Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-05-08
Ihs STANDARD.
PRESIDENT DAVIS MESSAGE.


70 the Special Session of the Coagrcs. conven-
"a at montgomery, April 2eth, 1854.
Grs7Lrxrs OF THE CONGRESS-:
Il is nv pleasing duty to announce to you that
the Constitution framed for the establishment of
permanent government for the Confederate States
has been ratified by Conventions in each Of those
States to which it was referred To inaugurate the
government in its full proportions and upon its
own substantial basis Of the popular WILL it only re.
mains that elections should be held for the desgna-
ton Of the officers to administer it.
There Is every reason to believe that at no distant
day, other States identified in political principles
and community Of interests with those which you
represent vii, Join this Confederacy; giving to its
typical constellation increased splendor-to its gov
eminent of free, equal and sovereign States wider
sphere of usefulness to the friends Of constitu-
tional liberty greater security for its harmonious
and perpetual existence.
It was not however. for the purpose Of making
this announcement that have deemed it my duty
to convoke you at earlier day than that fixed by
yourselves for your meeting The declaration OF
war made against this Confederacy by Abraham
Lincoln the President of the United States, in his
proclamation issued on the fifteenth day o! the pres
ent month, rendered it necessary, in my Judgment,
that you should convene at the earliest practicable
moment, to devise the measures necessary for the
defence Of the country.
The occasion is indeed an extraordinary one. 1t
iustes me in brief review of the relations hereto
fore existing between US and the States which now
unite in warfare against us and in succinct 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 objects
During the war waged against great Britain by
her colonies ON this continent, common danger i'm
peed them to close alliance and to the formation
Of Confederation by the terms of which the colo
MES. STYLING themselves States entered "sereratty
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 misconstruction of
their compact, the several States made explicit de-
claration in distinct article, that leach State re-
tains it's 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 nae,
were recognized to be independent.
The articles Of confederation contained q 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
provision under the resolution of Congress of the
21st February, 1857, the several States appointed
delegates who attended convention ''for the sole
and cypress purpose of revising the articles Of con-
federation, and reporting to Congress and the sew
eral Legislatures, such alterations and provisions
therein as shall when agreed to in Congress, and
confirmed by the Stotes 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 secerdl
States under the resolution just quoted, that the
Constitution of the United States was framed in
1881, and submitted to the several States for rat
cation, as shewn by the 7th article, which is in
these words:
"The ratification of the Conventions of nine
States shall be sufficient for the establishment of
this Constitution BETWEEN the States so ratifying
the same"
I have italicsed 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 evinced to impress on the Constitution its
true character-that of a compact BETWEEN inde-
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 an 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 the less true, that all these
carefully worded clauses proved unavailing to pre-
vent the rise and growth in the Northern States o.
q political school which has persistently claimed
that the government thus formed was not compact
betoeen States but was in effect national govern
ment, set up above and orer the States. An organ
zation created by the States to secure the blessings
of liberty and independence against foreign aggres
sion has been gradually perverted into machine
for their control in their domestic affairs; the
ture has been exalted above its Creators the prin
cipals have been made subordinate to the agent ap
pointed by themselves.
The people Of the Southern States, whose almos
exclusive occupation agriculture, early perceiv
ed tendency in the Northern States to render tn
common government subservient to their own pur
poses, by imposing burthens on commerce as pro
lection to their manufacturing and shipping inter
ests Long and angry controversy grew out o
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 caus
was enhanced by the fact that the Northern popula
ton was increasing by immigration and other cause
in greater ratio than the population Of the South
By degrees, as the Northern States gained prepon
\ derance in the National Congress, self interes
taught their people to yield ready assent to an,
plausible advocacy Of their right as . majority t
govern the minority without control; they learne
to listen with impotence to the suggestion of an.
constitutional mpedment to the exercise of thei
will and so utterly have the principles Of the Con
stitution been corrupted in the Northern mind
that in the inaugural address delivered by Presiden
Lincoln in March last, he asserts as an axiom whic
he plainly deems to be undcniahle, that the theor
of the Constitution requires that in all cases tn
majority shall govern; and in another memorabl
instance the same Chief Magistrate did not hesitat
to liken the relations between State and the I'm
ted States to those which exist between . count
and the State in which it is situated and by whic
uao created This he ~ end E,rd,