Year: 1861



 ments The calm and dispassionate observer of passing events, cannot fail to have noticed and observed the relative amount of respect that is paid to the constituted authorities and the supremacy of the law by the rival governments of the North and South.- Under the Confederate government the au- thority of the constitution and the laws is sacredly maintained. A multitude of com panies containing thousands of soldiers have offered their services in quick time, and have been received. This Is done in strict accordance with the constitutional law. The constitution of the Confederate States gives to the Confederate Congress, the power to raise armies, and our Con- gresS has enacted law to raise such an army as it believed suitable to the present emergency. President Davis has exercised his constitutional functions in receiving, organizing and commanding the army rais- ed under this act of Congress. The law passed under the constitution is faithfully executed

 To the constitutional and legal adminis- tration of President Davis, the wicked and hagitious administration ot President Lin coin presents black contrast. The con stitution of the United States withholls 1 from the President the great power of rais ing armies, and confdes to the representa- tives of the people power whose abuse might be fatal to liberty. But Lincoln has deliberately uSurped this great power. l Without the sanction of any act of Con gress, by his own authority. he is raising an army of one hundred and fifty thou sand men in addition to the regular army. Hundreds of northern volunteer companies, previously y organized, in re- sponse to the proclamation of Lincoln, have abandoned their peaceful homes, influenced by an unholy ambition to distinguish them selves in a war upon the South. In every northern State large bodies of men have beem-assembled and armed for this unholy purpose and are now marching in obedience to the unconstitutional call of Lincoln.

 The wise men who framed the constitu- tion of 17S7 believed that liberty would be in danger if the President were clothed

 

 with the power of raising armies. A bold and artful President, with the power at his own will to raise an army of which he is to be commander in-chief, seiZing the op- portunity when the people are agltated by some question that excites their passions, may easily make himself master of the country. Add to this, the practice recent ly introduced of quarteting the army at the seat of government and such a President may chrush, when he cannot overthrow, any appointment that may be attempted m Congress. and hold absolute control over the other departments of the government. No President of the United States has ever before grasped at this enormous power.-- It was reserved for knaye and patroon 10 accomplish this act of innovation on the federal government. Tine genius of lln- coin is of a calibre too small, ant hi, char acter is too contemptible for him long to hold the power he has arbitrarily seized,-- But passing into the hands of bolder and more energetic man the federal government will soon be transformed into a monarchy, upheld by an army.

 In the States hostile to the institution of slavery, the press exhibits q small number of bnglt examples Of civic virtue and ko- man frn.ness, and they have some good men in the walks of private fife; but large portion of their people were only thin disguise of an outside religion. They are too corrupt to preserve liberty. Iherights of the States and the freedom of the people have heretofore been guarded and protected by the vigilance and patriotism of southern statesmen, in the counselS of the federal Union As soon as this conservative power is withdrawn, and the federal government is left to the management, their executive usurps the power of Congress, and the people madly sanction the usurpation and send their armies to subjngate people who never wronged them. Forced into a war while we sought peace, we will not re- main on the defensive, but will inh;ct on our enemies the calamities they have pre- pared for us; we feel q confident assurance that we shall vindicate our independence by the triumph of our arms, anl we appeal to the judgment of the civilized world for the justice of our cause.