Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-04-01

Rep'risi for The SapaRsah Republican
A. hat-pest seven ocook Thursday evening, the
largest audience assembled at the Atherplm were
in the house, waiting most mpatenty for the appear
ance oil the orator OF the evening" Hon. A H. Stephens
NcePresdent of the Confederate States of America
The Committee, with invited guests seated the
stage When at the appointed hour the Hon. c. C. Jones
Mayor and the speaker entered and greeted by the
immense sssembage with deafeniug rounds OF applause
The Mayor, then, in few pertinent remarks, intro
dace NJ SepAen stating that at the request ofa
her OF the members of the Convention aud citizens oI
s'vArnAn and the Siate here he had consented 10
address them upon the present state Of public affairs
Mr.. Stephens rose and spoke as follows:
Nr Mayor and Gsnil4aei, Of tie Coupliiiee and
ftIss-Ci-eas For this recep iou YOU will please ac.
eep, my most profound and sincere thanks The comp-
ment Is doubtless intended much more, perhaps,
IN honor OF the OCCASION aud nv public position in
uectOn With the great events now eroNdicg upon US
than to ne personally and individually. It Is however,
none the less appreciated by me, that account We
IN the mids, Of Of the greatest ePoehs in his
tory The last ninety days will mark one OF the most
memorable eras in the history OF modern civilization
This revelation has teou sisnay marked, up TO this
time, by the Tact Of is having been accomplished With
Out the loss OF siOge drop OF blood (Appause) This
new Constitution, or form o; government, Const tutes
the sutjec! to which your attention will be partly IL
yited.
In reference to it. make this first general remark -
IL simply al our ancient rights franchises and
privileges All The great principles Of magma charta are
retained in IT, No citizen Is deprived of life liberty or
property but by the Judgment of his peers under the
avs OF the land The g-eat principle of religious li5er
" which was the QaOr aud pride Of the OLD CoustU
ton, Il, su aiats4ed and secured. Ali the essentials
Of the old Constitution which have endear it 10 the
hearts OF the American people, have been pre-
preserved and perpetuated (APPleVsel Some changes
have been msde-Ot these, sRaA speak presently
Some Of these ShoSd have preferred not to have seen
made but these perhaps the cordial appreciation OF
ajority OF this audience, if not overwhelming ma
5ry OF the people OF the COutedeacy OF them there
re, will speak. But the important changes DO
meet my cordial expectation They form great improve
meuts upon the old Constitution. So, taking the whole
cew Constitution have hesteucy in giving /; as nv
Judgment that it IS decidedly better than the old
lATpause) Allow briefly 10 allude TO some o. these
improvements. The question of building up class in
'eTess fostering branch Of industry the pre-
lgCe OF alOher under the exercise OF the revenue pow
er which gave so much trouble under the old Con-
ituJiOn, is put az rest forever under the We a.,
low the imposition OF duty with view Of giving aG-
advantage to one class Of persons, in any trade bu
ness over those Of another Al under our system,
stand upon tie broad principle Of p?rle,s equal
T. Honest labor and enterprise are l4t free and
-trc.ed in whatever pGr>u they may be engaged in
This subject came vel nigh causing rupture Of the old
Uuon under the lead of the gallant Palmetto State,
yhich lies on our border in lsS5
This old thorn OF tue tariff, which the cause
og so much rri auOn ia the Old body polite Is re
moved forever irCm the new. OApplause) Az ain the
,ut co Ot internal improvements, under the power OF
Cor gres 10 regulate commerce. put az rest under
.ysjem The power claimed by construction under the
old Constitution was at least "a doubtful oue--t c,,ed
oely UpOa construction We OF 'be SJl.h, s0.cs4ly,
apart from cou leJ-O-s soaSs SsIlt,0ual principles,
opposed ITS exercise upon gToEudS OF pedeney
lie No;w bsaUtus this opposition, Isilons OF mOuey
the Treasury had been drawn oui for such pur
a0ses Our opposition Aprarg nom 10 hostility to con-
usrcC, al e-sary sts for facilitating L. With rs
.t vas simply question, upon 7b0n TIC S-,den ahcId
hl ia 6corgi 70. ive'ar-s, We had done as much
Tor the OF 4crue prcyemenis as any other Por
jol Of the country according 10 population aud mraus
We have stretched out lines of rlitiosd ror ths sea-
board % the mOuu, ,us Gu dVw. -NV hills aFg Hed p
.lc valleys % tOS- pt 4ot less ipau e--uVUuDO All
,os dcuc ~ opep Vp aE outlet tor our products oi
il. nor sli these to the vest Of as 90 Feaen the
usrts Of tae World 10 S;t.v S4s ia greater need Of
such facilities thar Georgia but W. had rot asked that
,esa works oui BE made by alp opratons o. %. ne
,rr,on trsasurv Tie cost OF &C. :a.ir. tae s1ptr-
trreiure aul i3eu,, Vi oar ,osd1, was ho1.G 0y
tbo Who entered anou the eGjerp i,o. Nay, more not
,r th- cost %. the iron, small iem in Ia ags'cgJ6
cost borne in the SAME way but we we're ,u
ID t,y inO tie common treasury several w 3u. a do
r- for the rryisee OF mpot ~ b. tnS LJu &';er the
nri.e Nss r.a for aorCal. What Justice W1- incre n
aLrg this money which our people pad in;o h' cou-
mon trSury the importation OF our ifo, aud appl-
msu to the Improvement OF rivers and ha'ooTs csc
| whereof
Tn, true p4a,plo IS to sui scl ovmter,e OF every To-
iv 10 whatever .lrlea may be necessary 10 facilitate
H. n .t Charlestja habor needs Improvement, 10 tae
commence ui Cuarv,tCu bg4r the burden 1t TIE mouth
OF the Savannah has 70 be cleared oa; let io sea-
y,iu. navigation bch Is benefited by il bear the bu.
d.n So With tie mourn Of the Alabama and . sSip
p rivers. jus, as jhs roiucts OF the n.eror ote CO..
| to, WHEAT corn and other articles, have to bear Ee
noe sry !ac OF freight over our railroads to reach the
.,as This again the bread principle Of perfect equals
and Justice Applause Aud 10 J.. specially h,iI iosth
| aud established M Uur uos Constitution.
Another feature % which Viii tuute, IS that the ne"
C,r,l.iar provides that Cabinet Ministers and heads
OF Dspirtmtts shall have the privilege o; seats upon
the Ho0r OF tine Scuatc aud House oI pr,sentlyes
shall has, tie right 10 participate 10 tie debates aud
-cu-si upon The various slDIce OF administration
should have preferred that this provision should have
voo. farther and allowed the Ptesiieat 10 select his
constitutional al advisers from the Serate and House ol
*. pfr-euta.iyes Tbat would have couiO'med entirely
10 the prac;, ia the British Parliament which, IN my
ia .inut Is Of the wiSeSt PROVISIONS m the rl h
Parliament: Il l. the only feature that saves that Gov
sr,merL 1t Is that WhJh gives it stability in is idcii-
A, TO change Is administration Ougs, as it Isl great
| APPROXIMATION to the right principle
Under the Old Consultation, Secretary OF lle Irea-
sury for instance had opportunity, save by his an
uua rcuors OF prescutng any scheme or plan OF duance
or other matter is had no opportunity OF esp auing,
a,,o. enforcing or defending his views Of policy,
bis orIy re- orr was through the medium OF organ
In the British Parliament the Premier brings in bis budg
e and sands before the nation responsible for It's ever
reu II 10 Is iudeiensble, be falls before tha attacks
upon IT, as Le oughs TO- This will aoT be .he case to
limited extent under system. Our heads OF depar
apt. can speak for themselves aad the administration
in behalf OF It's eare policy, whou. resorung 10 the IL
direct ard highly Objectionable medium OF newspaper
u to be greatly hoped tina, uuder cur system We s1a
| never have What is Known as a Government organ
| JRsp,urous applause
Another char ge the Constitution relates 70 the l6rg
of the tenure OF the Presidential Office. In the the new
o. tuon it is SIX years instead Of four, and the Pre-
,deut is rendered n'g be for reelection This Is Ger
tainlv decidedly cons rgave change. IL VIII remoTt
from the incumbent s temptation his oihce or e1
ert the powers couhded him for any OH cts OF perso
nal ambition The only incentive 10 that higher amor
ton which should move and actuate one holding sucb
bi,h trusts in his hands Will be the good OF the people
the Advancement prosperity, happiness, safety, honor
ard tue glory Of the Ccniederacy. Applause
But not 70 be tedious IN enumerating the numerous
changes for the better allow 10 Gude to one other
though last not least the new Constitution has put al
rest foyspsr al the sgitang questions relating 10 ou
peculiar iustitutons-Afcan slavery as exists an
The proper stcts Of the negro in our form Of eTi al
ti1n This was The immediate cause OF the late rupture
and presen. revelation Jefferson in his forecast hac
pt;cnated this as the 'rock upon which the Old Unot
wopiJ split" lie was right What was the conjecture
9TH him i nov realized fact. But whether hs uliy
eomnrehended the great truth upon which that roeS
,5 and ,fr,l NAV be doubted. The prevailing ideas
entertained by him aud OF the leading states Al
the ,, of the formation OF the cd Constitution, were
thst the ersltvement Of the Afriesn vas ~ No
lation OF the aSs OF nature that ~ was "'ous
IL. liz n Twas a