New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-04-09

I ON rnH-
ADOPTION OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE CON
FEDERATE STATES OF AMEEIoA.
Mr.. President: 1t is with great regret that now
address the Convention. Nothing but q sterr
sense of duty could induce me to do it. The &C
is not of my seeking. have endeavored to ayoit
it. But the irregular and nconsldefate course pur
sued to-day by this body has left me no alternative
An early, Jealous, and steadfast friend of tht
| Southern movement, have given close attention
to the principles involved, and the policy to be
| pHrsued. Without rehearsing them in detail, may
| safely say the adoption of Constitution for the
Permanent Government Of the Confederate States
is the most important On the 10th of January
last, we passed an ordinance providing for the elec
ton of six delegates to the delegates of the
other seeding States in Convention at Montgom
cry. We provided among other things:
That said Delegates be instructed aid in forming Provis
os Government The basis Of the Constitution Of the Uni
ted sse for such States as have secedad may eced b
1 Cd d. and PIT % bstG The 4h Of MaFe s6i
forthwith consider prpose Constitution plan
Peraanen GoytEnn,en f. snch States whca proposed plat
adoption rejection.
Under the provisions Of this ordinance six dele
gates were elected. They proceeded to Montgom
cry and, in conjunction with the other delegates
| organized as a Congress. They adopted Proyis
| ional Constitution, they formed a Provisional Gov
ernment, and immediately engaged in Legislation
under it. Meantime, they proceeded with closed
| doors to consider plan for a Permanent Govern
ment. The result OF their labor we never knew
officially until yesterday. 1t is true, we had tele
graphic reports day or two before. But they
were SO manifestly erroneous in some particulars
| that no certain reliance could be placed on them
AT various intervals during the session of this
body yesterday, and in my library last night, ex
amined as far possible. this Constitution 1t oc
| Cured to me some notifications would adapt il
better to our wants; and, hence, introduced a
| few minutes ago the following resolution;
"Resozred. That the Constitution recently adopt
| ed by the Montgomery Convention be referred ta
Committee Of Eleven, to be appointed by the
President, with instructions to report what action
| should be taken thereon. And if the committee
Shall report in favor of its ratification to report
also such amendments Gf, in their opinion, any
| ought to be recommended) as will make the Con.
sttution safe as fundamental law, and acceptable
| to the people,
| accompanied this resolution with some explain
| atory remarks to this effect: " that there was no
| doubt of the almost unanimous disposition of the
Convention to ratify the Constitution; but insist
| ed that matter of such gravity should be acted
| on with calmness and deliberation; and that as
| the people of Louisiana were now assembled in
| Convention, the opportunity should not be lost of
| Suggesting amendments in the very form pre-
scribed by the Constitution if it was the sense of
the Convention itrequired amending.4 And took
occasion to say, that the principal amendments to
the Constitution of the United States, suggest
| ed BY the Conventions that ratified it.n
| | had scarcely taken my seat when the gentle
man from Plaquemine moved to take up the Per-
| manent Constitution to-day, and adopt it section
! by secsion The gentleman from Baton Rouge
| moved as an amendment that the entire Constitl-
ton be adopted by acclamaton; and in this shape
the question now stands. 1t seems to me the mo-
| ton is alike unsuted to the importance of the
| subject and the impressiveness of the OCCASION
Neither in ancient annals nor in modern history is
precedent to befOund for unusual a proceeding.
Nor do venture too much in asserting that it will
| never find parallel in all coming time. The at
tempt with ''hip, hip. hurrah U without reflec-
ton discussion or deiberation to adopt a funda-
W fOr9 p free nd iOta
to me like broad farce whilst the proposition to
adopt the Constitution whole without Opportu-
nifty of suggesting amendments puts each member
| in the very awkward attitude of voting for much
that he dsapproves by voting for the Constitutions
or OF voting against much that he approves voting
against the Constitution Indeed, if the character
OF the gentleman from Baton Rouge was not above
all suspicion, eminent for directness and single
| ness of purpose, his motion might be well CON.
strued into covert attack upon the Constitution
ITSELF the intelligence of the Convention that framed
1t, and the discretion of this body to whom is
| presented for adoption rejection
AS the matter stands we compelled to adopt
the opinions of others, however defective and to
| suppress our own, even if it could be shown they
were adapted to the emergency; or to arrest
the consummation of revolution set on foot by our
own energy, and deprive ourselves of the benefits of
q movement in which all our interests are involved
All, therefore, who do not agree precisely with
every clause of the Constitution are now compelled
to vote under moral and Intellectual duress. We can
not afford to defeat the plan for Permanent Gov
ment, because we stand on the perilops edge of
civil war and anarchy. If we ratiiy the Cons.itu-
ton without suggesting amendments, and in silence
1t will be construed as an adoption of all its pro-
visions and an endorsement of all the principles en-
bodied in it, The only logical course to be taken
then, is to vote for its ratification after stating our
objections to it.
For one, am free to say, that so far as the Con-
federate Constitution is copy of the Constitution
of the United States, it meets my appreciation.
Several changes, too, think, have been adopted
with great ADVANTAGE. Particularly that one which
gives the President the power to veto any one item
in the appropriation BILL whilst approving the bal
ance. This will have the effect OF eXtirPating that
vile system of log-rong legislation, so long dis
grace to the Congress of the United States, and of
drying up the sewers of corruption that aided in
sapping and undermining its Government.
The omission of the general welfaren clause
in the present Constitution is also gain. 1t was
the prolific OF disturbing agitation under the
old Government. Vagrant powers claimed by lati.
tudinarian constructionsts, that could derive no
vitality from specific grants, by common consent
of their advocates found resting place on this
clause. For getting us rid of this cause of annoy
ance, the Montgomery delegates are entitled to our
thanks. There are other alterations for the better
that have not time to notice.
But l am reluctantly constrained to say, there
have been some changes made by the Montgomery
Convention, that it permanently adhered to- will,
Aud because intend to vote for the ratification of
the Constitution, aud am unwilling that my vote
given now. shall, hereafter, be construed into
an approval, on my part. OF all its provisions take
occasion to point out what, in my opinion, are de-
fects, and hope, as the Convention will not now
attend to it, early future will correct by way of
amendments.
When the ordinance providing for submitting the
Permanent Constitution to the people was intro
duced the other day by the gentleman from Avoy-
elles tNr. Cannon) told him the principle H.
volVed in it was right; that as government must
be supported and maintained by the people, it
could only rest firmly their consent and that it
was important to have formal expression of that
consent. But believing with him that it would be
ratified by an Overwhelming majority of the popu-
lar vote, / declined to sustain his PROPOSITION
because of the delay it would occasion. Fearing
that the Government at Washington would not
recognize our independ nee, so long as plausible
preteXt could be urged against it; fearing also
that European powers would decline to recognize
until a Permanent Constitution should have
been adopted and appreheuding that in the mean
time the concentration of troops at points along
the coast, in the neighborhoOd of certain forts
might lead to collision, and that collision lead to
a war, felt compelled, in order to avert great
calamity, to prevent the delay by voting against
submitting the Constitution to the people.
For similar reasons, am now obliged to vote
for the Constitution, and avail myself of the
occasion to point out my objections.
1t seems to me that that part Of the second para
graph Of the sixth section of the first article,
which authorizes Congress to give seats to the
cabinet Ministers on the floor of either House with
the privilege of discussing any measure appertain-
ing to their respective departments, is a grave
M nF