Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1862-09-26

mission to government WHICH LIB ioeie'nA
| ed decree Of death against every loyal Glued
of the Conlederacy, and dispensing with Inc
Constitution, to enable us the more effective
" TO make good our protection against such
= government, l should, without hesitation,
adopt the latter course. would cast aside,
for the occasion, the Constitution itself, If 1t
presented an obstacle to the successful de-
ycopment of the warlike resources and
strength of the people Of the Confederacy
in ihls momentous struggle. would take
for my guide the higher la~ of sef-de!snce.
Struggling for existence against The monstrous
despotism of the Lincoln government the
living principle Of freedom and equality OF
right would still abide in the hos"ms ot the
Southern people, to deveiop itself with re-
i1nnlet ygor ut the close Of the war.
But the nee, ssitv OF such 2 choice Is not
PRESENTED to us. The policy Of consumption,
as proposed lay its supporters, is not only
intrinsically just, hut is in strict accord With
The letter and spirit Of the Constitution.
TO solve this question, It Is only necessary
TO consider the objects ri the formation Of the
tioyernment-the reasons which influenced
the several State; 10 delegate the powers eX-
pressly stated, or clearly implied, in the Con-
stltu,ion. 1t was not established ID take care
OF The local interests. or TO manage ths do
nestle affairs of the several States. The OBJ
iect of the States in crealing the central gov
crnuent was The mana cement. of their internal
aud foreign relations. They invested il with
the power to declare and TO wege war for the
common defence. BY Tie light Of this fact
arc questions Of power like the one now I'M
der consideration to nc determined. TO carry
out this object. the Confederate Government
il authorized by the states, ~ declared in the
| Constitu ion:
! ITO raise TeremIG Necessary to pay the
debts, proviIz lor the Commnn defence"
IL
"f6 declare war. &c.
"'rO raise aud SUPPORT armies, &c.
"To provide and maintain Navy"
In the 18th paragraph Ut the Sth section,
it is declared TINT Congress- shall nave pow
er 10 make ali laws @Aitd shalt he necessary
and proper to"s carrying !ato execution thr
}0regothy .po,ceF$.
These grants explain the PURPOSE Of the
! establishment Of the Government. The States.
Lot sufficiently strong, each 10 MAINTAIN IT.
| self against turtigh assault, have formed
. covenant for their conn1n protection. The
delegation Of the powers here enumerated,
we:r necessary 10 the accomplishment Of this
power. The Government could nat carry OH
! war unless authorized tn raise and support
armies. The pnwcr for the .Otjec; dtHHCd,
Is ample and unqualified II is the province
! oi the Government TO determine how this
power Shall be exercised. II II choose To raise
armies By calling ior voluntary cnllstrnents,
: as under lie Provisional Government, it has
J ba bn. m do NJ hn npprn-
ed NECESSARY and proper" to adopt the lnuie
| rn,iIul,': and effective plan ~ CanStriptlon
! llIr authority Is equally clear
; Tie clauses which | nave cited are borrow
rd from the Constitution Of the United States,
and originated i'll necessity which was
| shown TO r4lst when tn. articles o COnteie-
! ration We're in Gorar. Tho WAT our ancestors
waeeh for the achievement of the liberties
winch II is our duty to preserve un,mpalred,
was prosecuted in the precise manner prnpns-
I'll 10y The opposnrs 0i this policy. The States
, ;.vle the agencies tfurhgh which troops We're
, brought into the service, and the history OF
that period is rtplstc with facts Illus
trutng the imperfect and inefficient workings
Of the system. The correspondence Of ten.
Washington throughout The struggle is ui:e
Continued recital nI tile i.ili'uIues grGwIg
,,ilt If ii, winch he was compelled to sur
! mount in the pathway 70 INDEPENDENCE. Al
lhc close of the wRr, III dISbandng TIE ARMY,
Ia. addressed d letter TO the GorerliJl5 I! ell
;h: States; full Of in>trucuou On th. subject.
From TIL. letter submit vi extract. Il, Io!-
lows:
~ could lrIIunsirate To every mini open
70 col vctlon that IN itSs time. und riti much
! -, fho
might natc becn brought to me SREIe happy
conclusion. u ,!s rsHnHrcgs Of the c"H:tnenf
ronii haC. neen property ,irG;ta ,iorfh that
the diS,reSsrs and disappointment, "hlcn have
very otter mi:..rrci, have, in too many in
slu,.Cr>, rt.Ei'.d MGR" from ,tani ~ sner9y IN
Hc Continental G0r:rRmcRt than deficiency
of means i'll the particular Stats'. Flat the IN
eptcar2 Of measures arising from iht irdm Of
an uueguate aEtaoWg m the Supreme pucer,
nom a partiri 0m,.ii-Tcc with the re4uSi-
iian:; CT Congress in SOmt ~ The states. aid
from the failure OF punctuaIity in others,
Yhilc II tended H. iaJnprn the zeal 81 those who
were NOR. willing TO exert themselves. Ssr:ed
as" IN accumulate thr sTp"nseS ~ The wHr, dnd
20 frMSi5nts n. ds:t c2h'e'tsd plans aud tina:
the encouragement occaSiontd By the crin-
piicatcd difficulties ans; amharraSSmenL> ~
u hich Iur affairs we're ty tHtS mcH!t' Involved,
would have long ngo produced the dissoln-
ton IT any army less patient, less vlrtncuS,
Nil; less ptrarTe1ing than thai winch have
ba1 the hon1r 10 command. Eut. while |
mention Chese things, which are notorious
facts, aS liz d"tfc;a Z; nhr Ft.!srd| Comstitu-
iica, particularly III the prosecution OF var:
beg it may tie understood. Lhat. IL {, have
cYrr ,aknn pleasure in gratefully aCEE1"-
Ir.:ing thr asSs.aner and support have de
rived i!u,n r.rr.' cis". u r,IGrus," ~.
Here we havr recorded the result I'll tie
experience OF the great leader If the AIner-
can armies iii ilL WAT 81 the hrst revolution.
The difficulty, expense, ana tont'iSI+a result
Ing ir0Ih the SYSTEM advocated ~ the oppo-
Su:' ~: the CONSUMPTION plan-th- sagHe "id
iisc0rdunt arrangements consequent Upon
such a System, were shown, and the States
we're eXhoTted TO form n government armed
with sufficient power 10 protect itself tlence
the adoption for tho United States Of the plan
n { Envcrnment after which the Constitution
Of the Confederate States s- fashioned. And.
yet. intelligent members, IN tho pursuit Of il
deceptive phantom, or vague abstraction,
have appealed u the House To disregard these
Lessons of the past, and to destroy the sys-
ten already LriuGaph:itly tested by our own
government. and in the full tide OF successful
operation.
Ii is due to candor 10 say That pretnr the
bill which mas been semi Ia tins i!:;asc by the
Senatr Tor lls concurrence, to the measure re-
ported from the Committee un Military y Hairs.
.he latter cInho,lles the principle for which !
lave contenIc;l, hat i'll my Judgment, does
aot 80 speedily and effectively carry out the
policy adopted by the iate Congress. The
Senate bill presents the i=auc fairly, aid IS
serLa without evasion III circu mlacul;on the
,lll! principle Of the Constitution.
1t is All ,,;i.,ectnly proceeding :or !his body
to tri!!e with a great questinn. The Bill OF
the Committee. while clearl asserting the
power and the duty of the Government TO
consc7ipt .ruona within the States, but lentis
,oun1anancl q TIC absurd ASSUMPTION that