I have spent more time in exhibiting the falsehood of this new doctrine put forth in the Proclamation, than its native deformity perhaps required. But it was necessary to do so, I though, because it ws obviously designed, to constitute the foundation of another proposition, of a like kind, which is afterwards announced; and it was better to crush this monster while yet in its egg state, than suffer it to be hatched unnoticed, and then to come upon us in all the terrors of a fiery Dragon, bearing death on its wings, and pestilence in its breath. I have thus brought down the political history of these now United States, from a very early period, to that of which I have last spoke. I have shewn, that in their colonial state, they constituted several distinct Societies, whose affairs were regulated by governments absolutely independent of each other; that hte misrule of the mother country induced them to revolt against its authority, and to shake off these governments, but that in throwing off their former governments, they did not dissolve their former associations—the Societies remained, after the governments were no more.—That the necessity for government to regulate the affairs of every Society, then compelled these communities, to establish some form of government, each for itself; and so to assert, each in its own sovereignty and independence.—That a decent respect for the opinions of mankind, induced them all to announce this their new condition; and to justify the step they had taken.—And that this was the sole object of the Declaration of Independence, which so far from proclaiming that they were One People or One Nation, in its own terms declared them to be free and Independent States.
I have shewn further, that to secure the benefits of harmonious design, and concert and promptitude of action, in this their new condition it became important, to confirm their Union by a league of confederacy, declaring what were the objects of this Union, and by what means these objects might be attained.—That this was the sole purpose of the Articles of Confederation, which while establishing a general government for all, expressly reserved to each of the States, teh sovereignty, freedom and independence they had before assumed respectively, and so much of their former powers, jurisdictions and rights, as were not, by that act, expressly delegated to the government thereby created—and
