The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-03-28
MIR. STEPHENS GREAT SAVANNAH
SPEECH.
k<eFiew OF the Constitution of the Confede
rate States.

AeFie.v of the Constitution of the Confede.
rate States.
we publish, from the Savannah Republican, Dor
tions of full report of the great speech delivered
AT Savannah, on the 2lst inst, by Hon. Alex II
stephens. 1t is mainly review of the permanent
Constitution adopted b. the Congress of the Con
| federate States;
=. Mr. Stephens rose and said very much regret
tnat every one who desires cannot hear what
| nave to say, not that have any display to make
nythlng very entertaining to present, but such
views as have to give, wish all, not only in this
Guy, put In this State, and throughout our Com
ieuerated Republic could hear, who have desire
10 near them We are passing through one of the
sIedtest revolutions in the annals of the world:
seven States have within the last three months
thrown off an old government and formed new.
rms revolution has been signally marked, up to
TINS time, by the fact of its having been accom-
Pt'sned without the loss of single drop of blood
| (Applause.) This new Constitution or form of
government, constitutes the subject to which vour
attention will be partly invited. In reference to
II make this first general remark: it amply Sc
cures all our ancient rights franchises and privi-
reyes All the great principles of magma charta
are retained in it. No citizen is deprived of life
hDerty or property, but BY the judgment of his
peers, under the laws of the land.
Inc great principle of religious liberty, which
was the honor and pride of the old Constitution is
sun maintained and secured All the essentials of
the old Constitution which have endeared it to the
hearts OF the American people, have been preserved
ana ana perpetuated. Applause. Some changes have
e zen maGe|of these shall speak presently. Some
OF these l should have preferred not to have seen
inaoe but these perhaps meet the cordial approba-
tion OF majority of this audience if not an over
"heiming majority OF the people of the Confede.
raey. vi them, therefore, | will not speak But
otner important changes do meet my cordial appro-
oatlon They form great improvements upon the
ola Constitution. So, taking the whole few Con
sututlon l have no hesitancy in giving it as nv
hat f-l .lall l..
Lapplause.l Allow me briefly to allude to some
OF these improvements.
: Inc question of building up class interests, or
fostering branch of industry to the preiudice
VI another, under the exercise of the revenue power
wolcn gave US so mucn trouble under the old Com
sttution, put at rest forever under the new. We
aiow the imposition of no duty, with view of pi7-
ing advantage to one class of persons in any trade
or business, over those of another. All under our
system stand upon the same broad principIes of
perfect equality. Honest labor and ENTERPRISE are
lett tree and unrestricted in whatever pursuit thew
may be engaged. This subject came walI.ni~b
causing rupture of the old Union, under the lead
OF the gallant Palmetto State, which lies on onr
border, in 1888. This old thorn of the tariff which
occasloned the cause of much irritation in the
Ola body polite, is removed forever from the new
lApplause.] Again, the subject of internal i'm
proVements, under the power of Congress to repu-
iate commerce, is put at rest under our system-
Inc power claimed by construction under the old
constitution, was at least doubtful one-itrested
solelY upon construction.
we OF the South, generally apart from consider
ations ct constitutional principles opposed its exer
else upon grounds of expedency and Justice Not
Wlthstandng this opposition, millions of money in
the common treasury, had been drawn for such
purposes. Our opposition sprung from no hostility
" W commerce, or all necessary aids for facilitating
II. With us it simply a question unon whom
the burden should fall. In Georgia for instance
we had done as much for the cause of internal inn
proVemons as any other portion of the country ac-
nlatY
stretched out lines of railroad from the seahoard to
the mountains; dug down the hills and filled up the
valleys at cost of not less tha S25, ,000, ,OO0 All
.1is was done to open up an outlet for our products
o tne interior and those to the west of u.s. to reach
the marts of the world. No State was in greater
need OF such facilities than Geore ia but we han
hot asked that these works should be made by an
preparations out of the common treasury The cost
"i the grading, the superstructure and equipments
OF our roads, was borne by those who entered unon
the enterprise. Nay, more-not ONLY the cost of
the iron, no small item in the aggregate cost wa,
oorne In the same way; but we were compelled to
pay into the common treasury several millions of
dollars for the privilege ofm port ting the iron after
the price was paid for ii abroad.
What justice was there in taking this money
which our people paid into the common treasury
on the importation of our iron, and applying it to
the Improvement of rivers and harbors elsewhere
The true principle is to subject commerce of every
locality to whatever burdens may be necessary to
facilitate it. If the Charleston harbor needs i'm
provement, let the commerce of Charleston bear
the burden. If the mouth of the Savannah r;var
has to be cleared out, let the sea going navigation
which is benefited by it, bear the burden So with
the mouths of the Alabama and Mississippi rivers
Just as the products of the interior, our cotton
wheat, corn, and other articles have to hear the
necessary rates of freight over our railroads to
reach the seas. This is again the broad principle
o. perfect equality and Justice. Applause.) And
It is specially held forth and established in our new
Constitution.
Another feature to which will allude is that the
new Constitution provides that Cabinet Ministers
and heads OF departments shall have the priyileoe
OF seats upon the floor of the Senate and House of
sentatives-shall have the RIGHT tn nartic;
pate In the debates and discussions upon the vor;
Gus subjects of administration. | should have nre
ferred that this provision should have gone farther
and allowed the President to select his constitu
tonal advisers from the Senate and House of Rep
resentatiyes. That would have conformed entirely
to the practice in the British Parliament, which.
IN my judgment, is of the wisest provisions in
the BRUSH Parliament. 1t is the only feature
that saves the government. 1t is that which gives
1t stability In its facility to change its adminisra
ton. Ours, as it Is, is great approximation to
the right principle.
Under the old Constitution a Secretary of the
treasury, Tor instance had no opportunity save
by his annual reports, of presenting any
scheme or plan of finance, or other matter He
had no opportunity for explaining, expoundinp.
enforcing or defending his views of policy; his on
ly resort was through the medium of an orpan
In the British Parliament the Premier brings in
bis budget and stands before the nation responsible
for its every item. If is indeensible he falls be-
fore the attacks upon it, he ought to. This will
now be the case, to limited extent under our svs
TEN. Our heads of departments can speak for
themselves and the Administration in behalf of
its entire policy, without resorting to the indirect
and highly Objectionable medium of newspaper
II is to be greatly hoped that under our sysien ,ce
shall neUer hare what is known as q Government Or
gan. Rapturous applause.
la noise again arose from the camor of the crowd
outside who wished to hear Mr. Stephens and for
some moments interrupted him. The Mayor rose
ana called on the police to preserve order. Quiet
being restored, Mr.. Stephens proceeded:l Another
change in the Constitution relates to the length of
| the tenure of the Presidential Office In the new
Constitution 1t is six years instead of four and the
President rendered ineligible for Reelection
| This is certainly decidedly conservative change
1t will remove from the incumbent all temptation
to use his office or exert the powers contded to him
Tor any objects of personal ambition. The only in
! centlye to that higher ambition which should move
! and actuate one holding such high trusts in his
hands will be the good of the people, the advance
ment, prosperity, happiness, safety honor and true
| glory OF the confederacy. (Applause.) But not
to be tedious in enumeating the numerous changes
| for the better, allow me to allude to one other,
though last, not eaSt the new Constitution has nut
at rest for ever, all the agitatng questions relat-
ing to our peculiar nstitution-African slavery as
itexlsts amongst us-the proper status of the negro
In our form of civilization. This was the immedi-
ate cause of the late rupture and present revolu
| tion.
Jefferson, in his forecast, had anticipated this,
| as the crock upon which the old Union would
| split. He was right. What was conjecture with
him is now realized fact. But whether he fully
| comprehended the great truth upon which that
rock stood and stands, may be doubted The pre-
| vaiing ideas entertained by him and most of the
leadlng statesmen at the time of the formation of
| the old Constitution. were that the.enslavement OF
the African was in violation of the laws of nature;
that 1t was wrong in principle, socially, morally
and politically. 1t was evil they knew not
well how to deal with, but the general opinion OF
| the men of that day that somehow or other
in the order of Providence the institution would be
| eVanescent and pass away. This idea though not
incorporated in the Constitutions was the prevail.
| ing idea at the time. The Constitution it is true
secured every essential guarantee to the institu
| ton while 1t should last, and hence no argument
can be justly used against the constitutional guar
antess thus secured, because of the common senti
ment of the day.
| Those ideas, however, were fundamentally wrong
They rested upon the assumption of the equality o
the races. This was an error. 1t was sandy
| foundation, and the idea of government bull
| upon 1t; when the "storm came and the wind blew
1t iel Our new government is founded upon ex
acty the opposite dea its foundations are laid its
corner stone rests upon the great truth, that the
negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery
suoordinatlon to the superior race-is his natural
and moral condition. Applause. This, our new
government is the first in the history of the worlt
based upon this great physical, philosophical anC
moral truth. This truth has been slow in the pro.
cess of its Development like all other truths in tht
various departments of science 1t has been sc
even amongst US. Many who hear me perhaps car
recollect well that this truth not generally ad
mitted, even within their day.
The errors of the past generation still cunp tt
many as late as twenty years ago. Those at thu
North, who still cling to these errors, with yea
above knowledge, we justly denominate fanatics
All ianatlclsm springs from an alteration of thu
| nOd.f frpO 1aFa in