Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-01-07
Oh -StanaarS,


y
Pointed and Truthful Remarks.
weinvite the particular attention Of our readers to
the following extracts from speech recently dev-
srsa IN the Legislature q Georgia by the Hon.
Linton Stephens, 4 brother OF Vice President
Stephens. Mr. Stephens clearly shows not only the
unconstitutonaty Of the conscription law, but the
ct that its passage wssnot really necessary to the,
defence Of the country If North Carolinain were
10 utter such language, the Richmond Enquirer
would brand him rs traitor, and call upon the
mob to "tear him in pieces" Il
Mr.. Stephens said:
II beg to refresh the memories Of gentlemen Is
to the history Of another government and ask them
II that government deserves contempte allude to
= government which has passed away-not the old
United States government but that other govern.
ment which persisted in giving birth to the United
States government-the government of the old Con.
federation. Sir, that was glorious old government
Whatever its defects and its faults were it is enti
tied to the gratitude not only of every American,
but Of every-lover of liberty the wide world over
It was the government that achieved our liberties
It Was the government. whose Commander-in- Chief
was Washington. 1t was the government that sue
cessf0lly resisted the most powerful government
upon the face Of the earth. 1t was the government
from whose hands we have received all the blessings
We have enjoyed, and for which we are fighting to.
day. It was government whose memories are
dear to our heasts. Who will rise up and say that
government deserves the contempt of mankind
and yet Sir, that government had no compulsory
power over the States That government had not
the very power, the want of which gentlemen now
afnrm subjects any government to the contempt of
mankind. Their power over the States was adyiso-
~ only, and not compulsory. They could get no
troops from the States but such as the States would
send them and yet that government was adequate
to the achievement Of liberty and to its achievement
against the greatest power that existed upon the
earth. Can people close their eyes the grand
Lesson which is to be gathered from the history of
that government We are warned by gentlemen,
and by some of public journals, against the dam
ger from the State governments. Sir, l have no
such apprehension. Let gentlemen who are alarm
cd from an excess of State rights take comfort from
the history Of the old Confederation. There is no
danger from that quarter Capitalization consolida-
ton, centraFusurpation, is the rock upon which VIC
have split and it is the rock which we have to dread
In the future. We judge the future by the past !;
and judging our future by the American past, i pro-
claim that the danger which we have to apprehend
is not from the States, but from central usurpation,
which has already resulted in the destruction of the
OLD United States government and in our secession
and in our reputation of it account of that usur
patton.
Governor Troup has been quoted as authority for
this statement that our government would be de-
serving of contempth it lacked the power of con-
scription. Governor Troup was comparatively
young man when he uttered that sentiment 1t was
years afterwards that he, as Governor of Georgia,
became distinguished as the champion of States
rights. Ifyou quote his words sir, as authority on
your side, 1 point you to his subsequent deed as
Sc Ia
which was uttered in heated party contest and
under the indignation which he felt against the New
England States for their blue light Federalism,
point you to what he did as Georgias champion
when her rights were assailed by the Federal gov
eminent When Governor Troup uttered that sent
iment he was under strong bias, arising out of a
particular emergency and out of desire to compel
the New England States to perform what he thought
was their duty He die, in that heated contest, ex
press the idea that sovereign States might be CO.
creed. In my judgment it was great error, and it
was an error afterwards repented of, and nobly
atoned for.
And this leads me to remark upon another view
in which the CONSUMPTION presents itself to my mind.
The essence of conscripton is the right to take
away the fighting Of the States against the will
of both the citizens and the States. 1t is the right
make what you will of it. to coerce sovereign States.
1t is the right which Mr.. Lincoln is now claiming
over us, and which resisting with our blood,
and which, trust We shall never cease to resist
until the pretension is abandoned do say it, sir,
not with the intention to Offend body, and do
not believe, therefore, that shall offend anybody;
but declare CONSUMPTION ss it presents itself to
nv mind is in its essence and i6 constitution, the
very embodiment ofLncolnism, which our gallant
armies are to-day resisting. Itisa power in the
central head to coerce sovereign States.
A few words now as TO the history of conscrip-
ton, and have done. Its justification has been
placed upon the plea Of necessity. Sir it is fee
BE plea There never was any necessity for it. and
there is none now. This plea of necessity is gen.
orally pretext and under our happy Constitution,
it is always untrue. Our Constitution was made
for war as we'll as for peace, and the powers con-
ferred by it upon the different departments Of the
Confederate Government are adeapate to all the
necessities of war, without any largement of
them BY doubtful construction, usurpation.
The particular necessity which b een alleged for
conscription was a necessity to seize and bold in
services the twelve-months' men ase term was
about to expire. But sir, this tetext 1t is
within mXknovledgs that, Al 2 as last fall,
the tweIy 8, General Combs then >
neslis 81 ID ate Congrsls8 introduced a
fGpleniskz and supplythe places Of
hwelvesmonthsg5 who would sbe going out
Easi IN confosaSlsy with thesold recognized
s cd Hpal mode of acquisitions u pom the States
Z M q eaVlng 10 the otateS Tue appointment OF
SeeacerS re the Constitution places it and 1
hear 1sia ss who ., heard s., Ii him on that
greatest spec But y rs lost and 1t
troops At that time bf repenishing
the army was then ALLOW 0leep until the eve of
the expiration of the twelvemonths' men, and then
oonscripton was sprung upon the country, and
rushed through Congress under the of necessity.
Now sir say, in the first place. if there was any
necessity for isat the time when it was adopted that
necessity was created for the OCCASION Their atten-
ton had been called, in remarkable manner, to
the repenishiug Of the army in constitutional way
lDeratsiy. Intentionally refused. The appointment
Of the officers was the milk in the cocoanut
But sir 60 further and say that with all their their
attempts TO create necessity for CONSUMPTION they
aid not create it. and that at the very time it was
passed there was not the slightest necessity for it.
The twelve-months' men, whose time was about to
expire. could have been retained in the service
under the old constitutional mode Of making requi-
sitions upon the States just as well IS by conscrip
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