Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-07-06
Capture of the Archives Of the
Provisional Congress.
CURIOUS FACTS ABOUT THEM.
How the Confederacy was Set
A1lNat.
Correspondence of the New York Herald.

n
placed In General Cobb's hands for the purpose
Of having certain copies made OF journals, and
those COPIES not having beea completed these i'm
nortant papers were still in his hands. lie
promptly, however, and with the candor and
honesty which have marked his entire course ever
since his surrender OF himself ana command 10
| General Wilson, delivered them up upon the 1rst
demand made for them by that officer
There were three boxes, which. doubtless for
convenience were stored In one Of the rcita'
ton rooms of the University Of Georgia.
As much private matter was also found in the
boxes, which were not full but seemed TO be used
mostly for convenience everything had 70 De taken
ont and examined, and ell the books aud papers,
after some labor, were packed away In one large
| box, making a weight OF nearly half q ton.
These papers embrace the journals Of the con-
yentions which framed the provisional aud per-
manent constitutions, the journals OF The ProVl-
slnnal Congress, messages, reports OF depart.
| ments, &c. With those 1t would seem the gov
eminent now had all the most important dOou'
ments OF the late Southern Coniederaoy, certainly
enough to make complete history OF the whole
movement
'cREpENrIALs OF SECESSION
These are generally done up in good handwri-
ting on parchment with State seals affixed. The
one from Louisiana Is PARTICULARLY neat The
credenti,l of the South Carolina delegation is as
much lost in verblage and ci:cumlocution as an
Indian trail in the everglades OF Florida, while
those of the Georgia and Louisiana delegations
sre,brief and pointed. No doubt, it msttered not
In the case OF the ChiValry State whether the
words vera many or few, The design was fully
known.
DESIGNS OF FLAGS.
The people were very generous 10 their Oilers to
the COnfederAcy of designs Of flags. There is
every conceivable shape, size color and design,
the vast majority running more or less into the
stars aud stripes After looking over this lot, q
person will readily be surprised 10 reflect how
hard II is TO get up an original fl Ig sufficiently
different and distinctive from AL Others in the
wCEld.
THE ORIGINAL DRAFT OF TEE PROVISIONAL con-
sTITUTIOk.
was found a. reported by and in the handwriting
of MI. G. G. Mtmmingor, Chairman Of the Com
mittee on Constitution. IL appears to have been
considerably altered from the old federal cOnstitu'
ton, judging from the feet that portions OF that
instrument, printed on pieces of paper, W sre pas
tod in the report which otherwise was wrltten.-
The difference, however, may have been in mere
phraseology.
OPER ACKNOWLEDGMENT SESSION.
There were distinct journals Kept on fOolscap
sheets. which we're bound together with red tape,
OF the different sessions. The writingis in good
egible style, and on alternate pages and alternate
lines.
were Johnson ~. hDOptIs az QUO Ol buC
Deity Montgomery Mail, chief; Robert T. Dixon
aud A. r. Lamar, assistants. Hooper was also
the author Of Simon Suggs. As explained, his
handwriting was rather irregular, letters some.
what crooked Lamar's much better, but Dixon's
was superb for the business. IL would be hard TO
lind one who could do better, Hooper died In
great poverty in Richmond, DIXON was killed by
one Ford. who was ore OF the assistant clerks Of
the rebel House OF Representatives,
THE CONVENTIONS
These simply mean the same men as composed
the Provisional Congress with the same OFF,
Gers. They would meet IN "Open session " as a
Congress, resolve into secret sess on then, il
organic law was under consideration, they were
Z" in convention" The reason of plurality WAS
because there were two constitutions considered
and adopted. According to this theory 4 con-
Qress or legislature had no right 70 enact funda.
mental law, WITHOUT specific authority from that
law Itself, or from the people appointing them.
Il is very evident that courtesy, harmony and
remarkable upanimity prevailed throughout their
deliberations. Nothing frivolous or personal was
ever introduced, but everything seemed 10 go on
smoothl.ss
were hard working men. They seemed TO
have lost no time. They organized them.
selves, adopting their own rules, officers, DC;
considered. discussed ald adopted two consttu-
tons and put into operation provisional govern.
ment with oil the appointments and functions OF
a government on an extensive scale in less than
five weeks. lfthet was not work for you, then
am no Judge.
REPORTERS
One or two propositions were made to admit
aqd swear In two stenographers to take down the
debates, but they were emphatically voted down,
so that bunoOmbe had no show whatever, and
hence the progress made 10 business.
TEE REPUBLIC OF WASHINGTON.
Soon after the committee reported the provi
sional constitution, while the preamble was ul'
der consideration, motion was made 70 amend.
and in the amendment was the proposition to
baptize the institution with the name Of 90 The
Republic of Washington" Cobb, Of Georgia,
(4hioh one is not stately was ready TO stand as
sponsor on the interesting occasion. | should
Judge there was considerable discussion just along
there. Rhett doubtless thought this was con-
salidation move and totally destructive 10 the ABB
solute, GstTammelled sovereignty of the States
The Cobbs, You remember, did not use to run out
OF breath after the ran5seadenta ,hair-splittlng
Doctrine Of State sovereignty, and hence just
grounds for alarm. Many arguments were made
for the expressive appelation OF Confederate
States of America" aud " The Republic Of Wash.
ington" was consequently voted down by one
majority II Is credtable to this body and its Of
fcers any way that such secret never before was
told
TRUST IN GOD.
The preamble 70 the constitution was hard to
get through with. The expression invoking the
aid of Almighty God" did not get d1vstailed per-
manvntiy in TIL after much talk. One man want
ed it Out-that expression. Chiffon moved to
amend by the words invoking the aid Of Al
IN qhty God, who ia the God OF the Bible and the
righdul source Of oil power and government &c.
But this might take in the New Testament as q
part Of the Bible, and thus admit the divinity Of
the Saviour, aud this was shocking to Jew Benja-
min and it was finally voted down.
RECOGNITION OF The SABBATH
The attempt was made to have recognition
Of the Christian Sabbath. 1t was by cobb
doubtless the elder in the Presbyterian church
in the pildest form possible, thus-'No man shall
be COMPELLED TO do civil duty on Sunday" But
it was rejected. Subsequently the same pious
man endeavored to have a recognition Of the
Sabbath engrafted on the law with reference to
carrying and delivery of the mails. Perkins
moved an amendment that inasmuch as the peo-
pie Of Louisiana be ieved in permitting every.
body TO worship God on the days and in the ways
preferred therefore the State Of louisiana should
be excepted from said provision. Texas desired
the same exception, and in this way the move was
killed off.
ADMISSION OF NEW STATES.
A long debate must have ensued on the propo-
sition to place in the constitution the provision
that no new States should be admitted unless
they recognized in their constitution, and provi-
ded for its protection by law, the institution of
African slavery. This was, however, nnally voted
down.
IMPORTATION OF AFRICANS.
The law passed in reference to prohibiting the
importation Of slaves from Africa, was very strn-
gent against those engaged in the business
There was, however, q provision that the negroes
so brought in should be sold at public auction TO
the highest bidder in order to defray the exPen-
ses of suit rewards, &c. This was promptly We.
toed by Mr.. Davis, on the ground chiefly that
there was no right 10 sell free men into bondage.
The law was subsequently passed without this
offensive provision.
DIFFERENCES.
II would appear on the first assembling OF the
delegates from the seeded States that there came
near being "burst up" What the exact point
Seem 10 have been in regard to their powers, &c.
Who or Whist quieted the brewing storm is not
statsd. Some were also opposed to the adoption
of any permanent government until the war was