Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-04-10

Inc adoption OF the C0nasitutton by the. Con. |
ventions Of tho !" Confederate States.,, IA
!, We learn that both Mr. Clingman and Gov. Bragg.
in their disunion speeches in this City few days
since, lsbofed to break the force Of the argument
against the action Of the disunion leaders in The
ceded States by stating that the people Of this State
did not vote to accept the federal Constitution Tt
is true the people did not vote at the baotbox but
the Constitution was adopted By Convention chosen
for that special purpose. These gentlemen have
eyaded the question, as we shall proceed to show.
The federal Constitution was framed and adopted
in general Convention In 1857. It was then sub
mitted to the States. The Convention to consider
the proprety Of adopting rejecting the Constitu.
ton met in Hisborough, July Dist 1888. After
much deliberation the Constitution was not accept
ed but was laid over for further consideration But
another Convention was called, under a new cleo
ton in 1885, at Fayetteville and this body adopted
the Constitution. The whole question was discuss
ed for the space Of two three years. and the dele
gates were chosen to perform specific duty.
. Now observe the difference between this and the
action of the seeded States. The Conventions in
those States were chosen and assembled to consider
the propriety Of dissolving the existing Union
That, and nothing else uus their business. They
performed it. but instead of terminating their exis-
tence and going back to mingle with the masses Of
the people, they usurped the right to reassemble
and to remain in session as long as they pleased,
and to act on subject with reference to which
of them had been elected. There was no new cleo.
tion as in this State in 1879. There was appeal
to the people to know whether they would adopt or
reject the Constitution of the Confederate States;
but the very men who had taken the States out as
sumed to determine what they should do after they
had gone out, and the people were thus bound hand
and foot without having been consulted at the bal
lot-box Under these circumstances we do insist
that these Conventions owed it to the people to SUBJ
NIT the Constitution of the Confederate States for
their adoption or rejection at the polls. But they
did no such thing either by an election of new dele
gates or by vote at the polls; and the result is,
the people Of tho Confederate States haze had no
coice in adopting their common Constitution. Not
having had new election, with no discussion of
the merits of the Constitution before the people, a
submission of the instrument to them would have
given them a voice for or against it, but repeat
the right to be heard was denied them-denied them
as well at the polls as through new delegates. In
this State in 1889, there were new delegates. The
fullest discussion was had, and the delegates were
chosenby the people and directed to go to Fayette
vile and adopt the Constitution.
We think we have made good our point But
aside from all this insist, as firm believer in
Democratic principles that general rule no Con-
stitution should be regarded as binding until sub
mtted to and approved by the people at the ballot
box. No explanation apology can justify the &C
ton of the leaders in the seeded States While
Messrs. Clingman and Bragg are defending them
here and apologizing for their departure from the
principles on which our government is based, many
Of the leading journals in the seeded States, We
shall show hereafter the Mssissipian it.
self. the great organ of the secessionists-are de-
nouncng the action Of the oligarchs and demanding
that the people shall have voice in determining the
nature of the government under which they and
their posterity are to live.