The independent. (Harrisonburg, La.) 1853-18??, 1861-04-03

we uevS5 suPPVsNu ss"s s''S
sembIed at Montgomery, would improve the
work Of Washington and his great compeSTs
81 the revolution. In this matter Vi have
not been disappointed. In every particular ocular.
ID which the Montgomery sages have dev'a-
tied from the Constitution Of the United
States, jurt TO that extent have they inside
matters worse. md there is nothing to
wonder at in this. The Constitution Of the
United States is a model Of wisdom which
has attracted the admiration Of tie world.
Il was the result Of the most matn.e dehher-
alton upon the lights and experiences OF
universal history and philosophy, 1t was
tho finished labor Of the purest patriots and
the profoundest thinkers Of modern days.
An improvement might 40 well be expected
| to be made upon the exact proportions and
beauties Of the Apollo Belyidere or the
Venus de Medicis.
But what OF the Constitution Of the Con-
fsderaeyi It is misnrmed by the term Con-
.titu,ional Government. The preamble de-
clares It to be a government formed BY the
people acting as States, or, as the exact
words are, 1--WE, the people Of the Ccnted'
crate States, each State acting in its sover'
eien and Independent character" DC. Here
lis . singular confusion. The people act
ling, and yet, not exactly the people acting
but each State acting. II is not the ac'
Of the people in the aggregate, nor the
act Of the people BY States. but the ac'
, Of States, each State acting in its sovere'ga
and independent character. lfit be the ac'
Of States as sovereigns, and this is the only
sensible Interpretation that can be given e
the words Of the preamble, the government
formed is league and not constitution
government, such as the government Of tn
United States. The truth il, the govern
ment established BY the Montgomery dele
gates, declaring themselves to Be the people
Of the Confederate States, and at the same
time the sovereign States themselves, is
wretch, oligarchy, rope Of sand. It car
RES within itself the see,.s Of its own de
struction. In its preamble it declares. ]!
terms studiously selected TO express lh'
principle, that it is founded upon the explc
sive element Of secession. Each one OF the
Sovereign independent states" may at any
momen. it think. proper, for any cause
whatever, real o. imaginary, itself the SOLE
Judge Of tile cause, detach itself from thu
government and set itself .? As foreign ma
| ton to each Of its whilom sisters Of the con
federacy. Can any considerste' man have
lconfidenc e n The strenaih md dnxahili.y q
I . government % constiintedi WHAT'S to u
the strength Of such . goyerDmenii Is i
not established upon : foundation which
must inevitably fail when the winds and the
rains beat sgainss ii Surely the answers e
these enquiries are At hand and very plsin.
| What, We desire to know, haze the -peo
Die 81 The confederate States" had TO do IN
aordsipiugr and 4estatlishing- this consiitu'
lion for The confederate States Of Americal
Thess words Of tho preamble seem to ~
words Of bitter IRONY. Conventions cslled
without authority from the people. have
| passed acss ofsecession These acts Of seces-
s;on the couxentions, assuming unwarranted