Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-03-28
The Constitution of the SOUTH
ern C0nfcderacy--Tbc Uitinna-
funi OfthO south.

The Constitution adopted by tie Southern Con-
federacy is the old Constitution Of the United
States with certain explanatory amendments |
which mar be regarded as the ground upen which
the South win agree TO reconstruction of the
Union. Many conservative men of the North
have expressed desire to know upon what
grounds the States could DO joined in fraternal
brotherhood, or divided without war. We regard
the Constitution adopted by the confcderatcd
States as the ground Union, or a division of the
Union. Their Constitution, in addition to the
Constitution of the United States, demands:
lst. That African slavery in the Territories
shall be recognized and protected by Congress and
the Territorial Legislatures.
2nd. That the right TO shareholders of transit
and sojourn in any State of the COnfederacy, with
their slaves and other property, shall be recognized
and respected.
"a. That the provision in regard TO fugitive
slaves shall extend to any slave lawfully carried
from State into another, and there escaping or
taken away from his master.
4th That no bill or post fdcfo law [by Con
gress or any State,) and no law impairing or dc.
nyng the right of property in negro slaves, shall
be passed.
5th That tho African slave trade shall be pro.
hibitcd by such laws of Congress as shall eifectu-
ally prevent the same.
We regard the recognition and protection of
slavery in the territories as an abstraction. The
South claim that the territories arc the common
property of all the States, and that the people of
the several States should have an equal right to
occupy and possess these t. ritories and be there
in protected in the enjoyment of whatever the
laws Of any State makes property. To be brief
a. ybo, Al D. la,
the feelings of the people, the products of the soil
and the adaptation Of the climate it will exist wheth.
er it is protected by law or not. But where it is
not thus sustained all the protection law can give
It will not enable it to exist. The right of slave
holders to pass through any State with their prop
erty has generally been heretofore conceded The
third provision can be easily agreed to. The
fourth has always been acknowledged by the
North. The fifth will be readily approved by al
the North. Upon some other questions, however
there are certain stringent provisions in said Con
sttution which it would he extremely difficult t
persuade our Northern fishermen, manufacturer
and lobby corruptonists to swallow, TO re- -es
tablsh the Union. These provisions include:
LIST. Tho absolute prohibition of all bountic
lIou tiic itucia a. ttbouIJ, anu hll uullcs OT WNB
on imported goods intended TO pramote or foste
any branch of home industry.
End. A positive prohibition of federal appro
prations for internal improvements, and the sub
stitution of local tonnage duties for such improve
ments.
3D.. The restriction Of Congress by maiorit,
vote to such appropriations rs may he recommend
ed by tho President or some executive department
all other appropriations requiring q two-t bird
vote.
4th. The holding of contractors to tho stric
letter ofthoir contracts.
. 9Th. That the Post Office Department shall pa
its own expenses.
These provisions meet our hearty approval.
they had been in force during tho past ten year
millions Of money would have been saved to tho
nation The windling lobbyists and contractor
would have suffered, but their loss would hav
been the peoples gain.
We commend this utimatum of tho Sourh +
tho serious consi 'eraton of tho people. Their
may be, and doubtless il, some things in il that d
not tally with the feelings of tho abolitionzc
Northern people, but for the honor aud prosperit
of this hitherto happy people, and this great am
prosperous nation, could we not compromise upo
1t that peace like the shadow of an angels wing
might hover over these States now discovered an
rent with intestine feuds1