The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1895-06-15

m eomply with the laws enacted oy
If they saw fit to disregard
them. Thus were the colonlsts piung-
od into almost as dangerous situation
90 that which threatened them during
tho revolution. To remedy these
dofects and TO meet the demands OF
government, convention was ealieu
10 draw up new constitution. ms
met at Philadelphia IN 1901
and drew up the constitution under
which we now live. Now, notwith-
standing the fact that the confedera.
ton was deemed to be perpetual ana
indissoluble, the states which paruci-
mated i'm this convention Of 1857 main-
taiued their right TO secede, ana pro-
vided that the new constitution SHOULD
take effect when assented TO, not oy all,
but by any nine of the thirteen states.
Gentlemen, did not this action OF the
states in seeding from the corferatioh
copcede that the right of secession was
inherent in each state, and that 1t ex-
isted prior to the adoption of The pres
eut Constitution If. sirs, the states
had right to secede from confedera-
ton which they pronounce indissoiu-
bic and perpetual, the Southern states
had a greater right to secede from
uniop which the Constitution never
declared to be perpetual. It's sig-
nificant fact that the convention "hlci
adopted the present CONSTITUTION
omitted the provision in the articles
| of confederation declaring the Union
to be perpetual" This omission
was not merely accidental 1t was
based upon the undeniable fact ana
the irresistible inference that the coh-
rvention never intended to bind the
states in perpetuity to the Union, nor
to deny them right which they had
asserted in seeding from the Confed-
Grafton. Sirs, this right OF secession
was never given up by any of the states,
and [ challenge any man to prove to
the contrary. There it stands record
ed upon the broad pages Of history,
and there il will remain forever. The
! right of sovereign state TO act In its
sovereign capacity came down to US as
q hermitage from our fOrefathers, and
it will stand as one of the proudest
monuments of those stern and unbenu-
Ing patriots who rose iu the dignity OF
their power aud beat back the lion OF
England to his native isle ofthe ocean.
A principle never dies. Kingdom and
nations may topple in the dust, and
: the temporal things which man would
erect to himself may dazzle for a
moment and then lose their lustre in
the wreck aud spoliaiion of time; the
great pyramids of Egypt must some
: day disappear, and what the worio
: calls wonderful must sooner or later
:, succumb to the inevitable fate O.
= oblivion aud decay. All that is earthly
= !, must vanish; but the eternal princi
u pies of right will live for ages-yea
y until the world shall lose its form, ant
!, every relic OF creation be swept ava.
in the mysterious workings of Provi
dence.
: The COLONIES were acknowledged b.
= the Continental Congress to be sover
~ eign aud independents states, cac
= state retaining its own right to do 1t
y own pleasure. When they associate
= themselves together under the article
~ of confederation, they went into thi
- I. association with the tacit understand
~ ing that each state was sovereign
40 When they adopted the Constitution
~ ~ this right of secession was al articl
~ of faith among lis profoundest Trainer
;" both North aud South. These thing
~ canuot be denied they are matters
y, history and whatever the world ma
W say to the contrary, it cannot viii
80 away the record of the past.
nc Such Is a mere skeleton ofthe gran
no arguments upon which tho right
., secession was based aud if any OF yo
~ should ever study the events Of tho
=, stirring times from the adoption
I0l the Constitution down 10 the year lo6
" YOU will be convinced that the Sou
sc, acted in good faith, aud that h
40 actious were based upon the most log
:, 10 cal and tenable grounds. But in IL
ne the constitution under which we liv'
'e was that which was handed down
%, our fathers from our forefathers, fr
NJ from any adverse construction OIL
uo full of its original spirit.
~ But the right Of secession is thil
% of the past, it exists no longer. 1t b
Ia. been wiped away in the clash Of bat
'ne and the flow of blood, and the seal
VI enternity has been placed upon it
e'' the stern arbitrameut of arms.
Us live to-day under different Consti'
-, ~ ton. Our fathers accepted the &C
o!o struction of the victors and re-enter
10 the Union with as much loyalty
when they fought for what they
CIV lieved TO be their God-given rigt
ao' The star of hope that shone abe
an them for while in the blue empyre
'oi of heaven was soon shrouded in clor
. .ao Of adversely, and at last it sunk to
w. no more forever. The Red Cross +
wy that led them Oh to victory at d
'nai Run at last went down on the ia
' y 90 field of Gettysburg surrounded by
VIC noblesi of Southern chivalry.
'on' There stand the remnants of q pre-
80 and puissaut people-the sad rema
su' ing few of that noble band of her
lsn. who did all that human power co
'ues do to uphold the honor of their CO
NM Sa, try. Age is leaving its imprint al
o"r their faces and time is gradn'
whitening their locks as they ma
'n0 in peaceful tread adown tho br,
!. highway of life but they still ST
'o .s among us tho living monuments