stitution 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
anniversary,--on that thirtieth day of April, 1789,--was this
mighty revolution, not only in the affairs of our own country,
but in the principles of government over civilized man, accomplished.

The revolution itself was a work of thirteen years--and had never
been completed until that day. The Declaration of Independence and
the Constitution of the United States are parts of one consistent
whole, founded upon one and the same theory of government, then new
in practice, though not as a theory, for it had been working itself
into the mind of man for many ages, and had been especially
expounded in the writings of Locke, though it had never before been
adopted by a great nation in practice.

There are yet, even at this day, many speculative objections to this
theory. Even in our own country, there are still philosophers who
deny the principles asserted in the Declaration, as self-evident
truths--who deny the natural equality and inalienable rights of man
--who deny that the people are the only legitimate source of power
--who deny that all just powers of government are derived from the
consent of the governed. Neither your time, nor perphaps the
cheerful nature of this oc