Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-02-05
a Caveat.


We have had no disposition 70 discuss the Conserip
Law We we're told by military authorities at the time
OF ia adoption, that it was "a military necessity" and
We therefore acquiesced in it. Bat we should be want
ing to the principles we have ever held and which we
rsrlrd as essential to public aud private liberty, if we
hermit il to be supposed that willing to acqui-
ssce 10 it the permanent policy OF the Government.
We know the right IL claimed to pass such law I'M
des the provision the Constitution, which gives 10 the
Confederate Government the power Ito raise armies
The grant in terms il unrestricted and gentlemen, who
claim to be the only genuine States Rights men, there
fore contend chat the power il unlimited. Under the
old Government, the New England Federalsts, with
Daniel Webster at their head ventured to assert
such 8 power tor the Federal Government If they
had aud hal made good the claim the secession Of the
Southern States had never been attempted or il so,
would have proved speedy and disastrous failure.
consolidated despotism would have crushed US with
iron rule Il il be desired 10 introduce such system
ia tie Southern States the Interpretation Of these gem
t,leu and the transfer Of the whole military from the
a,tes 70 the central head will be the best means for
stscting IT, But We utterly repndate that sort Of con-
.ructioa which refues away the Rights Of the SoVe
reign States 10 an intangible and mperceptibe myth;
zhich really destroys all their powers and renders them
Subordinate their creature. II this sort Of con-
struction is 10 prevail it will establish consoli
tatoa than that from which have escaped and iii
be legitimate and jlst it only proves that Confederate
system is an imprtcticabe one.
If this be eorrect,if absolute and unlimited power
cannot co-e1ist in two Governments the ter
r,orv-if one or the other must go TO the WALL go
tr the SrlrEs in preference the Central Government
Ne believe ,he old Articles of Confederation" cOnsti
t5.sd tie best Government the world ever saw-and
.aesrb it has long been The fashion of the pampered
,rous OF the United States de-pot'm decry IT, il
bore us through the FIRST Revolution, and achieved more
f ar other Government ever effected in the history
q nan What ,t did il dill veil Il established Liberty
o. D broad basis and if it had not been disturbed,
would have preserved that Liberty distant ages. 1t.
substitute aud successor The United States we see
ti mischief It has wrought and what wreck it is
ga, would think scarcely possible that in the face of
such results any man OF patriotism would de-
sire 10 revive similar system among Us
We merely design to enter protest against the
s,itadnous, or il it be- the legitimate, construction,
Which would convert Couiederacy into another
soidadon.
IA some of the States south of ~ in North Carolina
made BY the Stale L,gatures against the constitution
atty Of this law The purpose has not been to weaken
or Illustrate the measures OF the COME leate Govern
meat but to enter Il cassal against the law Prece-
J.,t Governor Brown may have transcribed this
Ii nit little on occasions but he has done no
substantial harm, while it is re-assurng to know that
have one other in the COnederaey as self-wiled
as the President
When the subject was under discussion in the Geor-
Ola Legislature, Col. Linton Stephens made speech,
from which we make an extract Col S expresses the
onoo that the necessity for the Couscript act de-
ber,tely created by the Confederate authorizes, for
she purpose Of obtaining patronage, and that they po-
pose 70 continue the policy thus inauguuted. We had
not entertained such suspicion and cannot believe
that the fate of the late T. 5. Government can have
pr,diced so little effect upon sensible not to de-
ter them from repeating like experiment.
ysrRAcr rRoN cot. STEPHENS SPEECH.
The essence Of CONSUMPTION is the right to take away
the 6rhtng Of the States against the will OF both
die citizens aud the States II u the right make what
YOU will Of it, 70 coerce sovereign States. IL Is tie
T,ht.which Mr. Lincoln i nos claiming over us and
,v2irb We are resisting with our blood aud which
trust We shall cease to resist, until the preen-
son il ABANDONED do say IT, sir, not With the inten
-, 70 offend ANYBODY, aud do not believe, therefore,
L slgu OutuQ aulOoQl ueNiate OVu7SAPttOhb
- rsts itself TO my mind is in It's and It's
eossitptioa the very embodiment OF Lincolnsm, which
or gallant armies to-day resisting 1t is PoWeTin
rns central head to cOerce sovereign States
lev words nov as to tue history OF consumption, and
Have doae Its justification has been placed upon the
Plea OF necessity. Sir it is feeble plea There never
-. any necessity for it, aud there is none nov This
pea of necessity is generally pretert and under our
happy Constitution tits always untrue Our Constitution
.,s made for war Eel peace and the powers con-
fsrrsd by il upon the different departments OF the
confederate Government are adequate 70 all the me-
=, ,s.iass of war without any enlargement OF them
Nv doubtful construction or by usGrpatiou. The
n,r,icular necessity which has been alleged for
roDseription vas a necessity to seize aud hold in
servce The txelve-months men whose term was about
10 expire But SIR this is Prete1t his within nay
nowiedye that as long ago last tall Seyesal months
before ID, expiration OF the term Of the tEelveHonths
rnsn. General Toombs then member Of the Confede-
rne ConcreSs) introduced bin to repensh the ATmy,
c5 supply the places OF those twelve months men Tho
would be .oipg out Ills bill was in conformity with
the oldr ,gnized constitutional mode o. reqaslsons
Oou The ties for troops leaving to the States the ap