Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-05-08
III Sfapeafo.
PRESIDENT DAVIS MESSAGE.
To the Special Session of the Congress conven-
Id AT Montgomery, April 26th, 1861.

b.s hcan ratified by Conventions in each oil those
states m which il was referred 10 inaugura'e Tue
government in its full proportions anu uYon IN
own substantial basis Of the popular win; Shiy to
mains that elections should De helo lot 'he ues's""
tion pf the officers to administer IL
;s everv reason to believe that at no distant
d,v otber States identified in political principles
md community of interests with those which you
renresent will Join this Confederacy; giving to It's
tvn;cal constellation increased spendor-to lts gov
eminent of free, equal and sovereign States wider
snhere of usefuness-and to the rlends OF co"S.i'u
tional liberty greater security for us HARMONIOUS
and perpetual existence.
II was not however, for the purpose OF making
tbis announcement that have deemed 1t my duty
70 convoke Won at an earlier day than that liked by
yourselves for your meeting. The declaration OF
gy.r made against this Confederacy by Abraham
lincoln the President of the United States in his
nrocamation issued the fifteenth day o! the pres
emf month, rendered it necessary, In my Judgment,
that YOU should convene at the earliest practicable
moment, to devise the measures necessary LOT tne
defence of the country.
The occasion is indeed an extraordinary one 1t
;usti6es me in brief review of the relations hereto
fore existing between US and the States which now
unite in warfare against us, and in succlnct state
ment of the events which have resulted in this war
fare 10 the end that mankind may pass Intelligent
and impartial judgment on its motives and oolects.
her colonies on this continent, common danger i'm
nelled them to a close alliance, and to the formation
of Confederation, by the terms of which the colo
MES STYLING themselves States entered "seueratty
into firm league of friendship with each other for
their common defense the security OF their liberties
and their mutual and general welfare, binding them
selves to assist each other against al force offered
to, or attacks mace upon them or any OF them, on
account of religion sovereignty, trade or any otner
pretense whatever"
In order to guard against any msconstructlon OF
their compact, the several States made explicit de-
claraton, in distinct article that "edch State re-
tains its sovereignty, Freedom and independence,
and every power, Jurisdiction and right which is not
by this Confederation expressly delegated to the
United States in Congress assembled
Under this contract of alliance the war OF the
revolution was successfully waged, and resulted in
the treaty of peace with Great Britain in 1888, by
the terms of which the several States each By name
were recognized to be independent
The articles of confederation contained a clause
whereby all alterations were prohibited, unless con-
frmed by the Legislature of erery State, after being
agreed to by the Congress- and in obedience to this
proyision under the resolution Of Congress of the
2lst February, 1887, the several States appointed
delegates who attended a convention for the sole
and erpress purpose of revising the articles of
federation, and reporting to Congress and the
eral Legislatures, such alterations and provisions
therein as shall when agreed to in Congress, and
confirmed By the States render the Federal ConSt-
tuition adequate to the exigences of the government
and the preservation of the Union."-
1t was, by the delegates chosen, by the sererGl
States under the resolution Just quoted, that the
Constitution of the United States was framed in
1857 and submitted to the sereraL States for ratfi
cation, as shewn by the 7th article, which in
these words:
"The ratification of the Conventions of nine
IL IL
this Constitution BETWEEN the States SO ratifying
the same"
have italicised certain words in the quotations
Just made for the purpose Of attracting attention to
the singular and marked caution with which the
States endeavored in every possible form, to ex-
clude the idea that the separate and independent
sovereignty of each State was merged into one COM
mon government and nation; and the earnest desire
they evnced to impress on the Constitution its
true character-that of a compact BETWEEN indie
pendent States.
The Constitution of 1887 having, however omit
ted the clause already recited from the articles of
Confederation, which provided in explicit terms,
that each State retained its sovereignty and indie
pendence, some alarm was felt in the States when
invited to ratfy the Constitution lest this omission
should be construed into abandonment of their
cherished principle, and they refused to be satisfied
until amendments were added to the Constitution,
placing beyond any pretence of doubt the reserva-
ton by the States of all their sovereign rights and
powers-not expressly delegated to the United
States by the Constitution.
Strange indeed must it appear to the impartial
observer but it is none the less true that all these
carefully worded clauses proved unavailing to pre-
vent the rise and growth in the Northern States of
a political school which has persistently claimed
that the government thus formed was not a compact
6etpeen States but in effect national govern
ment set up dboUe and oUer the States. An organ
izaton created by the States to the blessings
of liberty and independence against foreign aggres-
sion, has been gradually perverted into machine
for their control in their domestic affairs the cred
ture has been exalted above its creators the priR-
cipals have been made subordinate to the agent ap
pointed by themselves.
The people of the Southern States, whose almost
exclusive occupation was agriculture early perceiv-
ed tendency in the Northern States to render the
common government subservient to their own pur-
poses, by imposing burthens on commerce as a pro-
lection to their manufacturing and shipping inter-
ests. Long and angry controversy grew out of
these attempts, often successful to benefit one Sec
ton of the country at the expense of the other ;
and the danger Of disruption arising from this cause
enhanced by the fact that the Northern popula-
ton was increasing by immigration and other causes
in greater ratio than the population of the South
By degrees, as the Northern States gained prepon-
derance in the National Congress, self interest
taush their people to yield ready assent to any
plausible advocacy of their right as a majority to
govern the minority without control; they learned
to listen with impotence to the suggestion of any
constitutional impeachment to the exercise of their
will; and so utterly have the principles of the Con-
stitution been corrupted in the Northern mind,
that in the inaugural address delivered by President
Lincoln in March last he asserts as an axiom which
he plainly deems to be undeniabe, that the theory
Of the Constitution requires that in all cases the
majority shall govern; and in another memorable
instance, the same Chief Magistrate did not hesitate
to iken the relations between State and the Uni
ted States to those which, exist between a county
and the State in which it is situated and by which
it was created. This is the lamentable and funda-
mental which rests the policy that has cul
minated IN his declaration of war against these
Confederate States
In addition to the long continued and deep seated
resentment felt by the Southern States at the per-
sistent abuse Of the powers they had delegated to
The Congress- for the purpose of enriching the man.
ufacturng and shipping classes of the North at the
expense of the South there has existed for nearly
half century anOther cnhiocf of discard