The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-05-25

founded, organized and projected the
General Government of the Union,
by the adoption and ratification of q
written instrument called the Consti-
tuition of the United States, the peo-
pie of each State acting voluntarily
and for themselves in their independ-
ent, sovereign character, is equally
indisputable. The General Govern
ment of the Union, then, having
been founded, organized and pro-
jected. by States, the people of each
State acting voluntarily and for them
selves, in their Independent. sover-
eign character, and not by the col
lected body of the people aggregated
In an entirety, is q government of
States, bodies polite, and not the
government of single nation or of
individuals aggregated in an entirety.
Being government of States, politi-
cally united by voluntary common
consent, and not the government of
n single nation or of individuals ag-
gregated in an entirety,it is federal
and not national government. Be-
ing federal and not q national 60
vernment, sovereignty resides in the
people of the several States, and not
in the people of all the States aggre-
gated individually in m entirety. It
is republican, as the will of the peo-
pie is expressed and known by and
through Representatives elected by
themselves, and to whom they are
responsible for their action. Hence
ours is q great federal republic, and
not great, grand, controlling ma
tional government. This being the
theory of the Government which we
have ever upheld and maintained,
and the General Government of the
Union having been founded, organ
lied and projected for the attainment
Of specific end, as set forth in the
preamble to the Constitution, and
South Carolina believing, in 1860,
that the great end and aim for which
the General Government of the Union
had been founded had failed, inter
posed her sovereignty, and by an
ordinance of secession, withdrew
from the Federal Union. After her
Withdrawal, the Constitution and
Government of the United States
was no more to her than they were to
England or France. She, together
with the other States that thought
and acted as she had, adopted new
constitution and ran up now flag,
and put forth all of their energies
and resources in bloody war of four
years duration for the establishment
of new union and new Govern
ment. When tho armies they had
put in the field were surrendered, the
union and government they had at
tempted to establish was abandoned,
and general disintegration ensued.
At the surrender the generals in the
field surrendered no principle, for no
principle had been put in their hands;
they surrendered their armies and
munitions of war alonc-the means
put in their hands for the accom-
plishment of an end. South Carolina,
however, by the interposition OF her
sovereignty and her withdrawal from
the Federal Union, impcrillcd her
political existence, and having been
vanQuished upon the field of battle,
lost it, and is now conquered pro-
vince of the United States.
The bills recently enacted b, the
Congress OF the United States for
the reconstruction and re-organiza-
ton Of our State Government, by
reducing South Carolina To the posi-
tion of conquered province fully
justifics the theory of the Govern
ment which we have ever upheld and
maintained, to wit: that sovereignty
resides in the people of all the States
aggregated individually in an en-
tirety. A sovereign State in the
Union cannot be reduced to the po-
sition of conquered province and
be in the Union. South Carolina, a
sovereign State, is reduced to the
position OF Il conquered province.
She cannot, therefore, be in the
Union. A sovereign State in the
Union cannot get out of it except by
her own voluntary exercise of sove-
reignty. South Carolina was q sove-
reign State in the Union, and is now
out of it. She, therefore, got ont of
it only by her own voluntary exercise
Of sovereignty. For State to exer-
else sovereignty, sovereignty must
reside in her. South Carolina, in
getting out of the Union, exercised
sovereignty therefore sovereignty
must reside in her. Wherever soye-
reignty resides there alone the alle-
glance of the citizen is due Sove-
reignty resided in South Carolina;
therefore the allegiance of her citizens