Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 9.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

Dear Sir--The Hon. Jefferson Davis in his admirable argument exposing the absurdity of Judge Story's theory, that the Declaration of Independence implied or declared that the people of the several revolted colonies were “one whole people,” (i. e. one sovereign political community,) forcibly says, at page 126, of Vol. I of The rise and fall of the Confederate Government, that if so, then the colony of Maryland must have been in a state of “rebellion” against the other colonies, as well as against Great Britain, from 1778 to 1781, “during which period Maryland refused to ratify or be bound by the Articles of Confederation,” which instrument, if Judge Story's theory be correct, was, as Mr. Davis pertinently remarks, “binding upon her, as a majority of the ‘whole people’ had adopted it.” Mr. Davis then continues as follows: “A fortiori, North Carolina and Rhode Island were in a state of rebellion while they declined to ratify and recognize the Constitution adopted by the other eleven fractions of this united people. ”