, 1865-07-06
REBEL SECRET HISTORY.
Capture Of the Archives of
the Original Rebel
Convention at
Montgomery.
How the Bogus Confederacy was Set
Ahoat.

How the Bogus Confederacy was Set
Afoat.
lAthens tGa.) Correspondence n. +. Herald.1
ATHENS, June 10, 1865.
ARCHIVES OF PAoy1sIoNAL GoyERyMSr.
Major General Wilson has shown com.
me1dab!c zeal In gathering up all the r.,
cords, archives, SC, belonging to the late
rebel States. His efforts seem to hare been
crowned with remarkable success. At this
place he discovered all the archives Of the
placed in Gen. Cobb'e hands for the purpose Of
having certain copies made of journals. and
those copies not having been completed these
Important papers were still In his hands, Il.
promptly, however, md with the caudor aud
honesty which have marked bis entire course
ever sincc the surrender Of himself and con-
mand to Gen. Wilson, delivered them up
upon the first demand for them oy that
officer.
WHAT T1ET ARE.
These papers embrace the journals of the
conventions which framed TIC provisional
and permanent constitutions, the journals OF
the Provisional Congress. messages reports
of departments, etc. With these It Eonld
eecm the government now havo all the most
Important documents Of the late Southern
Cvnfederacy, certainly enough to make a
complete history oi the whole movement.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF SECESSION.
TEese are generally done up In good hand.
writing on parchment, with State seals aflIx.
neat. The credcntial Of the Soa.h Carolina
delegation Ia as much lost In yerblage and
citcumlocution IS an Indian trail In the ever
glades Of Florida, while those OF the Georgia
and Louisiana Delegations are briefand point
ed. No doubt It mattered not In the case OF
the Chiva1ry State whether the words were
many or few. The design WAS fully known.
DEsIGSs or FLAGS.
The people were very generous In their OF.
{ers to the Conledesacy Of designs of flags,
There ia every conceivable shape. size. color
or less into the stars and stripes. After
looking oyer this lot, person will really be
6urplised 10 reflect how hard it Is to ret nm
an original Tag, sufficiently different and
dislnetlye from ali others In the world,
TIE ORIGINAL DRAFT OF THE PROVISIONAL
CONSTITUTION
WIS found as reported by aud In the hand.
writing Of Nj. c. G. Memminger, Chairman
Of the Committee on Constitution. It anpears
old Federal Constitution, Judging from the
fact that portions Of that instrument, printed
On pieces Of paper, were pasted In the rep o1t,
which otherwise Was written. The tlftftr.
ence, however may have been In mere phrase
oiogy. --..-....--...-
orxx sEss1oN-sncnEr SESSION.
Distinct Journals 1l;,s Of The digerent sessions
bound together with red tape, The wri-
ting is In good legible style, md alternate
pages md alternate lines.
TIE CLEREs
were johnson ]. Hooper, at one time editor
Of the Daily Montgomery Mad, chicf; Robert E
Dixon and A. K. Lamar, assistants Hooper
Has also the auther Of Simon SuyRs. As
explained his handwriting was rather irrcgu-
Lar, letters somewhat crooked; Lam r Is
much bcttt1, but Dixon's Was superb for the
business. It would be hard to tlnd one who
could do better Hooper died IN great pow
erty In Richmond, Dixon WAS killed br one
Ford who WAS one Of the assistant clerks oI
the rebel House Of Representatives.
TUE CONVENTIONS.
These simply mcan the same as composed
the "ProsissonA Congress" with the same
ofHcers. They would meet In "open ses.
sion" IS q Congress-, resolve into !" secret
session Then II organic law Was under con-
slderatfon, they were In conventlon.n The
1eason Of plurality WIS because there were
two constitutions considered and adopted.
According 70 this theory, congress- or d lag
Law, without specific authority from that Ia Y
itself, or from the people appointing them.
COURTESY.
It is very evident that courtesy, harmony
and remarkable unanimity prayaiied through.
out their deltberations. Nothing frivolous OF
personal was ever introduced, but every
thing seemed to 60 On smoothly.
DILIGENCE
1t Is equally certain the men In the con.
clayc were hard-WorkIng men. They seem to
have lost no time. They organized them
selves, adopting their own rules, Officers,
DC, considered, discussed aud adopted tRo
constitutions, and put In operation proyia-
ional government, with al the appointments
and functions Of a government on an exten.
siye scala in less than five weeks. II that
was not work for you, then an no Judge.
REPORTERS.
One or two propositions were madc to ad.
NIT and swear IN two 6tenographers to take
down the debates, but they welc cmphattcaI1y
voted down. 80 ttat buncombe had no sAo8
whatever, and hence the progress made In
business.
TIE REPUBLIC OF WASHINGTON.
Soon after the Committee reported the pro.
rlsional Constitution, while the preamble
wAa under consideration, q motion was made
10 amend, aud in the amendment was the
proposition to baptize the Institution with
The name Of *tTho Republic Of Washing.
ton" Cobb, Of Geor1ia, (which one Is not
stated } WAS ready to stand as sponsor on the
Interesting occasion. I shonld judge there
Rhett doubtless thought this was coneoll.
dalton move and totally destructive TO the
absolute uotEamma11sd sovereignty Of the
6tAtee. Ths Cobbs, you remember, did not
use to run ont Of breath after the transcend
entail, hair-spltdng. do :trlne Of State soscr-
eighty, and hence just grounds for alarm.
Many arguments were nude for ths expires.
siye appellation Of " Confederate States Of
America" and "The Republic Of Washing.
ton" was consequently voted down by ona
majority. 1t Is credi1ab!e to this body and
Its officers any wAy that such secret never
before Was told.
TnCsT IN GOD.
The preamble to the constitution was hard
to get through With. The expression in.
yoking the a:d Of Almighty God, did not ret
doyetailed permanently IN TIL after much
talk. One Han wanted that expression
out. Chiffon moved to amend BY the words
"inyokIng the MD Of Almighty Cad, who l.
the God Of the Bible and the Fightful source
Of nil power and government" dc. But this
might take In the New testament as part o.
the Biblo and thus admit lhe dignity of the
Saviour, and this was shocking to Jew Benja.
min, and it was finally voted down.
RECOGNITION OF TIE SABBATH.
The attempt WAS made to have q recognt
1toU OF the LQElSklAu . GA1QaL4s IL h@ w
Cobb-doubtless the elder In the Presbyters
i'm church-in the mildest form possible, thus
-tsNo man ehalt be compelled to do civil
duty on Sunday" But 1t was rejected. Suo'
sequently the came piouslman endeavored to
have recognition Of the Sabbath engrafted
on the law with reference to carrying md de-
l;yery Of the mails. Perkins moved az
amendment that, inasmuch as the people oi
Louisiana believed in permitting everybody
to worship God on the days aud IN the ways
preferred, therefore the State Of Louisiana
Should be excepted from said provision
Texas desired the same exception, and II
HIS way the move WAS killed OF.
ADMISSION OF NEW STATES.
/. Along debate must hare ensued on th'
proposition to place In the Constitution tht
provision that no new States should be I'D
nnitted unless they recognised In their con
!, stitutIou, md provided for Its protection b.
law, the Institution of African slayery. Thl
was, however voted down.
INFORMATION OF AFRICANS.
The Inv passed in reference to prohfbltin
the importation Of slaves from Africa, va
very stringent against those engaged IN tn
| business. There was, however, 3 provisao
that the negroes 80 brought in should be sol
at public auction TO the highest bidder, /
order to dehay the expenses Of suit, rewards
Sc. This was promptly vetoed by Mr. Dayll
on The GROUND, chiefly, that there WIS n
right to sell free men Into bondage. Th
snw vas subsequently passed without this o