Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1861-05-10
MESSAGE
OF
PRESIDENT JEFF. DAVIS
Gentlemen of tie Congress

-" shoS tuO SOhSliluGtou iIdlnCu lOT
establishment Of permanent governmen
for the Confederate States has becu rattle,
by Conventions in each Of those State
10 which it was REFEREED To inauyurat
the government in its full proportions an,
upon its own substantial basis Of the pop
ular will, it only remains that elections
should he held for the desi ynation of the
officers to administer it..
There is every reason to believe that al
no distant day other States identified in
political principles and community Of in
terests with those which you represent,
will join this Confc.l' racy giving to its
typical constellation increased spIcu.lor-
10 its government of free, equal and soy
eregn States, wider sphere Of usefulness
and to the friends of constitutional liberty
greater security for liz harmonious and
perpetual existence.
1t was not, however, for the purpose OF
making this annonnce,n TT that | have
deemed it my duty to convokc YOU at an
earlier Gay than that fix",l by yourselves
for your meeting The declaration of war
made against the Conleierary l,y Abraham
Lincoln, the President Of Tie United States,
i his Proclamation issued on The fifteenth
day Of the present month, rendered it nee
essary, i'll my judgment, that YOU should
convene at the Garlic. t prac,ira!..' moment,
10 devise the measures necessary for the de.
fence Of the country.
The occasion is inlre'l an extraordinary
one. 1t justilies me in Il brief review of
the relations heretofore existing between us
and the States which now unite in warfare
against us, and in a surc;nrt statement of
the events which have resulted in this war-
fare; to the eni that mankind may pass
Intelligent and impartial Judgment on its
motives and oljcc's.
During the war wagcd against Great
Britain by her colonies on this continent, a
common danger impelled them to a loose
alliance, and to the formation of a Confec-
Grafton, 10y The terms of which tho colonies
styling themselves Safes, entered "seucruNy
into firm league Of friendship with each
other for their common defence, the Sc
curity Of their liberties, and their mutual
and general welfare, binding themselves to
assist each otl.rr against all force Offered TO
CT attacks made upon them or any of
them, on account Of religion, sovereignty,
trade or any other pre- ence whatever"
In order TO guard against any miscon-
struction Of their contract, the several States
made exprit declaration, in distinct sr-
ticle, that "cach State retains its soyer-
eignty, freedom and independence, and eve
~ power, jurisdiction and right which is
not hy this Confederation expressly deirqu
ted to the United States in Congress assem-
tled.
Under this contract Of alliance, the war
OF the Revolution was successfully waret.
and resulted in the treaty OF peace with
Great Britain i'll 1888, hy the terms Of
name, recognized 10 be independent.
The articles Of confederation contained
clause whereby all alterations were pro
hlbited, unless confirmed by the Legislature
Of every State, after bel: G agreed to by tile
Congress; and i'll obedience to this provis-
ion, under the resolution Of Congress Of the
"lst February, 1887 the several States
appointed delegates, who attended Con-
yention "for the sole and cypress purpose Of
revising the articles Of confederation, and
reporting &c Congress and the several Leg
islatures such alterations and provisions
therein as shall, when agreed to in Con-
gress, and confirmed by the States, render
the Federal Constitution adequate to the
exigencies of government and the preserya-
tion Of the Uuion.''
"a It was, by the delegatese chosen by the
sepetal States, under the. resolution lust
quoted, that the Constitution Of the United
States was framed in 1887, and submitted
10 tha .seVerut States Tor RATIFICATION, rs
shewn by the 7lh article, which is in these
words ,-s -,
."The ratification Of the Convention o,
nine States, slall be sufficient for tb'
establishment Of this Constitution BErwEEs
the States, so ratifying the same"
l have -italieised certain words in th,
quotatins just made, for the purpose of at
tracing attention to the singular ant
marked caution with, which the States en-
'deasored, in every possible form, TO ex'
cIude the idea that the separa'e and indie
pendent sovereignty, Of each State wa
merged into one commoasgovernmep.tant
iipa.ipn. and and the earnest desire they eyincss
e,tas impress. on the. Constitution lis tru,