Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-09-08


Calhoun Democracy Reg udIated-The
Mississippi Convention. "a
The doctrine Of State Rights as IL was
understood in the South and is yet cher
ished by the crazy Northern Democrats,
has not the attractions for the Southern
people that it possessed before the costly
experiment of putting it in practice by
rebellion, convinced them of its true
worth. In the late Mississippi Conven-
tiohethe following brief ordinance was
reported and subsequently adopted:
4 SEC /. Be IL ordained By the people
Of he STATE Of Mississippi, in ConUen,
ton assembled, That an ordinance pass
ed by a former Convention of the State
Of Mississippi, on the efho day of JaBu-
ary, A. u. 1861. entitled An ordinance
TO dissolve the Union between the State
of Mississippi and other States united
With her under the compact entitled the
Constitution of the United States Of
America, is hereby declared null and
void, Il. e. ss ,aa.Ia.a
There was q significance in the words
.. null and void that did not escape the
notice of those who had held to the right
of the State to secede from the Union,
and minority report was offered which
simply declared the secession ordinance
Of 1861 TO be abrogated, and on these
rival reports the old controversy con-
cerning State rights ragged in the Con-
vention.
1t was argued by the minority that to
declare the ordinance Of secession to
have been null and void from the begin
ming, was not only q denial OF State
rights, but declaration that the Gov
ernmsns founded BY IL was usurpation;
that the members Of the Convention
adopted and all others who sustained it
were traitors, and that 1t was an unneces-
sary rthsction upon the wisdom and
honesty Of those who had supported the
theory Of the right Of secession. To
this Mr.. johnson, who bad presented the
majority report, replied that the commit
tee, (of which be was chairmaBO Had
not used the words null and VOID
without due consideration. They bad q
significance and an objeet, which was
simply to make direct attack upon the
doctrine of secession, and destroy it. He
stated distinctly that the words "abro-
gate or " repeal " would recognize and
confirm the right of secession, and that
was exactly what they sought to subvert
by employing. the phraseology they bad
He said the COMMITTEES had fully expect
ed that 1t would bring on q contest in the
Convention, aud had not sought to avoid
is
He yielded the right to every man to
hold his own opinions, and did not pro-
pose to 60 again over the stale argument
for and against secession. He had op-
posed the right as an old line Wing all
his life, aud did still But he thought
gentlemen OF opposing belief should
yield to him the same courtesy he had
extended to them. The employment OF
the word = ahrogate would be as dis
tastful to him, and many others as "null
and void" were to them. 1t was not a
mere verbal criticism, q quibble about
words, but question of substance-one
that reached down to the very founda-
tons Of civil government. He did moi
intend, nor did the committee intend, any
| disrespect for the opinions Of any one
bat be would not stultify bis own record
for the past thirty years, and his present
belief, By voting for the word "abro
/ gatiou."
To declare the act of secession null
and void from the beginning wonld not
in the least, impair the great right o
revolution, sacred to all peoples and
tongues, even the lowest All revolu'
tions were rebellions at the outset; that
of the South was nothing more, and,
since they failed to succeed, they werC
never, at any time, an independent ma
ton, but rebels against the Government
Mr.. Martin, late q Major General il
the rebel army, followed with caustiC
speech in favor Of the majority report, o
which We present the following extracts
Hon. VIM, T. Martin said he had latel,
assisted at the burial OF slavery, and b
vas ready and anxious to assist at th'
funeral of it's twin-brothsr, secession
He was surprised at this discussion, fol
be thought if anything xss settled By tbs
late war il was secession He Away
had opposed the right from his youu
up, aud so strenuously that spmetimeI
he was considered untrue to the South
he did not believe any goyernme ent wa
wor b the stroke of q sword which wa
held together By mere rope of sand
II was G right he did not want M
State ought 10 have such right |
wasn't any right, only e shadow. tn,
veriest delusiou and mockery. If az,
State had such right, It ought to b
taken away from it Gentlemen call
the right of reFolutionl No constitu
ton gives the right Of revolution agains
itself; could give none Some had de
luGsd themselves and others with tn
klyinR moeksry. of speAceahle secession
Pc Iceabls secession, f0rsoothl
What did rthaae words mean2 The
meant war, and desolation and want
: they meant half rations, quarter rationi
no rations At all; they meant Ion
= marches, marches BY night, privationI
and disease; the agonies of the battle
6eld, and the lingering wretchedness {
/. the hospital; they meant bloody battle
! and defeats; they meant sickness, star
6 alton, and death.
4 Peaceable secessioa lit meant th
% risking OF all We had or valued th
= 2 abandonment Of all we held dear-ou
n homes and families, of life itself. 3
d wanted it understood, for all future tim
!. that this was what it meant he hope
o. no one would ever again believe that
:. meant independence. He prayed &c
Is the South might never again rebel
1T last the day should ever eome-hs d
y not believe it would come-Ehen Il
weight OF tyranny become intolerabl
!. was more than they could bear, then
= them resort 10 revolution, to downrig
rebellion; but in Gods name, let the
not undertake. this halfhsadsd rebelit
they called secessionl
~
Il He hoped they would bury this do,