Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-09-08

The Charleston Mercury, feeling assured that the
Chicago Convention will lay do plank in its plat
form proposing general convention If all the States
that once formed the United States takes occasion tc
show that the Constitution of the Confederate States
does not authorize the Government to put the said
States or any OF them, into convention with any for
eign power. There is but one purpose for which the
States can be called into convenon-hat OF amending
the Confederate Constitution and the manner in which
this convention is to be made described Dy the Con-
stitution itself 1t where grants any power to
woke convention of the States to any agency what
ever for any other purpose than that alluded to- The
Mercury is perfectly rjghtin the matter. The Conied
crate States many sovere gnties, each nation in
ITSELF with s the claims and attributes OF sovereignty
This the doctrine went out OF the MON proclaim
ing the doctrine for the maintenance of which have
been fighting tor the last three years and half the
doctrine which Distinguishes from enemies of the
Yankee States and which, it surrender, we give up
all we have been contending for. Being independent
r2one, they have united in partnership for certain
specified purposes, and have appointed gent at
torney to carry these purposes into eject That agent
or a,torney is known the Government OF the Con-
federae States. Its power of attorney ia the Const-
tuition and it cannot transcend the limits conferred by
that instrument any than attorney of flesh and
blood can 60 beyond the limits of the paper by which
he is created such. Now what right has such agen-
cy this to put any one of the Independent nations
from which it holds lis power into the proposed
ton or any Other sort OF convention, not authorized
expressly by the Constitution If there be any power
to put these States into convention of any Sort why
not put them into q convention with Great Britain,
which is no more foreign power than the United
States?
The Constitution confers upon the President by and
with the advice and of the Senate, the power
of making treaties and apprehensions have been ex
pressed lest under this treaty making power, the Pres
ident make treaty providing that the States shall go
into convention with the Yankee States to alter and
amend the Constitution The Mercury itself seems to
entertain some fears this quarter. We are con-
WINGED that they groundess If for no other reason,
yet from the made by him to Jacques and Gil
when they made proposition to submit all ques
tois in dispute to convection of all the States Yam
kee and Confederate, in which vote OF two-thrds was
to be decisive. We had seeded he said and
fighting to get rid of the tyranny of the majority. 1t
is therefore, Think hardly reasonable to suppose
that he will wilfuy violate the Constitution he is
to support in order that be may replace under that
very tyranny Of the majority, from which have eff
fected escape at the cost Of much blood That it
would be papabe violation Of the Constitution to
use the treaty making powar-Conerrcd with very
different ohect-to bring the States of the Confedera-
cY into convention with the Yankee States We have
doubt is clear to the President it is to the
writer in the Mercuryas 1t Is to every ndaed, who
has read the constitution understands lis objects
and limitations. The Constitution has pointed out
way of altering the Constitution If it b3 altered in
any other way the Constitution is violated. Now, by
putting these States into convention with the ankee
States with the understanding that all parties to
acquesce in the decision of such convention, render
not the change merely, but the destruction Of the Con-
stuon matter # absolute certainty. The President
certainly can have power tending to any such re-
suit do think he ever dreamed OF eXerNDg any
| ouch power.
Whenever a treaty of peace shall be made it must
be done solely the basis of the entire independence
and sovereignty of each particular State That must
be preliminary to, and cannot be subject OF, negota
| tion. The Confederate Government has no right to
make any peace in which inch Of land belonging to
any one Of the States shall be given up or one Of
is privileges as sovereign be surrendered. This,
far from being the subject OF negotiation must be the
starting point from which all negotiation must proceed
If the enemy refuse to concede it, then We cannot nego-
tate with him. 1t follows that there can be such
hing as treating for peace In earnest until every hostile
soldier shall have been withdrawn from soil and
every hostile ship from our waters. Then talk
ct peace and all those matters of secondary Importance
which it may be necessary to dispose Of and which, in
yoving no principle, and affecting the rights of no
State come properly within the sphere of the treaty
| making power. We have no reason to believe that
PresiL ent Davis does not stand upon this ground al
though judge of his opinions only from his acts and
Lis public declarations
The Yankee President has no more power to put the
Yankee States into convention with than resident
Davis has to put into convention with them. The
ymaking power Is the in both governments
But the Yankees have long accustomed themselves to
consider theirs consolidated government possessing
all power for all purposes The States they regard
possessing no more sovereignty than the counties In
deed IN one OF bis speeches. Lincoln expressly declared
that they had no more power than this. Should we
agree therefore, the convention would certainly take
place. 1t is wonderful. in the meantime, that intei-
gent men like Vallandigham and Fernando Wood
who must be fully acquainted with the Southern doc
rine OF State rights and must know that all this blood
has been shed 10 their defence think it posi-
bic to get into such convention, or to restore the
Union by of it. What we want, first of ALL is
entire and separate independence.
The Confederate States can go into convention with
the Yankee States in way, and one only They can
withdraw from the Oonederacy, each State on its own