The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1861-03-27
The Constitution.

stitutiOn TO the people. II fearful responsibility
they have assumed and which Carries with II me
obligation to see that the State receives no harm IRON
the compact which they about 10 adopt Tor theY
have disarmed her OF the right TO see to 1t Ior herself
1t is not purpose now to question the proRney O
that decision to urge its reconsideration nav
nothing to add that subject to what has been already
said But we would call the attention OF the conven-
ton to an article in the constitution which IN the
not improbable progress of events may prove ncai
to the interests Of louisiana that we should be deree1
in duty not to protest against It as part Oh
compact which is bind her forever. We do not nat
ter ourselves that what have to submit IN relation to
that clause will have much weight with the convention,
but it concerns put ourselves upon the record
that We may not accuse ourselves OF being silent wheh
we thought the interests of the State were in danger
| of being compromised. With becoming Difference to
the opinions Of those who may differ from us we shall
proceed to quote the article, and comment upon II,
| without reserve.
The third section Of the fourth article of the consu-
ton contains the following provision in relation 10 the
/ admission al other States into the Unlon
"0ther States may be admitted into this confederacy
by vote of tTothirs of the whole house ofrepesenta
ves and twothrds of the senate the senate voting by
States"
What was the object Of the two-thirds restriction
upon the admission of other States into the conederaey
What was its design? And at what does it aim, whether
so designed or not? The convention debated this as
! other important measures, with closed doors. We
have therefore no opportunity Of canvassng the rea
/
! them 1t NAV have been avowcdy to hinder any free
States from entering the conederdcy; but does con
gres of slave States required curb on this poRE The
provisions giving to masters the right OF transit or
soourn in all the States with their slaves and establish
ing the nyoaby of slave property in The territories
are sufficient to keep any free State from applying Tor
admission, whilst the subject of slavery Is a bone OF
intersectonal contention. Whatever may have been
the reasons assigned for this restriction whatever may
have been its design its effect is give to the Atlantic
| Gtatac tha Of Ne
which the empire of the confederacy shall expand and
of prohibiting its extension along the valley of the Mis-
sissippi Any three States the s2aboard, whose
commercial political interests may be- or may ever
be- in rivalry with the river States, with Louisiana
can say to the confederacy thus far shalt thou 20 and
no farther The clause is designed to torcsta develop
mens which may arise in the progress OF government,
respecting the States which lie upon the great rbuta-
rics of the Mssissppi-itis aimed at what might prove
to be commercial social and POLITICAL as IL has been
regarded by many physical necessity of this State.
! 1t has hostile and menacing squInt.
The policy of forming permanent government in the
midst of revolution is at least, doubtful one Unless
the trainers of the constitution enoyedmore than
tai exemption from the weaknesses Of human nature it
might be expected that constitution so formed would
bear more of the passions which produced the
revolution than might prove consistent with the future
| wc-beng of the State. Whilst cheerfully admit
that the Montgomery convention acquitted ITSELF in this
regard with much forbearance as could have been
hoped; vet the restriction treating Of just that
much in excess of the requirements OF right reason
The clauses relating to slavery ample for the evil
they remedy and the added Is not only useless in
that connection but in its accidental admitting 1t TO be
accidental bearing, positive restriction and probable
grievance the State which has risked more in pro-
portion to any imaginary gain tmay realised from rerou-
ton than any all Others combined. Hence itwould
have heeu the wiser policy for the provisional govern
ment to have carried the States through to the estab
lshment Of an acknowledged independence and for the
convention 10 have framed permanent government
afterwards when their action would be dsentangled of
the irrtatons and suspense which apt to bias the
wisest and calmeSt minds. The convention thought
differently; and make objection to the time
and Circumstances Of their doing but what they did
! We have heard the most rapturous accounts of the
harmony and good feeling OF the delegations at Mont
gomery God knows they had right to look askancc
at louisiana for if she had offered herself lamb
led to the laughter that openeth not Its mouth, she
could not have presented herself in meeker guise. Her
convention refused to inst uet her delegation any
subject So gentle and inotfensve was She thather
representative Mr.. Kenner we believe, in commencing
her course in rendering to the confederate treasury the
money Of the general government found in the mint
and cusomhouse in this city, felt constrained to declare
that he meant no mputation upon South Carolina whose
exigency required a different appropriation of such
funds And yet, the only amendments to the Constitu-
ton which have forbiddng aspect is aimed directly at
| her No doubt this done in the most soothing
manner but it is the less ortter in for its
yer in rnodo But let not convention imagine for
A moment that the career OF the conederacy is 10 be
ever strewed with roses Ambition is not dead Com
mcrcal rivalry will not be huShed forever in the sequa
of which the prelude is so musical. The world is not
composed Of all lambs. The stres which overlaid
by common indignation against common wrong, will
revive upon the revival Of business; parties will spring
up and policies will be combatted and there will be
electoneering and speech making aud violence; and
Buuconlbe will come again unless indeed we have
seeded from natures as we have from the Union.
Run away lovers imagine heaven be all that is out
side of the domIcls Of fathers but the
first touch of the "rrepressibe conflict of human pas
sion the god-ike Augustus Adolphus drops heavily off
the arch Of the rainbow and the angelic Seraphina sub
| sides into downright woman.
The commerce Of the Mississippi river and its trbu-
tarics which is to be disturbed in way by seces-
sion which is to be conducted under the influence OF
warning tariffs and protected by double cordon of
tomhouses is not be measured by abstracts and
ports The inter State trade is UNNECESSARILY greater
than the foreign trade 1t might be safe say that the
commercial marine of the world could not grapple the
trade Of this great valley. Thatinconveneuces will be
encountered is apparent These may be submitted to,
and will doubt with becoming patriotism But hat
any one can forete what the exgencies of this
mcrce will be- TO what contests it may give rise; what
questions of boundary and Of jurisdiction; to what TO-
rays reprisal and strfes it may lead is denedindead
to what it will present necessity Of peace, of pro-
cress and Of civilization Nor any predict
what rivalries may thrive in the embarrassments OF
navigation 1t will be remembered that, when the
different lines OF railroad from the ONO river TO the
seaboard we're canvassng for public favor every snag
in the Mississippi river argument in favor OF
inland transportation. The argument s just good to
keep them there. The distractions of the river it
urged enured to the benefit of the Atlantic railroads
and scaports If then they will be so in the future
Who can say to what indifference to peace and
itv Of the valley navigation these supposed benefits
may give rise in the minds of those who to receive
them? If the power to repress acquisition in the diree
ton of the river is be used against the State
why was it contended for? Why put the State at the
mercy Of interests that have been hitherto held up
anagonisc? w shall be told that this of treason
against the exalted gentlemen who composed the dele
cations Montgomery, but these Augustus Adolphuses
have got Louisiana by the neck and heels, "cabincd
cribbed confined" and if we cannot release her
shall at least vndicate her claim to be equal in the
couederacy; shall protest against that part of the
compact which aimed at contingencies which con
Germ her safety and future greatness.
The topics growing out of this restriction mex
haustibe; but done We wish to call the atten
ton of the convention 10 it They must see that
whilst the Atlantic States extend the coufedcracy
along the seabord the poles the river States power
less to step in the direction Of their commerce
or in the way Of securing their safety. Whilst dc
not hope we might add wish to the constitution
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