clinging to the confederacy of States, proposed, as a substitute
for the Constitution, a mere revival of the Articles of
Confederation, with a grant of additional powers to the
Congress. Their plan was respectfully and thoroughly
discussed, but the want of a government and of the sanction of
the people to the delegation of powers happily prevailed. A
constitution for the people, and the distribution of legislative,
executive, and judicial powers was prepared. It announced
itself as the work of the people themselves; and as this was
unquestionably a power assumed by the Convention, not
delegated to them by the people, they religiously confined it to
a simple power to propose, and carefully provided that it should
be no more than a proposal until sanctioned by the
Confederation Congress, by the State Legislatures, and by the
people of the several States, in conventions specially
assembled, by authority of their Legislatures, for the single
purpose of examining and passing upon it.

And thus was consummated the work commenced by the
Declaration of Independence--a work in which the people of the
North American Union, acting under the deepest sense of
responsibility to the Supreme Ruler of the universe, had
achieved the most transcendent act of power that social man in
his mortal condition can perform--even that of dissolving the
ties of allegiance by which he is bound to his country; of
renouncing that country itself; of demolishing its government;
of instituting another government; and of making for himself
another country in its stead.

And on that day, of which you now commemorate the fiftieth