The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-02-21
POLITICAL SOVEREIGNTY.
mr. Jefferson Davis Explains a Pass.
age in His History.
BEAUyoIR, HARRISON Co, Mss. !

| FoIR, HARRISON Co, Mss. }
january s, 1888.
Editors Of heriwether's Weekly:
! lhave received yours of first inst viii
copy OF Meriwether's Weekly contain
ing communication which eriticizes m,
position taken on page 153. vol. / of IN
Rise and Fall of the Confederate co.,
e eIIl In compliance with your re
quest l send you the following remark,
suggested by the criticism:
On the page to which your CORRESPOND.
ent refers it is written thus. Accord.
ing to the American theory every indi.
vldual is endowed with certain inalien.
able rights, among which are life liberty
ana the pursuit of happiness The
rights thus possessed could only 10 H.
ailenable because of his inherent indi-
vldual sovereignty. In the sama ,,ara.
graph It Is further written thus: s.But
political sovereignty, which is the source
Of all the power of government. legisla-
i've, executive and judicial, belongs to
and adheres in, the people Of an organ.
lzed political community" The distinc.
tion was here presented between the nat
ural aud the social condition of man
communities are formed, or shouId he
formed, to protect each individual and
5 9S furnishing wrong to preserve right.
I ne members by entering the communi-
" do not ALLEVIATE their natural rights
but combine for the greater security Of
them. The sovereignty of the commu-
hlty Is the aggregate of the individual
soyereignties and therefore "Goyern-
ments rest on the consent Of the govern
ed. The State, i. e., the people, reouire
agents as well for efficiency as for CON
venlence, and functions are delegated
but sovereignty, indivisible and indie.
feasible, remains in the people.
Some form Of government is necessary
70 social existence and common interest
OF all is a guarantee to each that the
government will be the best which the
Judgment of the whole can devise bnt
1t is usual with us to guard against usur-
patton by bill Of rights, barrier over
which official agencies cannot pass even
4 corruptly using the shield Of State
sovereignty.
In many pages, both preceding and
following the one cited by your cores
| endeavored, on the foot Of
authority and by argument, to refute
5hree mischievous errors Of recent birth
md rapid growth. First, that our gov
srnments are sovereign; second. that the
Constitution of the United States is the
'reation of the people en- naasse, instead
y compact between the States. i. q.
he people OF each independent commu-
lity; third, that the will Of the majority
$ the law of the land, meaning thereby
II the United States. In attacking each
md all OF these positions, State sover-
lgnty was the heavy battalion relied
N, and its leaders were the founders OF
'ur constitutional union.
You ask for my thoughts on "The
ource OF the right in the majority to
nleD l do not think there is such
light; if it were admitted, the only
ource could suggest would be physical
'ower; but it is notself-evident that the ;
majority would be the stronger, and civ
Iization denies that might and right are
onvertible terms. The people of an
Independent community could give to
laJority the pOaeer to have unrestricted !
ule, they could not transfer the unal-
enable right of the minority and brief ! !
Experience would, no doubt, cause them
. revoke the grant of power SO dan
erous to the common welfare and hap
mess. Respectfully,
JEFFERSON DAVIS