Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-08-02
For the Appeal ]

| Ohio, on the subject of the church and the gov
ernment, you used the following remarkable
| language 81 have discovered the Demon o
Logic which is at the bottom of our difficulties,
1t is this-sssuming false premises, and reason
ing correctly to incorrect conclusions" You
then go on to show that this logical Demon az
ssrts that the States were soyereignties before
independeucy. You dispute this position, and
declare all assertions of sovereignty to be false
premises-bus wonderful to say, sir, you do not
pretend to make any proof In a set speech be-
fore an august body of distinguished divines,
representing a large majority of one of the
largest religious denominations in North Ameri-
Ca you deem it altogether sufficient to give the
lie direct to one of the plain matters of history
believing, no doubt, that your assertion, false as
it was, could stand good against documentary
evidence.
This is fair specimen my dear Doctor, of the
consummate ignorance which prevails in the
North upon the elementary principles of the
government founded by Washington and the
fathers of 70
When learned doctor Of divinity denies that the
States before independence were separate SOW
ereigntieS, and when large majority of ono of
the most learned assemblies On the American
continent becomes so completely stultfed as to
agree with him in this denial, is it matter Of
wonder that so illiterate e creature as A. Lincoln
should publish to the world themanfest absurd
ity that the UniOn existed before the Statesl
But lot history speak for itself
When did each State become sovereign2
James Monroe has answered the question In his
celebrated message on Internal Improvements
in 1922, he says "the Declaration of Iudepend-
-bok b,I baf
in substance. 1t announced to the world new
States possessing and exercising complete 500
ereignty, which they were resolved to maintain"
This is plain language, and he that runs may
read. Notice the order of events, as laid down
in cur histories
l. The power of the crown was abrogated by
the people.
2. All authority was then vested in the
people, and each State or colony possessed all
the elements of sovereignty, manifested in the
three departments of government, legislative,
judicial and executive.
3. In the exercise Of this authority and SOW
ereignty, each separate State appointed dele
gates to Congress, and this Congress was the
agent of the States.
a. The Congress, acting by authority re-
ceived from the States, declared their indepen-
dence Of Great Britain.
5. About ono year and four months after the
Declaration of Independence the Articles of Con
federation were adopted. The second article
gays Each State retains its sovereignty, free
dom and independence, and every power and
right not expressly delegated to the United
States"
g. Ten years afterwards the Constitution was
formed, and Al the fundamental principles of
the confederation were retained, and the idea OF
State sovereignty is noWGere denied in that great
charter of American Liberty. The States re-
taned the status acquired before the declaration,
announced in the declaration, and positively
affirmed in the articles of confederation
But perhaps you will insist that, although the
States may have acquired sovereignty at the
declaration, they renOunced it in I7o7, at the
formation of the Constitution.
Let US hear James Monroe again:
g. By binding the States together the Consii-
tuition performs the great Ctice of the cOnfede-
ration; aAd in every respect in which the con-
federation failed the Constitution has been
blessed with success. The whole power Of the
people is divided between the general govern
ment and the States. The State governments
are independent OF each other, and, to the ex-
tent of their powers, are complete SOUeTGigHtjeS.
The national government is also, according to
the extent of its powers, a complete Sovereignty.
Its powers, however, are limited. 1t has the ez-
elusive right to declare war against a foreign
power-tO coin money, etc, etc. Ia a word it
can do no more than what it has been permitted
to do by the States and these privileges are
defined in the Constitution"
Now, my de8r Doctor, how does the case
stand Is it not plain that the Southern doc
trine that the general government is the agent
of the States, and not the master, is the only
true doctrine and furthermore, Doctor, where
is the Demon Of Logic? Aye, sir, it has taken
possession of your soul, and the souls of your
b-,t TF hoc fba ND
feelings of your President and his Cabinet
your generals and their aTmies-your senators
and representatives, your preachers and their
people,-and, if I mistake not, this Demon has
been a very mischeviOus beiRg--teGching false
principles, CorIuptng the mind, hardening the
heart, deceiving the ignorant, and stirring up
human passions TO perform deeds Of damning
depravity.
This Demon has been Professor of Moral Phil
osophy in all the schools of the North for many
years past, and we propose to show some Of his
teachings and doings.
Ist. He teaches the falsehoOd that the aboli-
ton government at Washington city is the gov
ernment of the United States, founded by tho
Father Of the Republic.
What unblushing effrontry AS we'll may
Paradise be called Pandemonium. 1t Wash
ington were to arise from the dead and gaze at
the miserable satrap aud his minions at the Fed
eral capital, be would say "avant, ye ministers
of hell. The glorious government founded in
'76 is gone. You have overthrOWn it. You have
made the house of justice and liberty which 1
founded den of thieves"
ID. He teaches that the citizens of the South
ern Confederscy are rebels against the govern
ment Now the Demon of Logic knows very
well that this is false. We have not rebelled
against the government of the Fsthers-against
the Constitution of the United S.ates-againss
the Supreme COurt--Or against any legislative
authority acting in conformity with the COnsti-
tuition; but we have simply resisted the tyranny
of usurpers.
What is q government! Your Demon says
it is a parcel of men, or for example, Abe Lin
coin and bis Cabinet. Here again your treacher-
Gus government, sir, is a system Of laws, con-
trolling the actions of men united in body.
It is, in the language of Noah Webster, A
Constitution, either written or unwrtten, by
which the rights and duties Of citizens and pub
lie officers are prescribed and defined" Now
whom government becomes corrupted, so as to
be completely subversive Of all the principles Of
truth and justice, we hold that it IS the privilege
even of a minority, to abSolYe ali allegiance
thereto, and to declare dissolution Of political
ties For this precedent we have the notable
example of the thirteen Colonies, July 4th,
I776.
3D. Your Demon was the very being-the un-
clean spirit working in the children Of disc,
bedience, and uttering all manner of deeeittul
words-who first conceived the idea OF over
throwing the government, and now with un-
blushing impudence he persuades you to charge
it upon us. We hold that good government
| ought not to be oVerthrown. Here we have ever
been faithful to the Constitution, to cOnstitu-
tional laws, and TO the decisions of the Supreme
| Court of the country. But alas your oracle,
inspired of the devil, sent out his lying spirits
and taught two-thirds of the people of the
Union the abominable doctrines of AboGionism
and Consolidation. These two things, which
God hates, have been received, hallowed and
praeticed until they have worked the complete
overthrow of what was once the best govern
ment on earth. And we, who are now lighting
for liberty and independence, humbly conceive