Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-01-03
Con.titutIonal AmenImenIs.


TIE subjoined Letter written and published twelve
nonhs AGO. is reproduced from personal eonsiderA-
tons Though quite advanced at the time Of pubics-
tioa, with the lights we row have of Yankee meSnness,
IL was far below the marx.
Il Is repuoshed call the attention Of our pub
lie men to the suggssion OF providing some cheek on
the action OF the Confederate Government in OF
great emergency check Of tina, kind in the old sys
tenn would have saved the eIstil var, enabled us
to qai. the ,nkees on Of equality Is no; PROB
able that ike Occlson for s exercise W arise in the
southern Couledarscy but may and is the part Of
wisdom 70 proyd, for all contingencies and no system
of Government can be perfect without some such
srlninE or song provision Il Is true, the import
aaee o. this provision would be greatly diminished II
the election Of ogs President by tine popular
vote snd Il tie power and patronage of tha. officer
redaeai within Republican limits That this change and
ths reduction shall take pa'e is our constant prayer
"cne free citE,n Of free State" has charms for Us far
greater than the music Of the spheres With elective
KING and an army OF holders and oee-sxpsc.ants
scattering corruption the land cannot indulge
the hope Of realizing that dream OF life This
revolution in which eaEsged, 70 be beneficial
70 be productive Of liberty and law mus, be thorough
aad coGpeE- We must eKtrPAte all the principles Of
s1pe,: Yankee fate, or another secession.
L frequently objected, that the time Is roe suitable
for the consideration and settlement Of organic Law.
There Ia no force il this OH ction. AL great and sAu
tAry laws in al nations have been adopted in times Of
eonvulsion and revelation. Taeitus tells that all
good legislation ceased in Rome with the Twelve Tables
Volumes Of laws were sf.srWArds enacted; but tier
we're dictated b. personal or party considerations.
MAgua Cbar.A, the stone Of English freedom,
vas adopted on the fell Of Rlneymede, In the pres
sacs Of armed hosts. Our ancestors Of the &c era
adopted the sissst frame OF government TIE world has
known While raging; and all the changes since
made have beea changes for the worse. On great
Sous the wa0!s poPllAtoa rise to the Level OF
the emergency, aud great men think and &C; more
greatly. No large proPorcu Of our statesmen act
lively engaged in the war; there are enough aud TO
spre who can devote Their whole time to the great
t.sk Of conforming our institutions to a Republican
ssandiId
Tie present Confederate Constitution was adopted
originally by ouly seven Safes in great base and with
lis,le elaboration They very little pleased with
their Own work and looked forward early and material
changes. The her States, which have since joined,
acted IN measure under duress ard bad no choice but
% accept the A5cr OF their sister States great mis-
take vas committed By all in PrOlOngng the Pro
v'sional Goyernmen; during the war, until all the
Confederate Safes could have an opportunity to NEE,
in Convention and frame a Constitution acceptable to
the whole L is not yet too late to reFar the mischief
We have no particular o. etcn to Mr. Davis and his
Adm nisiration-ws could wish them more energy and
c1nprehension bat de,esf With all heart, the
system which sE's ard which i teemng With corrup-
G3n aud dsspOtisn. If We to live under a dsspo;
ism, dOa'; care how great dog the despot Is We
would prefer a brute Ike Laeoln to gentleman like
Davis We Of the South have aaaered ourselves that
We should have free Government Let u.s. while
may perfc, our scheme by the establishment OF just
aad eqlal lsvs and such dsri5R:ioH Of DOVer that ~
~. nm en- NM , ~ Iillrl,.s