Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-03-27
Mr. stephens ON the Constitution of
the SOuthern COnfederaCY.

Mr. STEPHENS, Vice President of the Southern
Confederacy, had large reception at Atlanta,
Georgia. OH the night of the llth inst, on his re-.
turn from Montgomery home. In response to
congatulatory speech from the Mayor, Mr.
STEPHENS thus alluded to the character of the
new Constitution adopted at Montgomery and the
men who framed it:
We had all been Unionists-we were now all
Secessionists For himself he had tried to do
his duty in the United States Congress and in
that at Montgomery. But his Honor. the Mayor
had alluded to the Congress and Government at
Montgomery, and to the Confederate States of
America. In behalf of that assemblage he would
say-and yet as member of that body, perhaps
he should not say it-that il was one of the most
noble and selfsacrificing bodies of men that he
had any knowledge of. For intellectual su-
periorty, for hightoned honor. for integrity, for
patriotism, they stood without superior in this
age. Every man seemed intent on doing all he
could, and the best he could, for his constituents.
and for the advancement of the interests of each
member of the new Confederacy. All personal
ambition and prejudices, all personal anmosities.
all political differences had been buried and they
elch and all as one man, came forward to lend
their aid in the establishment of good Govern
ment, upon correct principles under the admins
tration of good men.
No such revolution had ever been effected In
the history of the world, without boodshed or a
physical struggle. All former revolutions hid
been characterized by excess and bloOdshed
This Congress had adopted permanent Con-
stitution, which, in mlny respects, was an i'm
provement on the old, and it had been unani-
mously adopted South Carolina and Georria,
and Alabama and Florida, and Mississippi and
Louisiana, stood side by SIDE and shoulder to
shoulder, and gave their vote as unit for the
new Constitution. There might be some things
in il not in accordance with the views of some
citizens-some he might object to-there might
have been some things left out some citizens
might have wished inserted, but upon the whole
it was good instrument. and decided improve
ment upon the Constitution of the Unitel States
He wished he had the strength to go into detail.
and show its great superiority.
The grand distinctive difference between the
two instruments was, that the Constitution of tn,
Confederate States was rasel on the acknOwl
edged inequality of the races. The new Govern
ment had for its stone, the gre truth tina
tie descendants Of Ham, by an Almighty decree
were ito be hewers OF wood and drawers of WA
ter''-the servant of servants throughout nj
generations; and that his true normal and scrip
turll condition was one OF inlefiOrity, mentally
politically and socially-of perpetual serytude
The old Constitution, and the old political sys
tenn were based on precisely the opposite view
Madison, and Washington, and Jefferson, whei
the old Constitution formed. believed tina
the institution was passing away, and that
would soon disappear. while the Constitution jus
framed and promulged the organic law of tn
Confederate States regarded the institution rs ex
isting by Divine decree, and to exist until tim
/ should be no more.
The old Constitution was careful to guar
! the mode OF taking the money from the pocket
/ of the PEOPLE. As new nation, poor and with
| out resources. on sterile soil, the trainers c
| that instrument had been careful as to the amour
OF money to be drawn from the people. and ho'
/ it should be drawn. The new Consttu
ton, on the contrary, hld guarded tn
mode of taking the money from the lrelsur
after it had been put there by the people Unde
the old government, the expenditure had bee
run up from what would have dOne-iorty mi
! lions-&and above what had been estimated by til
President and Clbinet-sixty milliOnS-to I'll
enormous sum of eighty millions of dollars pc
annum. This had been done 10y members {
! Congress, who, wanting a tat contract for the
friends themselves would move amendment
TO the appropriation bills, whereby from twent
to forty millions of dollars of the peoples none
had been wasted. For this extravagant expend
ture the President has been unjuStly held respoI
sibe, for the appropriations generally exceede
the sums asked for, and these were made by I'll
Congress But under the Constitution OF IL
Confederate States, no money not asked for b
the Chief Executive, the heads of the ID,
partments could be appropriated, excepting by
two thirds vote.
Under the old Constitution, the matter of ta'
ing one portion of lie people, or one branch
} industry, to sustain another portion OF the Peep
or another branch of industry, and of carryn
on a system of internal Improvements by L
General Government, had been a source of niue
trouble. extravaganza aud dissatisfaction. III
der the Constitution we have framed no apprOpT
ations for internal improvements can be made
! the General Government. Each city and Sta
must bear its own burdens, and provide its ow
avenues and modes of transportation for its ow
commerce. Georgia built her road opening con
E munication with the States lying north Of he
! and paid thousands, perhaps millions, into 4
| United States treasury in the way of duties
iron, and other necessares for the road but
is the policy of this Government to let each Sta
A improve its own modes of communication !
i each city tax its own commerce to improve h
4 own harbors-Ch Charleston hers, and Mobile, Ne
Orleans and other cities theirs.
0 Our Confederacy commenced with but :
4 States, we now number seven, the number
, stars in one of the consultations in the heaven
/ Let no party zeal mislead US; let intelligence al
e virtue govern us, and these States will form q
n nucleus Of the governing power of this hemi
phere.