Washington telegraph. [volume] (Washington, Ark.) 1839-1871, 1862-10-08

the country, to be liable at any time TO be
agitatcd by discussions in national con.
vention Of petty, or captious, OF unrea,
sonable amendments, demanded by sin
sle State. If not sufficiently Just ard
reasonable ~ obtain the concur renee Of IT
least two-other States, it is fur bc-tet tg
leave such State to her risL; W sec.s-
sion, and riL the Confederacy vi trouble
some member Hence DO couy milton il
2 llcwed r. rs called unless hres States
concur 10 demanding it for the cunsidcya-
ticn Of certuin amendments tn alloS
the citizens Vt the States TO k11sax4ctI5
the questions to be discussed IN d cJnven-
ton 50 called, ani to select delegates to
represent their views upon those topics,
as well q q prevent the convention, when
! assembled, from bacl IN ~ the arena for
violent discussion of uew and dangerous
questions never contemplated ID its crea-
ation,,i its deliberations are exclusively con-
fned to the adoption or rejection of the
amendments which it was called 10 con-
slider. The necessity of some such re-
stricticn viii b. fCrcibly felt b Ill ;hosa
who consider that divers State coGven-
tiOns lately, called for the purpose Of de-
termiuing the question IF secession from
the United States, have assumed iull nd
complete sovereign authority, aud proceed
ell to alter the constit ution aud the whole
civil policy Of the State, a. well AZ TO en-
gage in direct legislation upon the social
and business relations of the community.
II i Just as dangerous to bodies W men ~
to Individuals, to feel themselves upon q
platform superior 10 a written constitution,
and their action there requires the most
rigid restraint.
Ii this cJlacc lion it..may be interest
10. 70 mention The historical fact that, tie
convention which framed the Constitution
! of the United States, had not been Assem-,
/ bled ur authorized for that urpose. The
Y existing government was pure nfe4-
eracy, ID which there was 10 power 10
act upon individuals or property in lhe
STAGES, OK cept through the agencF vi the
/ States then selves. which were ic- uizsd
as exclusively sovereign oyer their own
Y citizens. Tie couycn iyl met uudgr a
recommendation fr1m Congress and dep
mites were appointed from the States for
the purpose " amea linz Tie articles u
confederation 40 a. tn make them suitable
10 the exigeuc.gs VI sh5 times. The con-
vontion, when assembled, fuuad, OF
thought they found, this to be impossible,
and proceeded ~ lay aside VII Iiy tLe ar
ticlcs of confederation, and establish 20
yernment of ~ entirely different nature,
and one, perhaps, uot contemplated by
either Of TIE States at thc time Deputies
were appointed. i-ii constitution vas
Reluctantly adopted by many Of the States,
but the sentiment " paramount allegiance
to the State government, and the idea Of
coufederacy, was never relinquishe3.-
The secession u movement cf 1860 was, in
deed nothing else but remonstrance
against the attempt il 1877 Of an uuau-
thorized convention to establish q consoli-
dated government over States Of diverse
interests and social institutions, III the
place of a friendly confederation If SOW
ereignties for mutual benefit. Now that
we have restored the principle sof State
sovereignty, il is we'll enough to provide
that no future convention, finding itself
in existence, shall presume to forget the
objects Of its creation, aud proceed to
tamper with our whole frame Of govern
ment.
Under the Constitution Of the United
States, amendments proposed in either II
the modes provided, that is by tWo-thirds
| of both hou ses, 1r by a convention called by
two-thirds Of tile States, required the rail-
6cation Of three fouruis Of the States by
their legislatures Ouf Constitution re-
auires that the amendments adopted by
the convention be ratified By t'oo-h"d'
only of the States, either by their legs
| latures,or by State conventions, according
.sas the one or the other mode ~ ratInea-
ton may be proposed by the general cop !,
vention." Ii follows that the general
convention may direct either mode, ana
that mode j. obligatory on the States
Iu our constitution Gas IN the oid) DO
amendment is allowed, deprlvln5 any
State Of its equal representation In the
Senate. The United States constitution
also prohibited any amendment lnterier'
ing with the slave trade. during the time
specified for its continuance 10 another
section. With Us that was unnecessary
Here end the points Of contrast BE-
tween the two Constitutions. PROVISION
is made By the Confederate Constitution
| for retaining the laws passed, and officers