Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-07-10
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE UNITED STATES AND con-
Unil.d States Corstit,tion-Preamblt

United States Consta,aion-Pr Preamble
We, the People of the United States, in order to
form more perfect Union, establish justice insure
domestic tranquility, provide for the common de-
fence promote the general welfare and secure the
blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity
do ordain and establish this Constitution for the
United States Of America.
Confederate States ConStihdiOn-P Preamble.
We the people of the Confederates States, each
State acting in its sovereign and independent char
aCter, in order to form permanent federal govern
ment establish justice, insure domestic tranquility,
and the blessings of liberty to ourselves and
our posterity-invOking the favor and guidance of
Almighty GOd-do ordain and establish this Consti-
tuition for the Confederate States of America.
The true meaning of the first seven words in the
Preamble to the United States COnstitution-'we
the people of the United States has been severely
controverted in all the discussions which have in
volyed the real character of the government formed
by the constitution. Those who have maintained
thar the government strictly national, have
placed great stress on these words Indicative of
its national character. The class of statesmen who
have held this position insisted that the constitution
not binding between the States as distinct com
munities, but between the American people in the
aggregate; who, in consequence of the adoption of
the constitution became people, at least to the
extent of the delegated powers. On the other hand
those statesmen who maintained that the govern
ment formed by the constitution was strictly Fed
era in its character, insisted that the expression,
1--WE the people of the United States, meant no
more than to speak of the people of the several
States in their united and confederated capacity.
In the Confederate States Constitution the latter
construction it being the construction Of all States
Rights men, has been adopted. The language: 1--WE
the people of the Confederate States, each State
acting in its sovereign and independent character"
is explicit and unambiguous, but it does no more
than to adopt the meaning given to the language
1--WE the People of the United States"-by all States
Rights politicians 1t only asserts distinctly the great
msterIal fact that the Confederate States Constitu
ton is adopted and ratified by the people of the
several States in their sovereign and Independent eapa
ci as Saes-a historical fact just true in regard
to the adoption and ratification of the Constitution
of the United States.
1t was with the like purpose of guarding against
future controversies growing out of the use of
ambiguous and indefinite language that the term
more perfect Union'-is substituted by the more
explicit one-"a permanent federal government
and the terms-"common defence" and general
welfare"-are entirely omitted. The insertion of
the language" invoking the power and guidance of
Almighty supplies an omission in the United
States Constitution which has been the subject of
frequent criticism.
United States COastdaton-ArticIe l. Section 2.
The House of Representatives shall be composed
of members chosen every second Year by the Peo-
PIE of the several States, and the Electors in each
State shall have the Qualifications requisite for
Electors of the most numerous Br .uch of the State
Legislature.
Confederate States COnStitdiOn-Art. l Sec. 2.
l. The House of Representatives shall be COM
posed OF members chosen every second year by the
people of the several States and the electors in
each State shall he citizens of the Confederate States
and have the qualifications requisite for electors of
the most numerous branch of the State Legislatures
but person of foreign birth not citizen of the
Confederate States shall be allowed to vote for any
officer, civil or POLITICAL State or Federal.
The two sections differ only in one particular
the former leaves the question of suffrage to be set
tied exclusively by the States-the latter imposes
The restriction that none but citizens, either native
Or naturaized shall be allowed to vote for any off
GER. Under the former-the Federal Constitution |
practice had grown up in several of the Northern
States of allowing foreigners to vote for members
If the Legislature before they had become natural
zad citizens. This practice of doubtful con-
,titutionallty and was believed to be wholly wrong
a principle To remove all doubt on the subject, |
md to make it certain that none but citizens either