The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1861-05-09

PRESID ENT JEFF ERSON DAVIS.
GsRslts tke t1qgrsss s. $
IL is my, pIsasin NJ duty Ia annou1cs 81
ySa that the Constitution ikapAd ~ fks:
establishment Of . pcruls1ent 90 SrnsaeSk
for tie Confederate States has 6een - iaSd
ty Conventions = saot of th6ee States te
which 1t was referred: I'd i6spgosSse the
government In its fulll 6pnfious md
upon its own substantial basis .of the pop,t.
lar will, it only reinains that elccfioos
should be held for The designation of the
atkcurs to administer il. =
There is ever, reason to believe. that nt
no distant day. other States identified iit'
political principles and COMMUNITY ofinfer-
ests with thuse which yon represent, will
join this Coufederacy giving to it's typical
constellation increased splender-to its
government Of free, equal and sovereign
States wider sphere OF usefulness, and to
the friends of libcry great
er security for its harmonious and perpetu.
al existence.
1t was not, however, for the purpose of
making this announcement that | have
deemed it my duty to convo you at an
earlier day than that fixed b, yourselves
for. your meeting. The declaration of war
made against this Contederacy by Abra-
ham Lincoln, the Prcsident Of the United
States, in his Proclamation issued % the
fifteenth day of the present month, render,
ed it necessary in my judgment that you
should convene ut the earliest practicable
moment, to devise the measures necessary
for defence of the country
The occasion is indeed an extraordinary
one. 1t ltjustifes me in q brief review OF
the relations heretofore existing between
us and the States which now unite in wa
fare against US, and in a succinct statement
efthe events which have resulted in this
warfare 10 the end that mankind may
pass intelligent and impartial judgment
on Its motives and objects.
During tn war .wuged agains. Great Brit
ain by her colonies ON this continent,
common danger impelled them to close
alliance, aud " the formation of CoDfed-
Grafton, by the terms Of which the colonies,
styling themselves States, entered seeeroi-
" into firm league of friendship with
each other for their common defence, the
security of their liberties, and their mu u
al aud general welfare, binding themselves
to assist each other against all force offered
to or attacks made upon them or any OF
them, on account of religion, sovereignty,
trade or any other pretence whatever"
In order to gard agains any misc nstruc-
tion ot' their contract, the several States
made explicit de laration, in distinct,
article, that "edch States retains ITS sover-
eighty, freedom and independence, and
every power, jurisdiction aud right which
is not by this Confederation erpressy dele
yate'i TO the United States in Congress as
sembled."
Under this contract Of alliance, the war
of the Revolution was successfully wa,ed
and resulted in the treaty of peace with
CIR at Britain 1888, by the terms of which
the several States ware, each by name,
recognised to be independent.
The articles of confederation contained
u clause whereby all alterations were pre-
limited, unless confirmed by the Legis.
lature of ece,y State, after being agreed to
by the Congress, and in obedi n. to this
provisions under the resou ion of Con-
gress Of the list February, 1887 the seve-
raj States appointed delegates who ate i'd
ed Convention for the sole aud express
purpu@e oi revising the articles OF conicde-
gatior, and re. ,orting TO Congress $. and the
several Legislatures such alterations aud
proris ons therein us shall when agreed TO
IN Congress. AMI confirmed ty tke States,
rendered the Federal Constitution ade-
qliate IA the exigcncics of government aud
the psese walton of the Union"
1t Was, by the delegates chosen by the
seurrU States un!er the resolution just
quoted, that the Constitution OF ;he Uuited
States was framed in 1887, an. submitted
To the seper,a ,Si,,tes, for ratification, as
shewn by the 7th article, which is in these
words:
g the ratification of the Convention of
nine States, shall be sufficient for the estab-
lishment of this Constitution BETWEEN
the States, SO ratifying the same"
have iltalicised certain words in the
quotations just made, Tor the purpose of
attracting attention to singular and marked
caution with which the States ondeavored,
in every possible form, to exclude the idea
that the seperate and independent sovereign
ty OF each State was merged into one COM
mon government aud nation; and the ear
pest desire they euinced to Impress on the
Constitution its true caagucter-that OF a
compact BETWEEN independent States
The Constitution of 1887 having, how
ever, omitted the clause already recited
from the articles of Confederation, which
provided. in explicit terus, that each State
retdiaet its sovereignty and Independence
some alarm was felt in the States when in
vited to ratify the Constitution, lest this
omission should be construed into abandon
ment Of their cherished principle, and they
refused TO be satisfied unit amepdments
were added to the Constitution, placing be-
yond any pretence of doubt the reservation
BY the States, of all their sovereign rights
and powers--not expres,y delegated to the
United States by the Constitution.
Strange indeed must it apper to the i'm.
partial observer, but il is none the less true,