The Oxford intelligencer. (Oxford, Miss.) 1860-18??, 1861-05-08
PRESIDENT DAVIS MESSAGE,


L GESrrrsES on Y,rr covorrs< II fs NV r,....-
ing duty 20 snnounce 10 vou that The Gcrst;t,,.
ton. framed for the establishment. a ! pers,a.
nent government for the Confederate States. has
been ratified by Conventions In each Of those
States to which Il was referred. TO inaugurate
the Government in its full proportions and upon
its own substantial basis az tie popuIar win n
only remains that elections shoald be beld for
the designation Of the officers 10 administer II
There, Is every reason % believe that At. no
distant day, other States. identified IN political
principles and community of interests with
those which you represent win ioin this Con-
federacy; giving to its typical Constellation in.
creased spiendor-to It's government Of free
equal and sovereign States a wider sphere Of
usefnlness-ahd TO the ifiends of constitutional
liberty greater security Cor It's Harmonious and
perpetual existence -,
II was not however for the purr ose of max
ing this announteuient that 1 have deemed II nv
duty to conyoke you al an earlier day than that
fixed by yourselves for your meeting. The de.
claration Of war made against this Confederacy
by Abraham Lincoln, the President of the Uni
ted States, in his proclamation issued on the if.
teenth day Of the present month. rendered it
necessary, IN my Judgment THAT YOU should
convene at tile earliest practicable moment, TO
devise the measures necessary for the defense OF
The occasion is indeed an extraordinary one
II justiiies me In brief review Of the relations
heretofore existing between us and the States
which now unite in warfare against us, and in a
succinct statement Of fhc events which have re-
suited in this warfare; to the end that mankind
may pass intelligent and impartial Judgment on
its motives and elsjeets. .s,r8 sssii,lf r tt
During the war waged against Great Britain
by her colonies on this continent a common
danger i,npelicd them to close alliance, and TO
the formation Of Confederation, by the terms
of which the colonies, styling themselves States,
entered ''sercraily into a firm league Of friend
ship with each other for their common defense,
the security Of their liberties, and their mutual
and general welfare, binding themselves to as
sist each other against all force offered to, or at
tacks made upon them ar ANY of them, on nc.
count Of religion, sovereignty, trade Or any 9th
er pretence whatever"
In order to guard against any misconstruction
Of their compact, the several States made ex.
plicit declarations, in a distinct article, that
leach State retains ia sovereignty, freedom and
independence, and every power, jurisdiction and
right which is not by this Confederation cypress
IN delegated TO the United States in Congress
assembled" ~ ~ ir9 f''ra
Under this contract of alliance the war Of
the revolution was successfully wagcd, and re-
in 1888, by the terms of which the several
States were, each Jy name, recognized to be in
dependent H aa fl.l.rH
The articles of confederation contained a
clause whereby all alterations were prohibited,
unless confirmed by the Legislatures of every
State, after being agreed to by the Congress -
and in obedience TO this provision, under the
resolution of Congress of the Dist of February.
1887 the several States ap,ointed delepatcs'
,,ress u,,rDos, of revising the articles of conG.J
cy,t;op and renortinc to Eoncrcss and thc sew.
eral Lccislatures. such alterations and provisions
therein as shall when agreed to in Congress,
and confirmed BIZ he States render the Federal
Constitution adeouate to the exigencics of gov
crnmcnt and the preservation of the Union"
IL was. by the delegates chosen. by tho serer-
al States under the resolution lust quoted, that
the Constitution of the United States was framed
in 1887. and submitted to the sereral States for
ratification, as shown by the 9TH article, which
is in these words
DThe ratification of the conventions of mine
States shall be sufficient for the establishment
Of this Constitution RETwEEN the States SO rali-
fying the same"
have italicised certain words in the quota.
tions lust made. for the purpose of attracting
attention TO the singular and marked caution
with which the States endeavored. in every pos
sible form. to exclude the idea that the separate
and independent sovereignty Of each State was
merged into one common Government and ma
t;on. and the earnest desire they eyinced to i'm.
nress on the Constitution It's true character
hat of a eomDoct BETWEEN indepcndent States.
The Constitution OF 1857 having, however,
omitted the clause already cited from the arti.
cles of Confederation which provided in explicit
terms that each State retained its sovereignty
and independence. some alarm was felt in the
States when invited to ratify the Constitution,
lest this omission should be construed into ~
abandonment of their cherished principle. and
thew refused to be satisfied until Amendments
were added TO the Constitution. riacing bcvond
anv pretencc of doubt. the reseryation' by IN,
States. of all their SOVEREIGN rights and mower,
-n,t cxprcssl- delecatcd to Tho limited States
bv the Constit;,t;on 'eI
Stranr,. indeed m,st IL ann,ar 10 the smnar
t;aI ohscgyor but n ;s rone tbs less truc thai
ali tbeSe ca,ofnllv wor5ed clauses nroyed pna
III, % nro,,.nt AZ. r;s. and crnysth in m,
Nor.bsrr s,.tes of a noI;t;c,I school which has
.;stant,. cI.;,n.d tb.t tha Govern ,,,o,t th,,,
e-..'ss 80 80 r-,,,,,,s. a. I.t,,..a States hu,
~. ...s = ef..t n.t;anaI ,ora-nment ct ~,
49, ~ " Ia ~. ,ha S,atas A. oras,;za, ion on
..i ~, a. Co.,. - ss.,ra 49, SIass;,,~ =
~ W 80, sse,.ssoS
az ~. ..S...,,,, sr,'.,s.,s., ~. ~.
hin. Cor their control IL their de,ae.f;c Affairs