Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-03-31
The Constitution.
from the n. 0. Pieayune, March 10

From the n. Q. Pieayune, March 49,
The Convention decided last Saturday. by
an overwhelming majority, that they will not
submit the Constitution to the people. 1t
was fearful responsibility they have assum-
ed, and one which carries with it the obliga-
ton to see that the State receives no harm
from the compact which they are about to
adopt, for they have disarmed her of the right
to see it for herself 1t is not our purpose
now to question the propriety of that deci-
sion or to urge its reconsideration. We have
nothing to add on that subject to what has
been already said. But we would call the at
tention of the convention to an article in the
new constitution which in the not improba-
BILE progress OF events, may prove SO mimi
cal to the interests of Louisiana, that we
should be derelict in duty were we not to
protest against it as part of compact
which is to bind her forever. We do not fat
ter ourselves that what we have to submit in
relation to that clause will have much weight
with the Convention, but it concerns us to
put ourselves right upon the record, that we
may not accuse ourselves of being silent
when we thought the interests of the State
were in danger of being compromised With
becoming Difference to the opinions of those
who may differ from us, we shall proceed to
quote the article, and comment upon it, with
out reserve.
The third section of the fourth article of
the constitution contains the following pro-
vision in relation to the admission of other
States into the Union:
'Other States may be admitted into this
Confederacy by vote of two-thirds of the
whole House of Representatives, and two
thirds OF the Senate, the Senate voting by
States"
What was the object of the two-thirds re-
striction upon the admission of other States
into the Confederacy? What was its design?
And at what does it aim, whether so designed
or not? The convention debated this as 9TH
er important measures, with closed DOORS
We have, therefore. no opportunity OF can
wasting the reasons assigned for the restric-
ton; but We can imagine them. 1t may have
been avowedly to hinder any free State from
entering the Confederacy; but does Con-
gress of slave States require curb on this
point? The provisions giving to masters the
right OF transit or sojourn in all the States,
with their slaves, and establishing the invio-
liability of slave property in the territories,
are sufficient to keep any free State from ap-
plying for admission, whilst the subject of
slavery is bone of intersectional conteu-
ton. Whatever may have been the reasons
assigned for this restriction, whatever may
have been its design, its effect is to give to
the Atlantic States forever the power of de-
Gliding the direction in which the empire of
the Confederacy shall exyand, and OF pro-
hibiting its extension along the valley of the
Mississippi. ANY three States on the sea-
board, whose commercial or political inter-
ests may be, or may ever be, in rivalry with
the river States, or with Louisiana, can say
to the Confederaey, thus far shalt thou go
and no farther. The clause is designed to
forestall developments which may arise in
the progress of Government, respecting the
States which lie upon the great tributa-
ries of the Mississippi-it is aimed at what
might prove to be commercial, social and
political, as it has been regarded by many
as physical necessity of this State. 1t has
q hostile and menacing squint
The policy of forming permanent govern
ment 10 the midst of revolution is, at least,
a doubtful one. Unless the trainers of the
constitution enjoyed more than mortal ex-
emption from the weaknesses of human ma
ture, it might be expected that constitution
SO formed would bear more traces OF the pas
sions which produced the revolution than
might prove consistent with the future we'll
being of the State. Whilst we cheerfully
admit that the Montgomery Convention ac-
quilted itself, in this regard, with as much
forbearance as could have been hoped; yet
the restriction we are treating of is just that
much excess OF the requirements of right
reason. The clauses relating to slavery are