; and each o e perfonn. cd “ all other things hieh independent States may ot right do,” except those tilings which were »p< i dicallv entiu t ii to ohgi ss, bv t e\ States w hieh liaii united. So tai irom there having been any ground for thealkgatiunwhich has been made by some, that th< separation of the States from Gn at Bntam,took place as th> act of a single nation, then'was not, for nvai | five years after the revolution began, even so muchasan instrument of conft n iation I et veen | them Although the subject was proposed ] before the Declaration of Independence, yet it I was not until the 15lhoi.Xov. 1777, that aiti. : cles ofconfederatmn wetc first < xei uted b\ the delegates in Congress assembled—with the view, as they stated m a circular letter, s. nt with (he articles, to each of the States, of“ se. curing the fre< dom, sovereignty, a d indepen. dcnce ofthc I . States”—not until the 9tb of July, 1778, that they weir ratified by a sul se quent Congress nor until H e 30tli <4 January. 1781, that they were ratiti- dI y all the St. des, so as to render tin m bun.mg <n < itln r. I By lhesc uitides ol < < nl> < < ration, the terms jof the Union b tween th< whole tlurh cn States j were first reduced to as stematic written com pact, and it is to that instninr at we are to look dor out exposition of the rrl il'.m t w ards eadi other, which was at that time |, ; |,| p, , X u;t.— We shall not long be obliged to .-oan h, I efore «c discover that the confed-ration r ;< r. <; 10, was one between parti s, <a: u one ot v. liici. i considered itself a distinct and separ te t'l.n ■ or nation, and not a compact la ’v. e n miual | members of a single nation. The ti; t three articles ofthc instrument wlm h is entitled, “ \i I tides of Confederation and Brepctt-J Union,” run thus : “ dr/ide 1. The style < f this Coniedeiack | shall be, the United Stales < f imerica. “ Article 2. Each Stale t elains its sovereign • ty. Freedom and Indcpcndt cr.aml • very pi w« i, • jurisdiction and rigid, which is not oy this cm- I federation expressly delegated to the United States i.a Congress assembled. Article 3. The said .Sfafrs hereby severally ent' r into a firm league cf tnendsiup with « aeh other for their cbinnmn del nee, the security ot their liberties, and th ir mutual and general welfare, binding themselves tu each other against all force offered to, or atta k< maue. upon them, or any of them, on account of reli gion. sjvcrrignty, trade, or any pretence what- Up to t'uis period, it cannut be pretended, that the States had parted with their sove.vig.ity, i freedom, or independe”ce, and it that po-iti- n [be stril aii-gjed, wc must scik for that act of self immolation, at some subsequent period of our history. Uiiuei li iorm of government just described, th war of the revolution yvas successfully con ducted, ana or ught to a happy close by the aeknoyvledgemeiit of our independance by the Government oi Gr. ai Britain. As it has just bet n shewn that tne parties which made war upon Hie mother country wen thirteen sover eign, free and independent States, at least, in their ow n estimation, it will bi worth yvhih to ascertain what opinion inis mother country en tertained on tn ■ suoj t, m order that we may know whether sue sn< had be u fight ing thirteen dili’erunt sovemgn’States or only one,. Ui misorpimon, we have evidence oeiore our eyes, m the fir>t article of the provisional agreement of 30th ot November, 1782, m the following ciear a.id exph. it terms : ills Briitaimic Majesty acktiuyvi. dges the said Uniteu dates, viz. ; Neyv Hampshire, Mas sac us tt» Lay, ivlrode island auu Providence Pianiati .ns, vonuecln ut, c.vyv Y»-ik, New Jer si y, t* nnsylvama, Delaware, Marylanu, \ ir- I gmiti, North Car lina, South Carolina, and Georgia, to be free, sovereign and independent stales, that iie treats with tie in as such, and for himself, his heirs and sue essoin, reimquisues ail claims to tm government, propriv iy and ter ritorial rig..is of the same, ami every pan there of.” - llavi g thus give. ; the msury of tiie organ ization oi lhe gtverrtmeut, under the arti les otvomeoeratidn, it will now bcm order to give a detail ui the occu.irences, which led to the convocation ot tne l< ueral convention. Ihe government was not long m operation bi lore it was uiscoverc. , that tne want oi a ' power in the conte.ieration over foreign com merce, was tne occasion of much embarrass ment m its operations. Each State having the power to establish its own tar ff oi unties, anu otli. i a ise to icguiate its ti.i ie, inc- congress tound it impossible to negotiate' advantageous commercial tieuiics wild ton ign I. .yy. is, i .as much as itcoui. pledge io leciprocity for fa vors granted, aim yvas wholly destitute ol the power to coerce uy coumvi vailing regulations. S<> early ts Fcbiuary uu, i7bi, absolution was oliti d in V o. g. ss, “m.d it is indispensably neci bsary i .ui tm <j lieu states m C ongress assembled, should uc veiled wild a light of superintending tue co.i.m icial regulations ot eve>y State,” and “t..at they s .otiiu du ve-ted with the ex< lumv< oi laying ..uti< s upo.. all importeii a Heli s.” uu i.». lal.i oi April of that same y cai, tue subject yvas igaii introduc ed, an a resolutions was pass- o, i“ oimnen dmg tne* Stai s to empow. i io levy a siqall duty on ceiiai. .-p i .tiid articu s, tne proceeds ui yvmch to be a ( pin <i whohy to the discharge oi th. mu lest or principal » i t.ie debts contract, don im paitoltne L niicu tat. s, t.»r supporting tne war.” It was at tue same time further r< commended to tn St les, t > i.use iur the term oi 25 ars, “substantial and iff•< tne revenues,” to oe apph d ovyarus the sai dent, ami to engraft t.iesc two principles, if accedeu to, as additional powirsod the Article»of C n ted< alum. lues t ccommen. aiiOHs win uigod upon the Stales m an able addic -e, by the Longi. on the 26lii of April, soon alter tueconclusion oi peace, in wuientmy represented taea(lvant<igi,s tuat would icsult th this “( onleiteialcd Repu - lie,” from the adoption oi tae proposed meas ures, and took occasion to say , “t at it ha- cv< i b<-< u the pri e and boast el Ameiica, Hat tie rights t<>r yvhich she contended wetc the right of human nature.”— *• rights wlm n form the basis . t'thirteen indepe. de t Suites. ’ AotwilLstiHhhng, hoyvevt r, th. utility and) zeal yy Un w. i< a this appeal was ma e, the stall s : yvere reluctant to < nlaige the powers of lhe ( enledi rati, n, anu as the cm.so t<4 all was re- ' qm-ite to give validity to any a< t, not mg <.< < is-' iv y\as accompii-hed. Jh< -ui j. < I was again brotig t into vi. w onseveialdifieri nt . <•< listens, unu p irticulaily on the 13th <4 lily i7bo, in me • torm of a report oi a committee, m wimh the 1 pow< r to jegula e lie.ic. was s<4i< .1 d ol th- i btute.-, but the result was m t more pi pilious. Ai 1 gt.ianohei mode < I elf tmg me oo ject, yva.-. resorted toby the fin m:s i t. e mens ure. Ihe call lor udmt.o. al po.weis >um;. by those yviio exerctsau the ted; ia. ai.tl.on . w... cafculated to <x< ite t. <• p uloiisv •••It • » , am ti i may havt i; - them to 1 mi a t.ivorabh < a i ... v probably fear- <,t «;t tin -i rvants migntwi.-h to !>••'• 1: :i . u - : t rs, and that as the Congi* is i« u. ynt d th • sword, i’would be tinwist I rmi it also to, hoi the purse. It yyas tii'-i. ior probaoh sc«*n, I eat it any thing was io . e tfli ct. d; H < oui i! h. -t .e • '.n by making t,t m y ment toi an I .d.ifg. ment of pow r.-, pi<> e <1 Ir. m om <.t tm Male-. \ni_ima bemg then the lar<? st , cm »■ r ot th’- C < meuera. y, md beingbe.-i ns, a ..c having, as a consmm rcd foreign < om m. • ities th< gi at; st mt rest m aju .ici< Us < x e;< ;se • I sin :i a power, v.as selected a.- th l.le I idi r, an a. coiuing.y yv. find Mr. Madison • ti’ring in t'i 1. gislature of that St it • on tin 30tn <4 Aoyemix r, reSo.utions insiru'll. g ..ci dll’ gat 1 sin < <mgi• s-, “tu prop. -a ecom im m anon t > t.. tan sin Union, to uuthuiiSe* tlidl usscrnbiv to n gulate then tra .” n « r tai i - < lii. .principles. Ihe resolutions w< r . how« xi i. not aii.ip cd,: ut on t..e 2 1 ■ Janua- ry. 1 7&6, a resolution was pa-sed. . •!, €orn missioneis be appointed “to i.aet MJ. n other < m.mssioht r> as may c. ippomtvd by the o'.h t States in th fa. . ’a h ami place to be agre« d on, iotak- < 'iisideration the Ha c of t.i Umtcu t des —to examine tne relative st’.'aL. a tVil*;;—i to consider how far an uniform system in their commercial regulations may’ be necessary to their common interest, and their permanent harmony, and to report to- the several states such an act relative to this great object, as when unanimously ratified by’ them, yvill enable the United States in Congress assembled, effectually to provide for the same.” Although this resolution yvas adopted on the 21st of January, so sloyv and cautious yvere the States, that it was not until the 11th of St ptem* bcr, t iat commissioners from five States alone, viz: V irginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, assembled at Annapolis. The first procedings of this body, after a full communication of sentiments, was the appoint" ment of a committee to “prepare a draught of a report lo be made to the States, having com missioners attending at this meeting,” which draught having been reported on a subsequent day, wis adopted on the 14th. In that report it was stated, that commissioners had been ap pointed by the States of Neyy Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and N. Carolina, none of whom had attended, and that as the representation was too “partial and defective,’ ’ those assembled did not conceive it advisable to proi ce. on the business of their mission,”— “Deeply impressed, however, with the magni. tude and importance of t ic objects confided to them on this occasion,” says the report, “your c- inmissioners cannot forbear to indulge an expression of th: ir earnest and unanimous wish, that speedv :i k asures may be taken to effect a general meeting ol the States,in a future con. vention, for the-samc, and such other purposes, as the situation of public affairs may be found to require.’’ The report concludes by recom. mending “the appointment of commissioners to meet at Philadelphia on the second Monday in May next, to take into consideration the situa. tion ol the United States, to devise such further provisions as shall appear to them necessary to render the Constitution of the Federal Govern, ment adequate to the exigencies of the Union and to report such an act for that purpose to the United States in Congress assembled, as when agreed to by them and afterwards con. tir nod by the Legislature of every State, will effectually provide for the same.” I n pursuance of this recommendation, dele gates were appointed as folloyvs. By N Jersey, onthe 23d of November,!7BG. By Virginia on the 4th of December, 1786. By Pennsylvania, on the 30th Deer. 1786. B v N. < rii-o.'ina, on the 6th of January 1787. Bv I elawan, on lhe 3d of February, 1787. Bv Gemgia, on the 10th of February, 1787. These manifestations of public sentiment b in<x in accordance with the views so repeat" edl urged by Congress, induced that body to pri ss the subject upon the consideration ofthc reniamin’’ States, by the adoption, on the 21st <ii l ebiuarv , 1787, of the following resolution: Ik .itdrci 1 , I hat in the opinion of Congress, it expedient that on the second Monday in May ii xt, a Convention of delegates, who shall hive been appointed by the several States, bo held at Philadi Iphia, for the sole and exptoss <>f r< vi hit the articles of confederation iti'l i porting to ( ongress and the several J.e rel .turcs, such alterations & provisions there in, as shall, when agreed to in Congress, and lined by the States, render the federal ■ umtFrin adequate to the exigencies of gov i.- rent, and the preservation of tfie union.” ■ ouformity with this resolution, all the I. tales w hich had not acted upon the sug * 1 ’’ of the Commissioners at Annapolis, \ ir Rhode Inland, which took no part in the i. ntion, appointed Delegates in the follow n HU b‘r : .v \ ork, on the 2.°th of February, 1767. >onth Carolina, on the Sth ofMarch, 1787. ’ a sachusetts, on the 9th of April, 1787. < onnecticut, on the frith of May, 1787. Yhtnhnd, on the 261 h of May, *1787. N v. Hampshire, • n lhe 27th of June, 1757. 1-rom a perusal ol ijje resolution of Congress under which the delegates assembled; the fol lowing facts appear: First. That the delegates were tube chosen by f' e lcvi ral States. ■ ccondty. That the convocation of the pro posed convention v.a--, “for the sole purpose I i- vising the rticcs of confederation,” then 'ii' gI•lw on the thiiteen sovereign free, and indep< ndi-iit States, u Li< ii by them were I nited, and not for the purpose oi’ forming air n< w governsirnt, to be composed of the w hole I * oplc <4 the thiiteen Slates as an aggregate n.ass. 7 La dly. 'That the alterations and provisions t . be recommended by the convi ntion, .should, "'• r • 2' mg into operation receive the sine-, tr ti of the St ites, and l oin tidy, j h;.t these idt’-ratiors and provi.--- io..s ."h”ti!d Lave no t’-ndency to destroy, “the Ii i-ra! < on-tifution,’’that is. the articles, con .-tilulion, or romp.-ict, at that time sul.sisfmg. but on the contrary should be adapted to ren der it '‘adt.quate to the c.\ gencies of govern m. nt and tne pre*ci vation oi the i nion,” viz. h. union then subsisting between the thirteen "t Jf , i.i L oi which was in fol] possession o, its S Acr’-igtitv, freedom and independence, and tin < n!, I cicn to which these terms could fiav applied. h ueing thus manifest that the object for which the convention was assembled, was, nut to ■ Lange t .e form olthe government, but sim. p!y t<> “n vioe the articles of confederation,” f. it'.-.iin- torus to see whether that body was i-i rlv electee, and whether it did in honesty ■‘ii.: g. .ith f t ||;| the duties of its appointment. Lhi~ '• eib d! ka?". from tne m-crml of its pro- j NO. 53.