The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1864-04-20
GEORGIA.
Resolutions OF lir. Stephens

Resolutions declaring The ground on which the Con.
ielcrate states stand in this VAL and the terms on
which peace ought 10 be offered TO The enemy. BY
Mr, stephens.
The General Assembly Of the State Of
Georgia do
Resoire. Isl. That IL secure the rights Of
lite, liberty. and the pursuit Of happiness,
governments were instituted among men,
deriving their just puNers from the consent
III the governed that whenever ana form
Ut government becomes destructive Of these
ends, Il is the right uf the people 10 alter or
tn abolish lt. and 20 institute anew Soyerh-
ment. lsy,ag is foundations on such prin-
r.ptrs and organizing is powers in such
iarm as shall seem 10 theu most likely 70
,er their safety aud happiness"
ani. That the best possible commentary
unon tits grand text u our larthers nt l1-6.
i, their accompanying action which ii was
put forth to justly and that action was the
immprtal Declaration that lhr inrmer pull
ticaI connection between the Colonies and
the slstr ni Great Britain was dissolved, and
the thirteen Colanies we're. and 81 right
oashtta be. not one independent State, but
rhrteen independent States, each Of them
hrtns such people as had the right
whenever they chunse 10 exercise il. 10 Sc
prrate themselves from a political assncia-
ton ard government OF their iormer choice.
AID institute new governmeat 20 sui,
themselves.
Sd. That IL Rhade Island. with her mea-
g,e elemrnts Of nNionality, mas such a
.peaple" in l776 when her separation from
lie Government and people OF Great BrI.
ntnok place. much more vas Georgia and
each ot tie other seeding States, with their
large territories populations, and drrsourees,
such a.. people" and entitled TO exercise
tie same right. 10 1891 when they deereed
their separation from the Government and
prople ot the United States :; and i The sep
sraiipa was rlghtiu 10 the hrst case. il mas
nore clearly 20 IN the Last, The rgh, de.
pending. ~ il dues 10 the case oi every
"pcupr" tar whom Il i claimed. Simply
.pun their fitness aud their wih 10 eonstl-
tulr ais independent State.
tth. That this ri.h. was perfect IN each
Of the States. 10 be exercised bs her al her
oNn pleasure without challenge &C asist.
ance from auy other power whatsoever, and
While these Southern States had long hail
tea.un enough % justify is assertion
against snme of their faiihle>s associates.
vi. remembering the dictate Of "pru-
dyuce.r That Governments long establish
"a should not BE- changed for light and
Transient causes" they lorbore resort 10
: ii. exercise, uni.l numbers pi the Npr,hern
States. State alter State, through a series oi
wears and by studied legislation, had aF-
fayed themselves 10 open hostility against
an acknowledged provision Of ihc CaRstite.
iiun. aud had al last succeeded 10 tie cleo
tim II Pre- sident who vas the asOwed ex.
poncnt and execUtioner of their laiihlcs'
designs a. ainst the constitutional rights nI
their Southern sisters--rights which bad
been often adiudica,ed by the courts, and
which we're never denied by the abolition.
isis themselves but upon the ground that
ihe Constellation itself VAS void Whenever
il came in conflict with .hisher law
which they could nj find among he iam'
alGutl. aud which depended for Is cxpOsi.
ton safely upon the elastic cpnscisncts u'
isncurous parlizars. The Constitution
thus broken aud deliberately and persis.
'cniiy repudia,rd by several ul The States
who we're parties tn Il. ceased according q
universal law. to be binding on any 81 :hc
rest. aud those States WIN have been wrong
"a BY the breach were Justified - usinS
'heir right 20 provide new guards iol
their future security"
5th. Tia, tic reasons which justified the
separation WHEN il took place, have beef
yindicatcd and enhanced in iorce by th,
subsequent course Of the government Of MIR
Llncoln--by his coutempiuous rejection 2
Confederate Commissioners who wer,
set' 10 Washington before the war q settle
. matters Of difference without resort 4
rms. thus eyincing his determination 4