The Lincoln Myth(81)
Col. MASON notes that for the States to know that the new association could be so easily dissolved might be both good and bad. As in a marriage, for a political union to succeed there must be a perpetual element or one party to the union could chose withdrawal instead of diligence and compromise. He agreed that a State should possess the right to leave, but it should be tempered with the realization of the hard work from the past few months and grand plan that has been conceived. It must have a chance for success equal or greater to that of failure.
Mr. MADISON proposed a solution. A document, signed by all who support the new constitution, which provides that the States have the right, in perpetuity, to withdraw from the union . He urged that this be in a separate writing since, if such provision were expressly incorporated, the ratification of the main document as a whole would be unlikely. What be the point of forming an association, if it be so easily dissolved. Further, once formed, if the States knew they could just as easily withdraw then the strength of any such union would be brittle at best. Instead, a separate agreement would be executed in private as clear intent from the delegates of their belief that a State remains sovereign in all respects. The document would be given to Gen. Washington to hold and utilize as he deemed appropriate. The desire being that its existence need not be revealed unless necessary to secure the ratification of a State, or to later sanction the withdrawal of State from the association. On the whole, he expressed a wish that every member of the Convention who may still have objections would, with him, on this occasion doubt a little of his own infallibility and put his name to this instrument.
Mr. MADISON then moved that the document be drawn, signed, and offered the following as a convenient form viz. “Done in Convention by the unanimous consent of the States present the 15th. of Sepr.—In Witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names.”
FORTY-SEVEN
SALZBURG
SALAZAR STOOD IN THE OUTER ROOM OF HIS SUITE, ONE FLOOR above where Cassiopeia was awaiting him. He was still shocked by the angel’s revelation that he was Joseph Smith. The honor that had been bestowed upon him weighed heavily. He’d come to rely on the emissary, but now to know that it was the Prophet Joseph himself seemed glorious. He’d prayed for nearly an hour after the vision departed before falling asleep, managing his usual four hours of rest. He’d wondered what was next, and the call he’d just answered from Elder Rowan seemed to be answering that inquiry.
“Much has happened here,” Rowan said.
He listened as his superior explained what was found last night in the Library of Congress.
“It was amazing,” Rowan said. “Lincoln himself left the map. Everything we suspected about the Prophet Brigham has now been confirmed. I’m convinced that what we’re after still exists.”
He could hear excitement, which was rare for the senator.
“The map is identical to the one Young left in the cornerstone,” Rowan said. “Except that Lincoln’s is labeled, save for the missing end piece. I suspect the reference to Romans 13:11 will fill in that blank.”
He knew the passage.
And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than we believed.
“Any thoughts?” Rowan asked.
“The passage speaks of time and salvation.”
He stepped to his laptop and typed LINCOLN and ROMANS into the search engine. Nothing relevant appeared on the first few pages.
He knew Romans 13:11 taught that the journey for salvation was coming to an end. Time to make yourselves ready. The night was far spent, the day at hand. Time to cast off the sinful works of darkness.
So he tried LINCOLN and TIME.
More unimportant sites were referenced until he scanned the fourth page into the search engine and noticed a headline. SECRET IN LINCOLN’S WATCH IS OUT. He clicked on the link and discovered that for 150 years a story had circulated about some sort of hidden Civil War message inside Lincoln’s pocket watch. The timepiece was now part of the collection at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Responding to the rumors, a few years ago curators allowed the watch to be opened and found a message. APRIL 13 — 1861. FORT SUMTER WAS ATTACKED BY THE REBELS ON THE ABOVE DATE. J DILLON. THANK GOD WE HAVE A GOVERNMENT.
It seemed that the watchmaker had worked on Pennsylvania Avenue, the only union sympathizer in the shop. He was repairing Lincoln’s gold hunting-case, English-lever watch on April 12, 1861, the day the first shot was fired at Fort Sumter. Upset, he scrawled his message of hope inside. During the 18th and 19th centuries professional watchmakers often recorded their work inside a watch, but such messages were typically seen only by other craftsmen. No one knew if Lincoln was aware of the message. The president had purchased the watch in the 1850s, supposedly the first one he ever owned.