Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-03-06
Ihe STANDARD.
THE GERMS OF A NEW SECESSION.

ton" Il is also known that this " Congress mas
elected the Hon. jefferson Davis oi MISSISSIPPI %
President and the Hon. A. Ii. Stephens, OF georgia,
rs Vice President of the Confederate states OF
America )" and has enacted as tne iunuaueh'as Jaw
of the new Government the Conshtution oil tne
United States with such alterations as were deemed
cynedient in view of the new conditions which the
Congress was called to meet
We amend few articles or sections OF the provl-
sional Constitution thus inaugurated that our reau
ers may apprehend their bearing or outstanding
questions between the constituents OF the new Con
federation >or between that Confederation anu 'ne
Government of the United States.
The first section of Article is as follows:
All Legislative powers herein delegated shall be
vested this Congress ''o0 assembled until o'her-
wise ordained"
the following provisions:
al. The importation of African negroes from any
foreign country other than the slayenoding States
of the United States is hereby forbidden; and Con-
press is required to pass such laws as shall eectu-
ally prevent the same.
:9. The Congress shall also have power to pro-
hibit the introduction of slaves from any Sate not
member of this Confederacy."
The fifth article is as follows:
1.-THE Congress, by vote of two-thirds, may, at
any time alter or amend this Constitution"
The sixth article contains the following sections:
H9. The Government hereby instituted shall take
immediate steps for the settlement OF all matters
between the States forming it and their other late
oonfederates of the United States in relation to the
public property and public debt at the time of their
withdrawal from them; these States hereby declar-
ing it to be their wish and earnest desire to adjust
every thing pertaining to The common property,
common liability, and common obligations of that
union upon the principles of right justice equality,
and good faith.
IS. Until otherwise provided BY the Congress
IL "a 80 in he Alabama
shall be the seat OF government
~ The members Of the Congress, and all eXecu-
tive and judicial officers of the Confederacy, shall
be bound by oath affirmation to support this
Constitution; but no religious test shall be requr
ed as qualification to any office or public trust I'M
der this Confederacy.
as The Congress shall have power to admit
other States"
Such being the dispositions taken by the Con
gress" assembled at Montgomery, it was perhaps TO
be expected that the originators of the secession
movement would readily conclude that they had spent
their strength for naught If it is to result IN conclu-
slonS no more sound and IN arrangements no more
hopeful than such as substantially existed under the
"effete" Constitution of the United States. As
things now stand the citizens of the new Confedera
ton have simply exchanged Constitution which
was duly ratified by the people of their respective
States for one that has been mprovise6 without the
pretence of any authority derived from the express
ventions which have passed the ordinances Of seces
sion in the several States composing the new Lea
que. This extemporized Constitution will now, in
turn be submitted for ratification to the several Con-
ventions by whose representatives it was formed at
Montgomery. Such being the state of the case We
are sure reader will be surprised to learn that
the pending project, and the legislation already
adopted under it fail to commend themselves to the
approval of those who inaugurated the movement
for Southern independence under the inspiration o.
South Carolina ideas. A single specimen of this e-
glslation is thus appreciated by the Montgomery
correspondent of the Charleston Mercury in his let
ter under date of the 9th instant:
Congress to-day exhibited its usual energy in its
legislation. 1t adopted, by one short act all the
laws of the United States contained hear, in
eight ponderouS volumes And the beauty of the
matter is that they not GterabLe excepting by
toc0thirds Of the bOdy for there being six States,
four necessary to carry law; you hare the
eristing tariff of 1857 Oeer you, which the whole
of New England voted for as promoting their pro-
tected interests Whether it is constitutional under
the nep Constitution, I can form opinion. Ipre-
not for learn that resolution was also adopt
ed ordering the Committee Finance to report, as
soon possible, tariff bill We are getting along
with seyen-leagued boots; and If we have no war
presume the Congress may rise by the 4th of March,
/ have just heard that committee is appointed to
form and report Constitution for the permanent
Government Who constitutes the committee hope
to tell you in my next This is the grand labor of
the Congress
And if such are the views of the Mercurys cor
respondent its editor gives the subjoined unmistak-
able expression to lis dissatisfaction with the pro-
ceedings taken at Montgomery 1t is already evil
dent that disuniOn is not to be sure remedy for all
Southern ills. We quote from the Mercury of the
18th instant:
I" The Provisional Constitution of the Confederate
.States Of america"
sour readers will perceive that the United States
Constitution, with few amendments, has been
adopted, and also, by a sweeping enactment the
United States laws for the temporary government
of the Seeding States confederated at Montgomery
We regret that any Provisional Government
was formed at all, and in two important par
tculars confess to disappointment and surprise at
the Government and laws enacted 1t seems that
the United States Protective Tariff of 1857 has
been adopted, and that positire condemnation of
the 1nstttntion Of sLarery through the slace trade
has been inserted into the Constitution Itself
Neither of these did we expect We did not sup
pos that any Southern Government, whether for a
month or year, would sanction the policy of pro-
tective tariffs. The tariof 1857 is odIous and op-
pressive in its determinations. 1t was made to
favor Northern enterprise at the expense of the
people of the South-a huge free-lst for them, the
burden of taxation for us to bear-and we maintain
is adverse to revenue, unjust in principle and OPP
pressive in practice. Whether this is brought about
by partial remission of duties or partial imposi
tion 1t is still the same in effect. We enter our
protest against the scheme and policy both as regards
ourselves and in the results far foreign nations
are concerned and their friendship, at this time
valuable to u.s. In each respect free trade is The
true policy Of the Confederate States.
We deem it also unfortunate and NAL dpropo.
that tile stigma Of legitimacy and iueqality should
be placed upon the institution of slarery By fun
daDentat lao against the slaue trade. In our opin
ION 1T IS matter Of policy, and not of principle
to be decided noo and hereafter from, sornd p;e,c
Of the necessities and salty of our people. We
think it proper subject of legislation. We are
willing to prohibit it by legal enactment, like any
other topic Of legislation But while England inn
ports her thousands of Coolie slaves, and Franc,
hers under the farcca appellation of apprentices;
while they are striving by these means to compete
with us and supersede US in producing the tropica
productions of slave labor; while we have within
our reach large scope Of fertile territory ncnlt;