The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-05-04
PROVISIONAL CONGRESS
OF iBR
CONF j L. II * Tie ST. ATES.


I-4rrtte = tttcs hls been ratified by CouYeu-
tt1.s iu t.scu Oi ta0ae States 10 Wntcn u was
Tst,ggsa. 10 InauSurate the GOstrnment III
u.s. iu4t pIoIoi hOns ana Il pou ITS on subs tan-
....B ut-ls JI toe popular Niil, ~ only remains
ta4} elections should be held Tor the aseigna-
ZION uI tAe officers to administer 10,
Ihesr is every reason u believe that at no
diss.-ut dst, oiAeT States identified Ia pOliIi.
ta4 VIiAtt ptgs Auu community of IaLeft--ts
win tuoSs which you represent u IL! join ttis
CJui,dttaty giAIhs 10 It's TYPICAL coHsieill-
, ,l..t Increased spteud1T-to Us government OF
ir.t.tGntlard soF"Tclgu t1tpe Il wIdcr spnsle
oI us-4uIatss--lnd 20 tue trends OF constItu-
uoa.I noerty greater security Tor ils har-
Ia.Dlou- sAG Pc1prtuiI existence.
H. VAS HUt, however, iJF the purpO.e of
ratai.E luls announcement Ln1t 1 have deem
ed any uuty - cJG oEc goa at an earlier Day
latu tls.t LAaU W yourselves IOr your meet
t.-. IAe Drgiataisun OF var made as@tGst
.i..> CouIeAert.y by Abraham LtnuuIu, tle
F.seulsri vi tne United States, in hi, pIoclI-
n3,stioH lsaAsa GA tue Il Jccatii a-s vi tue pres
tAt .But IA, ,sy-AIctru ii n"o~sstrS al nay Juds
Urut thtt yVh slsou4d tyhHrHe ~ tne earliest
pltttil.tU4 moment, 10 usN tse Lue me- urcs
Necessary loT tar acne" Ui tns country.
i!.r occasion. as !.ursd tn e&tEuOidiLsGy one.
j. yu~ttlts n.t Ia IL btIrI feNIeW ot the rrld.
i,Da= L'fstoipf" existing between US and the
States which now Unite IA warfare against
u-, sad iu "a suCcIuCt statement Of the events
VLI.u H.,ve Isoutte4 la tuis warfare, 10 the
Pad tAat n.4ntina Mag pass Inteiigeht and
tulAruII Judgment o.. as motives ana oo-
jets.
Daring thr war waged against Great Brit
am by her colonies On lnis continent, u COM
mon Danger llu i'riit- them ~ q tIJse alliance,
uut tu l4- formation Ui IL Confederation, by
thr terms oi WhsCu tAe c0!oaJe-, sty Ilns thvin-
F.Itrs ottt's, a. i.Ieu 'StEp "tty IhtO a uFm
I..tu. ot IIIrud-nIp Win t.,cii VtHeT for tieir
common d'ionC., tuc s1cantJ oi tnrIr iber-
1t.5. ana th.ir mutual ana general welfare,
U..41ug M siNts to ar7st edcA Q other against
al. ly4,r oleIrG - II NttirnS made upon them,
u-. ..ay O{ht. puricADe Whatever
/ a llfiTL IUlSCJn5LTuC-
t,tu ot iuElr compact, siae several states ia tde
tEti,pIt declaration, IN "a distinct arLclr, that
..,srh st.U" .tlaDtS ttS sovereignty, freedom
ana l.ut p"HucuCr, and every power, JuTlsdic-
ti1u ANA IlZ ut WIirit ~ not by tni- CUuitdcra-
I.ea stP,'osfg ds3eYattd 10 tAe United states
A., tsa--iess a s"rlDtrd.
{ lrurt tins contract oI alliance, the war OF
the RrSoiuuon WAS successfully wagea, aud
resulted IA lhn treaty o. peace Win Great
HIll.lu IA 1908, " Lae tennis OF winch the
several states were, such bg name recognized
% be independent.
The art,Ies Of confederation contained a
clause WBer, ~ all alterations were prohiD-
s.r.i, us,Iess confirmed Dy the legislatures oi
'rtp htf." alter b"tiB agreed 10 oy the Con-
guess ana IN obedience 10 tins provision un-
Grr Jue resolution OF Congress OF The 2Ist
p. I.roIut.y, 1881, the several states appointed
uelvg ttra VINO .ttt"udpa a Con ven ttOH. nor the
rat, F.td tfDtesS puTpoSG ct revising the arIi-
cirs ui cVnt"derLuJh, ana reporting To Com
Err .s aud the t"A trUi legislatures sUCh alter
atIuus aHd provisions therein rs snail, when
ay.erd u Ia tUHEI"ss, and cvHFrH3cd ~ the
AtI-.a, render III" Federal Constitution ado
1uabs 10 the cXIEeuclrs OF government and the
rrcs.ryAl.uu of the Union"
Il was, by the drIsgH tes chosen. by the ser
csai $'s"ss. uuder the resolution just quoted,
tuIu th" tUnstttNtt3n OF the United = tatrs
SRl- framed nI 1851, aud submitted 10 the SER
rTW &tItsE sur ratification, ia sheWn by the
.Jh article, which is ia Lhecr words
" ine ratification OF the CDnVtHttOaS Anime
N9i,S ehtlI bo sufficient tor the est,hhs nn4ent
ui tul- Consultation BETWEEN me states 80 rdu-
tYlug tRc same "
J have ttlIcised certain words IN the Quo-
tal.Hu last made, for the purpose OF attracting
attention To the Singular and marked caution
k!LH whlcA the States enuraN ored, in every
possible form, 20 exclude the idea that The
rrplrate and independent sovereignty of each
state was merged into one common govern
.uput ana nation ana the earnest dusire
rplucrd to Impress on the Constitu lion its true
chartcier-~that al compact BETWEEN indie
pvtdcnL States.
TIE Consultation Of 17sT having however
uuGttrd the clause already recitrd frOla the
articles 81 confederation, which provided in
explicit terms, that each State retained It's
sovereignty auu independence, some alarm
wHo leit IN the States y hen invited To ratiiy
the Constitution, lest this omission should be
construed INTO du abandonment OF their cher
ished principle, and they refused TO be salts
hrd until amendments were added to the Con.
butntun, pitciug beyond any pIetence of
doubt the reservation by the States OF all
Their sovereign rights and powers-not ex-
I
IuueututiOn,
Strange indeed must it appear to the Impair.
Ual observer, but IL Is none the less true that
all these carefully vorded clauses proved un-
awaiting 10 prevent the rise ana growth in the
Northern States of political school which
hrE pCrSstenty claimed that the government
thus formed was nota com pact bctsoe Il states
tut WIs IN effect q national government, set up
u,aut aud 0uer the States. An organization,
created by the States To secure the blessings Of
hDt'ly ana independence against JoTei ga ag-
8iv~ston, has been gradually perverted lato a
machine tor their control ln their GuHtStL af-
f.-tir IN" crtatHTe has been exalted above its
c'tato'S; tue PTtacipies have been made
borhuaie 10 tie agent appointed by tEem-
SELVES.
Ihe people Of the Southern States, whose
almost exclusive occupation was agriculture
cary perceived a tendency ia the Northern
states 10 render the common government sub
EtrNteut 10 their own purposee, by imposing
burth~ns on commerce "a IA protection 10 their
manufacturing aud shipping interests. Long
ami angry controversy grew out OF these at
trnpts, often successful To beu, iii one section
OF the country AT the ~ peDse of the other
Aud the danger of disFu ption arising from this
cause was euhanced by the fact that the North
trn population Was Increasing by mmigr.-
ttOn and other causes ia greater ratlo than
the population uI the South. BY degrees u
the n Northern states gained preponderance in
Gic National Congress, self-ln tefest taught
their people to yield ready assent to any
pldhnlO- advocacy OF Their right as nlalur-
~ 10 govern the minority without control
they learned 10 Listen with impaLence 10 the
suggestion ot any cons stitntionai inpeniment
10 he exercise OF their VIII, ana so utterly
have the pflnCtp pies oI the Cons II tioh boen
corrupted in the Northern mind, thai III the
Inaugural address delivered by President Lin
coin m March last, he tsseris as an axiom,
" hi1h he plainly deems TO be unGeniaoie, that
the theory OF the Constitution rtquIrts tnat
IN all cases the majority shall govern, aud IN
another memorable instance, tne same Chief
Magistrate did not hesitate 10 llken the fela-
fFt.sr
10 those which exist between Ii county and
the State in which ii is situated aud 10y which
70 Was created. This is the lamentabie aud
tunuaIneutal error on which reefs the policy
that has Cuin mated IN his declaration of war
against these Confederate States.
Ia atidil Ion 10 the long continued and deep
seated resen tment telE by the Southern States
Is the persistent abuse OF the powers they had
deleg ated 10 the CongTess, for the purpose OF
rnrlehing The manufacturing ana shipping
classes of the North at The expense oi the
South, there has eAistedfor nearly lali II cen-
tnry another subject of diseord, involving ia"
teFests OF such tTanscend1nt magnitude, as al
All tIues 10 create the apprehension lu the
minds of many devoted lovers OF the Union,
thtt It's petlnanence WAS impossible.
When the several states Delegated certain
powers 10 The United States Congress, IA large
I,ortion of the laboIlng population consisted
OF african slaves lin por ted lnto the colonies
by lhe mother country. ln twelve oat of the
mir teen STATES Negro slavery existed, and tns
right OF property ln slaves was protected by
law. This property was recognized III the
Cone Il luton, si.d provision Was made against
is ioss by the escape OF the slave. The tn
crease ia tfe number of slaves by further in-
portation from africa was also secured by n
clause toTbiddlpg Congress 10 prohibit the
sIIKa trade anterior 10 certain date aud In
no CLAUSE can there be found apy delegation
cl power 10 the Congress authorizing II In any
manner 10 iegisIate 10 the prejudice, dsIi-
Ment or discouragemenI OF Tue o~ neTAoi thaI
species OF properly, Or excluding II iroia the
proteetiO OF The Government
The tflln. To- aud sail of the n or hern Safes