New York Daily Tribune

STATE SOVEREIGNTY.

From an Address by Alexander W. Bradford, delivered at Mamaroneck on July 4.

"Permit me to refer to some circumstances tending to show that The Union was the direct product of the Revolution of 1776.

"Under the British Government the States were entirely separate; but they existed only as provinces. They had no connection with each other. They had no existence as sovereignties. They were colonies—mere dependencies upon the British Crown.

"No one can deny that they became sovereign and independent States in and by the Declaration of Independence, which has just been read to you, says: 'When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bond which have connected them with another,' and closes with the assertion, 'We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, declare that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States.'

"The articles of Confederation adopted in 1777, are entitled, 'Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union.'

"By Art. 13, it is declared, 'The Union shall be perpetual.' The present Constitution, which went into operation in 1789 says: We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.'

"And article 6, says: This Constitution, and the laws of the United States, which shall be made in pursuance thereof, shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every State shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding.'

"With these historical proofs before us, there can be no doubt that it was the 'United Colonies' that made the 'Declaration of Independence,' in which they proclaimed themselves 'one people.' It was the United States bound together by the Articles of Confederation into a perpetual Union,' which secured our independence by their armies; and it was 'the people of the United States' that formed the present Constitution of the United States, and declared it to be the supreme law of the land.

"So, in truth, there never was a separate independent State among us.

"The very act which brought us into life as States made us United States.

"And our forefathers declared the Union to be perpetual, binding on themselves and their posterity."