The Kingwood chronicle. [volume] (Kingwood, Va. [W. Va.]) 1861-1861, 1861-04-06

that position. lie proceeded to inquire from
whence arose the opposition TO the conyen-
ton, and to review it. He alluded to the
usurpations Of power By pretenders from the
time Of Brutus to Cromwell from Napo-
leon I to Napoleon Ill, and that they had
separately assumed, as his friend from Or
leans had done Mr.. Semmes), to have re-
posed in them the highly concentrated sub
limated quintessence Of the sovereignty OF
the people From whence did the Govern
ment Of the Confederated States Of America
emanate? Let the constitution Of the old
States answer.
Let each member here reflect before he
acts The people Of the seven States had had
no voice i'll this constitutional had emanated
from another source, in disregard to the peo-
pie, and might be in opposition to them. It
seemed to him that We, as the embodiment
Of the people Of Louisiana, could not receive
their sanction by the adoption Of such course
as this
Let US examine from what source came this
Instrument lie would not dignity it BY the
name of constitution. He would tell us Of
its source, from whence it had crept into day.
1t was most extraordinary instrument. Ex-
traordinary for its title, its source and for
what it contained Before he took his seat,
lie would demonstrate that this constitution
established an unmitigated ollgarchy, and
nothing else. lie here read the preamble Of
the constitutions We, the people of the
Confederatod States, &C., and contended
that the .people played no part III the for
nation Of this Confederacy Its action was
by States, each State acting i'll its sovereign 4
independent character No State could di-
vest. itself ofits sovereign power, without the
consent Of the people to delegate that power
Could delegates, thus appointed BY the pco-
ple delegate powers thus received to others
to diyest them Of it If 50, they could have
given the same power to Queen Victoria Or
Napoleon Ill. There was no difference i'll
principle The power was transferred to a
confederacy Of States, not government -
10 denounced the confederacy Of the seven
States as a league was this an onward march
of republican liberty, OF retrogation Of 600
years. The confederation Of the seven States
was but "Iianseatic League, as existed on
the boarders Of the Baltic i'll l24l composed
Of eighty cities. This was the progress
We had made, instead Of advancing He con-
sidered the convention at Montgomery had
dug the grave Of American liberty, but hc
hoped not forever and that as soon as men
came is their senses it could be re-cstablshed
Instead Of forming league, offensive and
defensive. and making provisions for our fu-
ture welfare, they had put in elements abso-
lutely repugnant to contcderasy Lie here
reviewed the new provisions Of the constitu-
ton. and condemned them as entirely out Of
place III i confedcracy OF a league. This cot
ton confederacy' had established all the off
GERS of Government; and what was the object
of all this2 It was but a wild, base, useless
Of the people money. Viewing
it as a mere league, where was the necessity
Of giving It the formation Of i government
What was the object Of hosting all this ma
chinery into office He respected our dele
gates to the Montgomery Congress They
were individually all his friends lie review
ed their acts only as public men As their acts
towards his own beloved Louisiana, and then
he knew no friends, no foes, where her inter
estS were concerned
He considered the position taken by Mr.
Miles, Of Orleans, irrefragable. and no argu-
ment could shake it. The constitution only
established an oligarchy Augustus did not
avow hiS deSpotism, nor Napoleon when he
took the title of Consul. He condemned
with great severity, the provision in the con
stitution allowing to Cabinet officers seats Oh
the floor Of Congress for the purpose Of carry
ing the measure Of the Government. 1t va.
4 dangerous power to be given. and ID proyi-
sion was made for their resi- gIlation in case Of
failure, IL the British Government provided
Such men as Pitt, Fox, Peel and Russell
We're compelled to give up. if they could not
carry their measures but here 10 protection,
no check was provided for, and in the mean
time, bribery and corruption would be resorted
t. to carry the measure. Was this, then. a
good form Of government, sixteen millions a
year was required for the purpsse Of putting
il in operation, and for this object an export
duty was levied, going to impede our agri
cultural interests instead Of advancing them
Spain was the only Government that levied
duties on exports the most tyranical GOV
ernment in the world, and America was called
upon to initiate Spain
TWAS only surprising that the gentlemen
at Montgomery did not engraft another fea
ture Of the Spanish Government on this con
Spanish Inquisision The one
was a detestable as the other The one was
the great feature Of damnabIe despotism-