Year: 1861




I7S7, and submitted to the several
States for ratification, as shown by
the seventh article, which is in these
words: "The ratification of the con-
ventions Of nine States shall be suH-
cient for the establishment Of this
constitution between the States so
ratifying the same."


/ have italicised certain words in
the resolutions just made for the pur-
pose Of attracting attention to the
singular and marked caution with
which the States endeavored in every
possible form to exclude the idea that
the separate and independent sover-
eighty Of eacE State was merged
into one common Government or ma
ton; and the earnest desire they
evinced to impress on the constitu-
ton its true character-that of a
compact between independent States
the constitution Of 1857 however
admitting the clause already recited
from the articles of confederation,
which provided in explicit terms that
each State reclaimed it's sovereignty
and Independence.


Some alarm was felt in the States,
when invited to ratify the constitu-
ton, lest this omission should be con-
strued into an abandonment of their
cherished principles, and they rcfu-
sed to be satisfied until amendments
were added to the constitution, pla-
cling beyond any pretence of doubt
the reservation by the States Of their
sovereign rights and powers not ex-
pressly delegated to the United States
by the constitution.


Strange indeed must it appear to
the impartial observer that it is none
the less true that all these caletul!y
worded clauses proved unavailing to
prevent the rise and growth in the
Northern States OF political school
which has persistently claimed that
the Government set above and over
the States an organization created
by the States, to secure the blessings
Of liberty and independence against
foreign aggression, has been gradual
~
control in their domestic affairs.


The creature has been exalted above
its Creator-the principals have been
made subordinate to the agent appoiu-
ted by themselves.


The people Of the Southern States,
whose almost exclusive occupation
was agriculture, early perceived Il
tendency in the Northern States to
render common Government subser-
Went TO their own purposes by i'm
posing buthtnS on commerce as Il
protection totheir manufacturing and
shipping interests.


Long and angry controversies grew
out of these attempts often successful,
to benefit one section Of the country
at the expense of the other, and the
danger OF disruption arising from this
.ause was enhanced by the fact that
the Northern population was increas-
ing by elni grafton and other causes
than the population of the South.


By degrees, as the Northern States
gained preponderance in the National
Congress, self interest taught their
people to yield ready assent to any
plausible advocacy of their right as il
majority to govern the minority
Without control they learn to listen
with impatience to the suggestion of
any constitutional impeachment to the
exercise OF their will, and so utterly
have the principles Of the constitu
ton been corrupted in the Northern
mind that, in the inaugural address
delivered by President Lincoln in
March last, he asserts as a maxim
which he plainly deems to be undeni
able, that the theory Of the constitu-
ton requires, in all cases, that the
majority shall govern. And in an
other memorable instance the same