Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-04-13

the Southern congress again Gah"S ee' " ~
State Convention.
"Tbe Convention, in electing delegates to Con-
gress, took nearly all from their own body, ana IL
would seem but Just and proper that the acceptance
of seats in Congress ought to vacate their seats III
the Convention. 1t is mere mockery for the same
men ,cho m ade the Constitution in Montgomery 10
come back to Georgia and ratify ii. They are but
ratifying their own act and holding on 10 TWO onI-
ceS at the same time.
"When the people of Georgia voted for delegates
to 90 to the State Convention they had no idea OF
giving up their rights entirey into the hands oil an
aristocracy, with power to put such Government
over them as they mil ht see fit without giving
them chance to ratify or reject. The queStions
which necessarily grow out Of the adoption OF
new Constitution were not before the people when
the delegates were elected to the Conventions hence
we contend that the new Constitution ought to be
submitted to vote Of the people direct or II ought
to be laid before them-give them chance TO see
what 1t is and then let them have another election
for delegates and elect them upon the questions IN
volved in the new Constitution. When the people
know what the new Constitution is, and either vote
directly to raty it themselves, or elect delegates 10
ratify it in State Convention, they Will be satlshed
and feel themselves bound by it. But, until they
have hearing and a say so as to what kna oil
Government they shall have discomfort and dlscord
will most certainly reign to some extent among
them" -Grifin (Ga) Union
y
ger, endorsed by that paper as an eminent Jurlst,
enters his protest against the whole proceeding in
the following terms:
"If the new Government is to be established, it
must receive the assent of the people in some way
before it can be held to be binding on them They
have been absolved by their State Convention from
allegiance; or if another term is preferable, from
obedience to the Government of the United States
Can their allegiance, obedience, be transferred to
another Government without their consent? II so,
bv whom can the transfer be made? Who invested
any body of men with authority thus to transfer
the allegiance of the people from one Government
to another If the grant of power exists any where
let it be shown. If no such grant exists, then the
people have the right and privilege of deciding for
themselves under what form of government they
will live This is an important right, it is great
and inestimable privilege, and is the foundation OF
free government Indeed without it, what is called
free government cannot exist
"If the State Conventions which were called for
another purpose can assume that they the peo-
pie, that they have the unlimited power of the peo-
pie and can do whatsoever they list and if under
such assumption of power they can appoint dele
gates to General Convention without consulting
the people, and can fix upon them new Govern
ment without their consent, then principle which
has always been considered fundamental in this
country and priced above all price is gone. Let
the people no longer delude themselves with the
notion that they have the right of self government"
From the Columbus (Ga) Inquirer of 29th ut
BAD FEELING IN NORTH ALABAMA.-The telegraph
advised us on Wednesday that President Lincoln
had appointed Hon. George W. Lane Judge of the
Federal District Court of Alabama. We are not adj
viSed whether Judge Lane was an applicant for the
appointment, or whether he will accept it now that
it has been conferred upon him. But We know that
he lives in North Alabama, and that in that over
whelming Democratic region there is still strong
manifestation not only of repugnance but of actous
opposition to the government of the Confederate
States and it is for the purpose of recognizing and
fostering this feeling that this appointment has been
made. We have heretofore endeavored TO ignore
this disaffection in North Alabama but it seems to
have now taken such definite form as to require no.
tice We therefore note the dnimus of two recent
popular meetings in that section, reports of the
ton of which now before us. At Athens, Lime
stone county, the 18th instant adjourned meet
ing re-assembled at which resolutions sustaining Sc
cessOn and the government of the Confederate States
were offered and rejected, and in their stead the
meeting, by vote Of 139 to 60 passed resolutions
demanding that the Constitution of the Confederate
States (then ratified by the Convention Of Alabama)
should be submitted to the people, and declaring in
favor of reconstruction whenever the non-SlavehOld.
ing States give suitable guarantees &c. There may
not be anything factiOuS in this, but the Athens
Banner of the Goth, reporting the action of the
meeting, adds that " the people of Limestone have
no idea of being deprived Of the privilege of recon-
structiOn, whenever a suitable occasion arrives any
than they have OF Surrenderng their rights as
freemen to the tftyfOur secession delegates of the
Convention, who assume to be the State of Alaba-
ma" This looks like rebellious opposition, and
reputation Of the authority of the Convention.
Still more revolutionary were the proceedings of
public meeting held in Frankfort, Franklin coun-
ty the 22d inst, and reported in the Tuscumbla
North Alabamian. The resolutions adopted by this
meeting approve the course Of their delegates in re-
fusing to sign the Secession Ordinance denounce
the refusal to submit the Ordinance to a popular
vote; deny the right Of secession declare the Union
perpetual and announce that they will not willing
~ give our support to the State of Alabama in her
present stand, but will do all that We can to the
contrary" also, THAT our Congressional nominee
if elected, is to represent In the United States
Congress, and not in this socaed Southern Con-
federacy." There can be no question that this is
faction and revolutions it is refusing to submit to
law and authority, and recognizing allegiance to
foreign power. We, and the members generally of
the party with whom have been associated, al
ways acquiesce in the decision of the State express
sed in a constitutional and legal manner, however
much we may be opposed to the policy before its
adoption. History must do the Wing party the JUS
tice to record that it was never party of faction
violence, but always submitted peaceably and with
good grace to popular decisions and the laws of the
land We rejoice in the conviction that the recent
and existing extraordinary political connections fur
nsh no exception to this rule There members
of our party who condemn the action of the Con-
vention, and the Congress-some, perhaps, who
look forward hopefully to a reconstruction under
proper guarantees; but they know medium but
the ballot-box, and cheerfully acknowledge ale
glance and perform their duties to the new govern
ment. Very different seems to be the feeling in
many parts of Democratic North Alabama.
In view of these manifestations, is not the new
Government pursuing very unwise policy in still
adhering to old party divisions in its appointments
to Office and dispensation of official favors Why
prescribe the Wing party, which manfests no fac
ton, and recognize worthy of confidence or favor
only party that furnishes so many factious NAL
contents?
THINGS WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND.
1st How five hundred men, Judges, Clerks, Mar
shas, Post Masters &c. sworn to discharge their du
ties under and support the Constitution of the Uni