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Thomas Jefferson Speaks the Truth!
Mike Crane
As we approach the 2010 elections a majority of Americans understand that something is wrong in our land. Every few years this happens and we have what the media and talking heads proclaim is a "watershed election." By this they mean that the control of the government in Washington DC changes hands between the Republicans and Democrats to some extent.
This year will be such a watershed election. Just a few years ago the Republicans controlled the US House of Representative, US Senate and Whitehouse. Today the Democrats control the US House of Representatives, US Senate and White House. In a couple weeks this will change, the only question is how much it will change.
This process has been going on, between these two political parties since the 1860s. The more elections change - the more things remain the s
Meanwhile the national debt continues to grow regardless of the results, our industry and jobs continue to move to foreign countries, government continues to grow faster than the economy and so on. This is not what our Founding Father's had in mind!
When will it be time to set aside the partisan politics of blaming the other party and start looking at what has gone wrong, and what we need to do to fix it? The last 150 years should prove that leaving it up to the Republicans, Democrats and talking heads is NOT going to fix anything.
Perhaps it time that the citizens take the time to understand what is wrong and a good place to start is with Thomas Jefferson. Below is one of his letters and a few comments afterwards.
The Doctrine of States' Rights [Monticello] Aug. 13, 1800 Dear Sir, - I received with great pleasure your favor of June 4, and am much comforted by the appearance of a change of opinion in your State; for tho' we may obtain, & I believe shall obtain, a majority in the legislature of the United States, attached to the preservation of the federal Constitution according to its obvious principles, & those on which it was known to be received; attached equally to the preservation to the States of those rights unquestionably remaining with them; friends to the freedom of religion, freedom of the press, trial by jury & to economical government; opposed to standing armies, paper systems, war, & all connection, other than commerce, with any foreign nation; in short, a majority firm in all those principles which we have espoused and the federalists have opposed uniformly; still, should the whole body of New England continue in opposition to these principles of government, either knowingly or through delusion, our government will be a very uneasy one. It can never be harmonious & solid, while so respectable a portion of its citizens support principles which go directly to a change of the federal Constitution, to sink State governments, consolidate them into one, and to monarchize that. Our country is too large to have all its affairs directed by a single government. Public servants at such a distance, & from under the eye of their constituents , must, from circumstance of distance, be unable to administer & overlook all details necessary for the good government of the citizens, and the same circumstance, by rendering detection impossible to their constituents, will invite the public agents to corruption, plunder & waste. And I do verily believe, that if the principle where to prevail, of a common law being in force in the U.S., (which principle possesses the general government at once of all the powers of the State governments, and reduces us to a single consolidated government,) it would become the most corrupt government on the earth. You have seen the practises by which the public servants have been able to cover their conduct, or, where that could not be done, delusions by which they have varnished it for the eye of their constituents. What an augmentation of the field for jobbing, speculating, plundering, office-building & office-hunting would be produced by an assumption of all the States powers into the hands of the general government. The true theory of our Constitution is surely the wisest & best, that the States are independent as to everything within themselves, & united as to everything respecting foreign nations. Let the general government be reduced to foreign concerns only, and let our affairs be disentangled from those of other nations, except as to commerce, which the merchants will manage for themselves, and our general government may be reduced to a very simple organization, & a very unexpensive one; a few plain duties to be performed by a few servants. But I repeat, that this simple & economical mode of government can never be secured, if the New England States continue to support the contrary system. I rejoice, therefore, in every appearance of their returning to those principles which I had always imagined to be almost innate in them. In this State, a few persons were deluded by the X.Y.Z. duperies. You saw the effect of it in our last Congressional representatives, chosen under their influence. This experiment on their credulity is now seen into, and our next representation will be as republican as it has heretofore been. On the whole, we hope, that by a part of the Union having held on to the principles of the Constitution, time has been given to the States to recover from the temporary frenzy into which they have been decoyed, to rally round the Constitution, & to rescue it from the destruction with which it had been threatened even at their own hand. I see copied from the American Magazine two numbers of a paper signed Don Quixote, most excellently adapted to introduce the real truth to the minds even of the most predjudiced. |
This letter written in 1800 displays Thomas Jefferson's intellect and his recognition of the forces in play - which could lead to the destruction of American Liberty. Please read his letter again and give the following sentences some thought:
It can never be harmonious & solid, while so respectable a portion of its citizens support principles which go directly to a change of the federal Constitution, to sink State governments, consolidate them into one, and to monarchize that.
And I do verily believe, that if the principle where to prevail, of a common law being in force in the U.S., (which principle possesses the general government at once of all the powers of the State governments, and reduces us to a single consolidated government,) it would become the most corrupt government on the earth. You have seen the practises by which the public servants have been able to cover their conduct, or, where that could not be done, delusions by which they have varnished it for the eye of their constituents. What an augmentation of the field for jobbing, speculating, plundering, office-building & office-hunting would be produced by an assumption of all the States powers into the hands of the general government.
Take a serious look at the past few decades, or for the last two hundred years. Give some thought to how - the recent Administrations in Washington DC of either party or any combination of power between the two parties during this time - would be rated by Thomas Jefferson.
By what standard are you going to rate or judge the government in Washington DC resulting from this election? Will you accept what in truth is just a different flavor of the same kool-aid. If you believe that it is time for higher standards, we invite you to consider the Southern National Congress.
“Registration Open for Third Congress”
Call for Delegates to the Third Southern National Congress
In the 11th Century BC, the children of Israel were sorely oppressed by the Baal-worshipping Midianites. But God raised up a champion, Gideon, the sixth of the great Judges of Israel. No doubt you know the story, one of the best-loved in the Bible, found in Chapter 7 of the Book of Judges. With only 300 picked men, Gideon routed the vastly superior army of Midian and its allies. Israel lived in peace and liberty for forty years, until Gideon passed on to his fathers.
In 480 BC, a greatly outnumbered force of Greek allies held off the invading army of Xerxes and his Persians at Thermopylae. You know the story, for the heroic stand of the 300 Spartans who fought to the end is celebrated in recent films and books like “300” and the best-seller Gates of Fire. This handful of Greek heroes changed the course of history, contributing to the ultimate defeat of the Persians and ensuring that freedom prevailed in the West instead of the despotism of the East.
Closer to our time and place, General Francis Marion, the immortal “Swamp Fox” of the America’s first War of Independence, waged a daring partisan campaign against the British invaders in South Carolina, tying down ten times his number of British Regulars and inspiring Patriot resistance in the darkest days of British conquest. He seldom had more than 300 men under arms at any one time, yet his lightning raids and ambushes were a decisive element in the victory of American independence.
Today we Southerners, in fact all Americans, are facing threats to our liberty, prosperity and dignity as dire as those our forebears faced in other times and places, perhaps worse. We of the Southern National Congress are just as determined as they were to defeat the threats. We’re looking for our own Three Hundred, modern-day heroes with the courage and fortitude to meet the challenges of the times.
Delegate Registration now Opens
Current Delegates can download the pdf registration form at:
http://
Call for Delegates
If you’re a Southerner of good will and good character and meet the qualifications below, the SNC Board of Governors invites you to apply to become a Delegate to the Southern National Congress. Come join the Three Hundred at the Third.
The Third Congress will convene November 12-14, 2010 at Montgomery Be
The Park enjoys a beautiful setting and ambiance, and the guest rooms have all the usual amenities. Based on double occupancy, rooms are approximately $78.00 per night, with tax. Meals in the on-site restaurant are quite good and reasonably priced.
Because of the flood of Delegate applications now coming in, we anticipate a large turn-out. Consequently, we have reserved the entire Inn for the SNC. As soon as final details can be worked out, we will post a link for reservations and further information on the SNC website, www.southernnationalcongress.
For more information on Montgomery Bell State Park, click on this link:
http://www.state.tn.us/
Delegates slots are open for the Represented States: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. Each State will have one vote in the Congress, regardless of its number of Delegates attending. (Oklahoma has provisional SNC status and is invited to send Official Observers. They will enjoy Floor privileges but not a vote, unless Oklahoma is admitted as a Represented State).
What Are the Qualifications to Become a Delegate?
First, there are no restrictions based on race, creed, or sex.
- A Delegate must be a resident of one of the 14 Southern States listed above.
- A Delegate must be 18 when the Congress convenes on November 12, 2010.
- A Delegate must be willing to affirm the following: I believe that I have a duty to my home State. I believe that the Southern people are a distinct people. I believe in the right of voice, the right of preservation, and the right of recognition, for the South and her people.
Other qualifications are related to the character of the individual Delegates, including maturity and good judgment, self-sacrifice, realism, courage, a spirit of charity and magnanimity toward all, and the necessary resources to take part. (Regrettably, we are not able to defray the costs to participate.)
Please keep in mind that final approval of Delegates is up to each State Delegation. Clearly, the SNC is not for everyone. Only a special few meet these qualifications. However, if you feel led to play a unique and historic leadership role in the life of the Southern nation in these challenging times and if you meet the requirements above, then we welcome you to apply to become one of our Three Hundred. Please fill out the Delegate Application eForm.
http://www.
What Is the Southern National Congress?
The Southern National Congress is the only representative assembly of citizens of the Southern States that provides an alternative, legitimate forum to express Southern grievances and advance Southern interests in a way that is no longer possible through today’s political process or the major political parties.
The SNC was organized around the proposition that we Southerners are a separate and distinct people, rooted in kinship and place, with a common culture and history. We respect the rights of other national and ethnic communities to self-preservation and self-determination, and we demand the same. But we Southerners won’t restore our rights unless we assert them ourselves.
The SNC seeks to reclaim the great Southern principles of individual liberty and a small central government limited to its enumerated powers, and which is the creation, the servant, and the agent of the sovereign people acting through their respective States. Today these principles have been irretrievably violated. The United States Government is engaged in “a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evincing a design to reduce us under absolute Despotism,” as Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence.
Decent, honorable people of the South who still love liberty and justice and who seek to preserve their livelihoods, their identity, and their heritage have no choice but to withdraw their consent from the corrupt government in Washington. But withdrawing our consent is not enough. We must exercise our sovereignty and create alternative, legitimate institutions which speak for us and to which we can transfer our consent. This is the principle behind the SNC.
For more detailed information about the role and purpose of the Congress, please consult the SNC website: www.southernnationalcongress.
What Will the Third Congress Do?
The Third Congress will continue voicing Southern concerns and grievances. More than at any time in recent history, Southerners need to rally around their historic ideals and identity. Only by remaining true to ourselves as Southerners can we make it through troubled times that are bearing down on us.
The Third Congress will:
- Consider findings and recommendations stemming from the SNC Peoples’ Forums or town-hall meetings conducted by various State Delegations.
- Debate resolutions offered from the Floor and deemed in order by the SNC Board of Governors.
- Debate a pre-drafted measure declaring the United States Government in fundamental breach of the social and political contract binding the several States and the People to the regime in Washington, DC.
- Elect new SNC officers. If you’d like to exercise your leadership on behalf of the Southern cause and People, here is your opportunity. (More details on offices and elections will be posted soon on the SNC website.)
- New Delegates may wish to affirm and sign the Southern National Covenant adopted by the Second Congress in September 2009. See the Covenant at: www.southernnationalcongress.
org/southernnationalcovenant. .shtml
The Third Congress will be the most important yet -- a high-profile, high-impact event that will include a sit-down banquet Saturday night with a keynote speaker of national prominence (to be announced). We expect media coverage of this event.
The Final Call…
Numbers by themselves are not the key to victory; history is always made by the committed few. But 300 is a powerful number, as history has proven; and we are calling for 300 Delegates. “Three Hundred at the Third” will show conclusively that the Southern National Congress has taken root as a legitimate Southern institution, and will confirm our moral authority to speak for the South and her People.
The SNC offers a unique opportunity to those who are moved by a sense of adventure and duty to work collectively with your fellow Southerners for liberty, justice, and prosperity for our beloved Southland. If you are such a person and if you meet the qualifications above, I hope you’ll plan to become a Delegate and attend the Third Southern National Congress on November 12-14, 2010.
May God bless the Southern States and People.
Tom Moore, Chairman.
On behalf of the SNC Board of Governors
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