Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-10-30
FHECOKsTITUTION-sTATE n d Is |.
RICHMOND WHlG.
FRIDAY MORNING, CCT. 80, 1858.
npah.llinnn and "CiHil war. y

ReDelnOn AnN NANAA WeAs
The British authorities, Notwithstanding the unan-
sv,rsbe demonstrations to the contrary in the mes
..vs, of President Davis and in various dispatches,
documents and speeches Of public men, and the fire.
uspt expossious of the Press and Notwithstanding the
practical injustice and injury which results to US from
countenancing the enemy in absurd pretensiOn,
persist in styling and treating US as "rebels.' The
last Parliament opened by speech from the Queen,
in which she referred 70 the civil var" in America
Aud in his late BairgoWrie address Earl Russell used
the following language; 81 AN not saying no" whether
the present rebellion in the Southern Sates IS us-
fable instruction, is great crime II to accept
war forced upon Us by the Yankees makes US rebels,
then we must have owed allegiance to the Yankees-an
idss too absurd for even English politician to enter
tain This then is no rebellion Is it nsurreetion or
rsyoluticnY Clearly motor We are not seeking TO
overthrow the Government Of the United StStesto in
roduce apy new form Of government there or to take
possession of that now in existence. We are perfectly
content that the people Of the United States shall have
and epioy their present governmental system change
il for any other they prefer. We have nothing TO do
nth the matter and il IS ridiculous therefore say that
We are revols,oniss or insurgents Is it "cvil war;
That IL could not be- without beng revolution for
var can exist within government without the govern
msut being party to it; aud those opposing the gov
eminent would necessar b in a state OF revolution
,sbsllon. "Civn war" that state OF hQsthties in
,bic men subject to the same authority 6gh; against
Zach other Ii is war within the State, and have
.rs,v aid it is as to Que Of she parties necessarily
var against the State But here States fight against
each other and people, the subjects OF different State
jurisdictions and sovereignes the begerents. lts
mere nonsense to such terms as rebellion, "nsur-
rscon" aud civil war; in connection with this con-
test and t. grOsses Justice TO seek to apply TO- US
the principles aud penalties attaching BY pubic law to
violations Of duty and fealty TO sOveregns.
In an article exposing the injustice Of the British au
thorites in this particular, the Charleston Mercury
saws "Our first complaint against Great Britain Was
that she should naye supported The Yankees IN this
lust pretensOn In the archives OF the Foreign Otle
ia London there stood the frreiEsgsoe proof Of the %
sty of this preienson by the solemn act Of Great Bri
tain herself Iu the treaty Of peace closing the war OF
20 Grea Britain acknowledged aad declared the sePa
rate colonies which had declared themselves States, to
be free, sovereign and independent States Protesting
20 be sovereign States she fought against them during
seven years Esrss sovereign States, treated with
them, and finally recognized and acknowledged
them, b. solemn treaty. to be sovereign States Now
ell thst We asked of Great Britain vas that she should
respect her own records and acts and acknowledge US
20 be What she bad declared to the whole world were
Ii the States comprising the Confederate States had
surrendered their sovereignty the Yankees the proof
ought 70 have been clearly shown. Right principle and
self respect IT qured Great Britain to say show US that
Safes which We BY our solemn act nave admitted into
the family of nations; have abandoned their sovereignty
ma "a
not be shown. Ali the Yankees could point to in jus
t6catOn of their pretsnsiOns the Constitution the
Uaitsd States where th IS not single word implying
ia any way that the States comprising the Confederate
States surrendered their sovereignty and still less that
they surrendered it 90 their I1Ht,s associates. Il Is
simple compact or treaty by which they agreed 10 e1
srci5s in common their foreign relations ard certain
general powers by certain agency called the Govern
ment Of the United States It le que compact *
tween Pa.iocs is broken by one more OF them, war
may aise. Some may charge that the compact is W.
Justly broken aud that therefore, great injury
tanedi and there being 10 common arbJer between
them war may be resOrJed 70 70 obtain redress But
IN such war neither party be rebels TO the other
Both are independent sOyereglties maintaining their
rights by the sword and both entitled 10 an equal
recognition by neutral natous This was oar position
position supported by the archives Of Great Britain,
AID ndispuiable by any fact Of history. Yet Great
Britain has thought best to ignore her oSn record aud
all the facts Of history and TO consider the Confederate
States as belonging 70 the Yankee States aud therefore
rebels 10 their aih0rity This is monstrous perversion
Of truth, and grievous wrong to the Confederate
S ates. Itisa mean trucking power, which no just
nation would be guilty Of Earl Russell may ignore the
truth and try TO gloss the wrong, but he may de-
pend upon it We will remember it, and, in good
time, We will know how to meet the intermsidling
abolition spirit which has produced it,"