"DELEGATE. v. t. To send away; appropriately to send on an embassy; to send with power to transact business as a representative. 2. To entrust; to commit; to deliver to another's care and exercise; as to delegate authority or power to an envoy, representative or judge."

[The definitions of these two words are not much changed, except in suppressing the truth, that the members of congress are "the representatives of Massachusetts in congress."]

In these definitions, Noah Webster keeps republicanism in view; the republics, i. e. "the people," are to govern themselves through their agents, who, being their citizens, are their subjects and servants. These are the government, and the powers they as rulers wield, must be "delegated" or entrusted, and the government must be a created agency, with derivative authority, and cannot be anything else.

Moreover, he says that the members, both of the senate and of the lower house of congress, are "the delegation of a state, representing it as such. [See also the definition of "congress," infra.] The states, then, are self-ruling commonwealths associated "states united," to use his own phrase; and the general legislature is a congress of states. [See "congress," infra.]

If this was not Noah Webster's theory, why should the direct opposite of it be now foisted into his definitions, while all his statements and illustrations that support said theory, are suppressed?

UNION, AND E PLURIBUS UNUM.

In the edition of 1844 is the following:

"UNION. n. 7. States united. Thus the united states are sometimes called the union.

"E PLURIBUS UNUM. One composed of many. The motto of the United States, consisting of many states confederated."

In the edition of 1864 is the following:

"UNION. n. 3. That which is united or made one; something formed by a combination or coalition of parts or members; a confederation; a consolidated body; as the united states of America are often called the union.

"E PLURIBUS UNUM. One out of many. One composed of many; the motto of the United States, as being one government formed of many independent states."

Here we find that Noah Webster declared the "union" to be "states united". "many states confederated; "but that after his death, his name was affixed to the untruth, that "union" means "a consolidated body; as, the united states are often called the union;" and to the gross absurdity, that E pluribus unum means, in substance,

that several formerly independent states are consolidated into one government, and are no longer independent states, but provinces.

FEDERAL, FEDERALIZE, CONFEDERATION.

In the edition of 1844 is the following:

In the edition of 1864 is the following:

"FEDERAL. a." [Then follows the substance of the old definition, except that the words "founded on alliance by contract or mutual agreement; as, a federal government, such as that of the United States," are left out.]

"FEDERAL. a. From Latin fœdus, a league. 1. Pertaining to a league or contract; derived from an agree ment or covenant between parties, particularly between nations. 2. Consisting in a contract between parties, particularly and chiefly between states or nations; founded on alliance by contract or mutual agreement; as a federal government, such as that of the union of the United States, or the United States."

"FEDERALIZE. v. t. or i. To unite in compact as different states; to confederate for political purposes. - Barlow.

"2. Specifically, composed of states or districts, which retain only a subordinate and limited sovereignty, as

the Sonderbund of Switzerland: constituting or pertaining to such a government as the federal constitution,"

etc.

[In the edition of 1864 the second of the opposite definitions is left

"CONFEDERATION. n. 1. The act of confederating; a league; a compact for mutual support; alliance, out.] particularly of princes, nations, or states. 2. The United States are sometimes called the confederation."

Here again we find Noah Webster, like Washington, Livingston, Hamilton, Madison, and other leading fathers, teaching that the union was a league or federation of states, and the editors of the later edition unwarrantably changing his doctrines.

I use the italics in all the above extracts to increase the force of the contrast. But comment will be dispensed with, because it could add nothing to the exposition. Look on this picture, and on this! The true one is a federal congress [from congredi, to come together] of states, legislating for their subjects; and the base counterfeit and caricature presents a national legislature as sovereign over a nation of people.

The Sum of Noah Webster's Views. Here, then, are Noah Webster's teachings, which he fondly thought he had embalmed in the magnum opus of his life, as a sacred historical testimony and bequest to his countrymen :

1. American political sovereignty, which is unlimited authority over everything in the state or nation, resides always in the people.

2. They politically exist and politically act only as republics or commonwealths, called states. These are equals and sovereigns, and are subject to no political authority whatever.

3. They, as such, confederated, and thus formed a "union of states," called "the united states;" but made no change in themselves, either in being or authority.

4. They, as such, constituted governments, each its own and all their general one.

5. To these, their creations, they "delegated," that is to say, they entrusted, not their sovereignty or right to govern all persons and things in their territory, but "powers" of government, thus governing themselves and remaining supreme; and the senators and representatives, chosen by each state, are that state's delegation, to represent her in the congress of states.

In fine, Noah Webster always asserted the unquestionable truth that our system is a confederacy of states, "states united" [les états unis], to use his own phrase, and that their government was their mere agency, or the means by which they governed themselves.

The Untruths ascribed to him. In this matter of FACT and TESTIMONY, he is made to teach as truth the untruth, that our general polity is a nation or state, with counties or provinces as subdivisions, such as existed under Britain; that congress is "the chief legislative body of the nation, to enact laws and consider matters of national interest;" that the constitution is "the supreme law of the land," for the government to enforce over states and people; and that, in short, the government, i. e. congress, has "absolute supremacy" over allegiant states.

All the recent declarations and acts of the dominant party of the country, and of the government as administered by that party, entirely conform to these forged teachings.

Pro Tanto, the Book is not Noah Webster's. - Noah Webster's dictionary means Noah Webster's definitions; and he and his name are responsible only for the products of his own mind. "The chief value of a dictionary consists in its definitions," says Noah Webster's son-in-law, Chauncey A. Goodrich, in the edition of 1847, which he "revised and enlarged;" and yet, after many editions had been issued, with the definitions in question unchanged, the principles involved in them were attacked; and while a hot war raged about them, the assailants, filled with passion and rancor, were allowed to change such definitions to suit their contention and justify their wrongs. No doubt the revision of political and constitutional terms was entrusted to some eminent lawyer, the correctness of whose work was taken for granted : but a great and gross wrong has been done, and it remains to be seen what Noah Webster's descendants will do.

They would never allow one who had contracted, and then quarrelled with them, to define anew the words of the contract, so as to alter its whole meaning, or one who had robbed them, or murdered one of their family, to change, after the fact, the crime's description, or the meanings of its words! Ah! if the descendants of that great man inherit any of his sturdy nature, clear mind, pure principles, bright honor, and proud dignity, they will, as he undoubtedly would, repudiate the wrongful changes, and publish, as soon as may be, a genuine edition.

If the enormity of this wrong were understood, the outcry would be universal. Six thousand years of history can show no parallel. The American people, at a great (and to the family of Webster a most precious) price, bought the results of that great man's labors, — his wares, so to speak, and they paid him with princely patronage, the highest of mortal honor, and the most profound veneration for his memory.

But he conveyed, and could convey, as to these subjects, nothing but ascertainments. The language and its meanings already belonged to the people; and they wanted the latter fixed precisely, as to contemporary signification, so that their institutional, political, and legal words could be ever used, like coins and weights and metes, as tests or measures of right and power and duty, by themselves and their ruling agents. This was Webster's noble task, and he performed it royally.

Contemporanea Expositio. — The reader must keep it in mind that the inquiry is ever as to the intent of the makers or constitutors of the federal system, just as it would be if the subject were any other constitution or instrument expressing will. What did the words used, then, mean? This is common sense, and these meanings are the people's rights. "Contemporanea expositio est optima et fortissima in lege" is a universally accepted maxim. Daniel Webster said, in 1833: "The

constitution ought to be considered, when it uses well-known language, as using it in its well-known sense;" and Chief Justice Marshall said, in the Burr case: "So far as the meaning of any terms is completely ascertained, those by whom they are employed must be considered as employing them in their ascertained meaning, unless the contrary is proved by the context." Similar passages could be given from Vattel, Pothier, Lieber, and, in short, all other publicists.

Now these precious materials, of which our political defences, both general and local, are built, these walls of adamant, as we fondly supposed them to be, surrounding the treasuries and citadels of our "blessings of liberty" [federal preamble], are perverted, interpreted away, changed, or nullified, by the trusted exponent and defender, or his representatives.

The people the majestic governing people of this country placed the highest value on Webster's Dictionary, as a treasury of truth and principles, which were to be kept sacred for use, to measure and weigh their moral, legal, political, and treaty obligations; and they reposed in Webster and his fidelity a knightly, nay, a royal faith. The conduct reviewed like that of those chosen servants of the people, who are oath-bound to support and defend, but who violate, the constitution may be compared to that of the trusted knight, who, while his king was in deadly conflict, got behind his shield, and, with his own weapons, wounded him to death!