Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-07-28

For the Nashville Patriot
The Permanent Constitution OF t'se
Confederate stafes,--Shaili t be adeP-
Ted by the people OF Tennesseef

| Confederate states, De aooP
ted by the people OF Tennessee
This Consultation has already been adopted
nv the other Confederate States with great
o1animity.-aud on tse first Thursday of
| naxt month IL is submitted to the people vi
Tenne~see for their ratification or rejection.
II will not BE- uninterestiDg then to notice
| the points Of difference between il and the
! Constitution Of the United States.
The Consultation of the United States has
| been wisely taken for lis model ENGRAVING
| upon it no change that the experience of
nearly three-fourihs OF century has not
| shown to be necessary and demanded by the
| united voice of the other slave-holding States.
/ IHE PREAMBLE.
| The preamble to the Constitution of the
| United States is in these words: I'VE. the
| people OF TIE UHitfd States, in order to form
| a more perfect union, establish justice, insure
domestic tranquility, provide for the common
defence, promote the general welfare, and
secure the blessings OF liberty to ourselves
and our posterity, do ofdain and establish
| this Constitution for the United States OF
America
The preamble to the Constitution OF the
Confederate States is as follows I'VE, the
people of the Confederate States, each State
acting in It's GOV reign and independent char
acter, ia order to form permanent federal
tic tranquility, and secure the blessings of lib
erty 10 ourselves and our posterity-invok-
ing the favor and guidance of Almighty God
do ordain and establish this Constitution
for the Confederate States of America"
1t will thus be seen that "invoking the favor
aud guidance of Almighty God" which is not
to be found in the old Constitution, it states,
that it is established by ''the people Of the
Confederate States, each State acting In Its
sovereign and Independent character" 1t
enunciates the great principle OF State sove-
reiguty. without which there is no constitu-
tional liberty, no security TO State instiru-
tions, 10 barrier against consolidation and
despotism. This is the true reading of the
Constitution of the United States which has
been overthrow by the usarpations OF the
Lincoln government. The colonies by their
Declarstio Of Independence on the Alb of
July. l776. in throwing OFF their allegiance TO
the British crown. became "free and indie
pendent States''-each State entitled to full
sovereignty.
The articles of confederation of the 9Th OF
July. 1873, were signed by delegates repre-
zenting the several States through their State
Legislatures /; and by an express provision
leach State retains its sovereignty. freedom.
and independence, and every power, juris
diction, and right, which is not by this Con-
federation expressly delegated to the United
States 10 Congress assembled" The Consti-
tuition of the United States (l7S7) itself WAS
formed by delegates appointed by the differ
enI State Legislatures-th delegates voting
by States each State being entitled TO one
vote--and afterwards submitted TO cOnven-
ton OF delegates chosen in each State by the
people thereof and by the different State con-
ventiOns ratified and approved. The 7th arti-
Gle of il provides that ''the ratification of the
Conventions of nine States shall be sufficient
for the establishment of the Constitution be-
tween the States ratiiying the same" 1t will
thus be seen that from the Declaration OF In
dependence to the final establishment of the
Constitution il was the work of each State as
q separate, distinct sovereignty and not OF
one single, consolidated nation. The words
therefore of the old preamble, I'VE, the peo-
pie OF the United States" establish the Con-
stitution, when properly Interpreted. means
simply that il Is the work of the people of
the States, as States United" under the
Constitution. But is the advocates of con-
sOlidation rely upon this phrase, the Consti
tntiOn Of the Confederate States wisely sets
out the great truth. that it is the work oil
''each State acting in its sovereign and indie
pendent character"
Tue new preamble likewise states that 1t is
to form ''a permanent Federal Government
instead of "a more perfect Union." This is
an improvement upon the old because it is
the object of the Constitution to form "a
Government" for the States united under ii
and not TO form "the Union" itself
l. likewise Omits the words provide for
the common defence, promote the general
welfare, f" which will be alluded 10 hereafter
in reference TO another clause and therefore
not further noticed here.