Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-03-23
From New Orleans.


New ORLEANS, March 16.-The Louisiana Con-
ventlon today voted down an ordinance submitting
the Constitution of the Confederate States to the
people-yeas &c, nays IA !s.s
Ihe Constitution win come before the Convention
ior ratification on Monday. It is now evident that
Two parties are formed one for reorganization Of
the old eonederacy, the other for perpetual separa
ton The latter party seems greatly in the as
cendant 'S'F1
The above affords additional proof Of what we
have heretofore stated that the people of the seced
ed States have had no voice in determining their
own destiny. In Texas the secession movement was
irregular and revolutionary and the people of that
State have been hurried out of the Union against
their viii In Alabama the Convention refused to
submit the ordinance of secession to the people !;
and the same is true as to Mississippi: and Georgia.
The Convention of Alabama, chosen not to adopt
permanent Constitution for the new Confederacy,
but to consider the question of secession has already
adopted the permanent Constitution framed at Mont
gomery, thus cutting off the people of that State
from all opportunity of passing upon an instrument
which will affect their prosperity, their property
and their lives. We learn from the Brandon (Mis-
sissippD Republican that the same course is con-
templated in Mississippi against which that paper
protests as follows:
g From the above it will be seen that "the consti-
tuition for the Permanent Government has been
adopted" and that our State Convention has been
ordered to re-assemble on the 25th instant What
is the object of its assembling if it is not to adopt
the constitution of the Permanent Government p
Are the people to have voice in the adoption of
the constitution under which they and their posteri-
ty are to live? Let the Convention meet and pass
an ordinance submitting the question of adoption
70 IS kloS
them sufficient time to discuss the questions fairly
openly and honorably. We have not seen the con-
stution, and therefore cannot say whether would
vote for its adoption or not"
To deny to the people "voice in the adoption of
the Constitution under which they and their pos
terity to live" is to deny fundamental princi-
pie of free government; and if the people of Mis-
sssippi, Alabama and Louisiana submit to this they
will reduce themselves to a condition but little
above their slaves. 1t does indeed seem, so far as
the seeded States concerned that the battles of
the revolution were fought in vain. Our ancestors
fought and toiled through seven years war to es-
tablish the great right of man to govern himself
the right of free representative government-the
right of the people to make their own Constitutions
and to select their agents to represent and
them; but in the seeded States this right is set at
naught and Conventions, assuming to themselves
unlimited power and indefinite duration, change the
relations of States and make Constitutions for them
just as if the people had no existence. Such state
of things cannot last
An attempt was made in the late Legislature of
this State to call Convention, and to have that
Convention pass an ordinance of secession and take
the State out of the Union without giving the peo-
pie hearing at the polls. proposition to this ef
feet passed the committee on federal relations by the
casting vote of the chairman Mr.. Samuel j. Person,
of New Hanover; but the vote was re-considered,
and the action of the committee reversed.
Everywhere the leading disunionists have shown
contempt for the will of the people The people
have been in their way, and they have therefore at
tempted to ignore them. They have succeeded in
sitting their voice in the seeded States but only
for time. The blood-bought principle of the right
of the people to rule will yet be indicated and
established