The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-03-12
Airlrn,ond 1ispatth.
~ 1868
MISUNDERSTANDING.

Alabama dt4oiA.
Two wears ago, when the people OF inc
South we're threatened with nothlps WIS.
than the constitutional amendment Wnsch
is still held up before them Tor ra''hca''on'
Sro maintained that as the States could
not possibly have any rights at all unless
they had tho right of secession from the
Union, and as the result of the war had
derived them Of this right, the form Of
the Federal Government had undergone 8
change, and must In future be q consoli-
dated, national one. We saw between
the two extremes no middle ground upon
which government could be based; for il
a State has neither the power TO defend
itself from the usurpations Of the Federal
Government, nor the right to withdraw
from its connection Herewith, it can, OF
course, dc nothing but submit to what.
ever wrongs the Federal Government
may choose to infiict upon it ana
as the Federal Government has con-
fcssedly the right and the power to dc
whatever 1t pleases, it follows that the
States have no rights Of any description
Indeed, they no lbnger have any title to
the name of States, being but mere %, de
tendencies of the central poWefs---.-nos
calls thepassso ;aiRdI aeTed territory. Those
of the North are yet favored municipal
ties; but this u now by grace, not of works
They have rendered themselves liable to
the snme congressional supervision over
their affairs and interference with them
which we have felt for the last three years,
and are in fact bound up in the same
strong chains which fetter us, only they
have not as yet been made to realize their
situation.
The bill for the admission of Alabama
tnto the Union, which was on Tuesday in
troduced into the House Of Representa-
fives by Mr.. STEVENS, ought to enable our
northern brethren to see whittier their
steps have been tending for some years
past. That bill reserves to Congress "the
"powor to annul any act Of said State in
"violation or in derogation Of the provi-
"sions Of the act itself. The reader will
observe that Congress does not merely
claim the right to annul any act Of the
Alabama Legislature which may be in con-
1ict with the Federal Constitution, but
any which may he in derogation of an act
of Cong ress! Now, this ought to DC con-
sidered a very serious matter; yet we
own we could scarcely refrain from laugh
ing outright when We first read it. Sup
pose the next Congress should repeal
this little clause of1ho Alabama bill
where, then, would be the guarantee
Cor the protection Of the negroes? Again,
with whom is this bargain nader Con-
Eress is one of the high contracting par
ties; who is the other? Why, q miserable
patch Of conquered territory called by
courtesy the State of Alabama. Surely
This clause does not add to tie power of
Congress. Surely Congress has as much
right TO aanul the laws OF Alabama now
as 1t will have under this new act for the
blinGest, most fanatical coDsolidatiou;sb il
The country will not contend that Congress
eau P"so y Law adding TO its own powers.
Aud if it already has the right TO annu the
laws Of Alabama it has an equal right to
:EEul those Of New York. Or are the
States hereafter to bc pncqually vohcd
is there to be one set OF States with
certain rights, and another set with
certain other rights? We are not
nDprehensire Of any such condition of
things. "Together we SHAH swectly live
togethcrwe shall die" There will be there
can be, nOdscriminatjou between the north
ern and the southern States. Ouce we get
into the Union, We shall have as many rights
(and as few as our northern neighbors.
ii is therefore as much their affair as ours.
this new contract with Alabama; and if
they see no harm in ii, let them 60 on in
the downward course to ruin. We have
done our share towards maintaining free
government upon this continent, and we
propose to leave future battles in that be-
bali TO our northern brethren.