Mr. Sanderson, of Duval, Chairman of the Committee on Ordinances, made the following report:
The Select Committee on Ordinances respectfully submit:
That they are now prepared to report to this Convention an Ordinance of Secession. In view of the grave import of the subject under their consideration, they deem a recurrence to a few of the leading principles involved in the formation of the Confederacy, which we are about to server, not inappropriate. Your Committee regard the Constitution of the United States of America as simply a compact in solemn form entered into between equals. At the formation of the Confederacy, the several colonies, the then contracting parties, had declared themselves free and independent States. These States thus declared and mutually acknowledged to be free and independent, for the purpose of forming a Federal Government, delegated certain of their rights. Those rights, with wise forecast and prudence, they specifically enumerated in the instrument so made to constitute the bond of Union between them; and with equal wisdom declared that all powers not granted or prohibited, were reserved to their people. The Federal Government was therefore limited by the plain sense and intention of the instrument constituting the compact.
Your Committee find no clause in the Constitution prohibiting the States from re-assuming these delegated powers, and are of the opinion that the right of Secession, or taking back the powers so delegated to the Federal Government, was one of the rights reserved to the States respectively. In support of this opinion reference is made by your Committee to the acts of the States of New York, Virginia and Rhode Island, ratifying the Federal Constitution. Each of these States distinctly affirm the right to reassume the powers granted "whenever it should become necessary to the happiness of their people, or should be perverted to their injury or oppression." These States having thus entered into this compact, the reservations made by them must of necessity enure equally to the benefit of the other contracting parties. The Constitution was formed by the sanction of the States, given by each in its sovereign capacity. That these rights reserved by the original States belong equally to the State of Florida. By the act of Congress of the United States of America, passed on the 3d day of March, A. D. 1845, said Congress declared Florida to be a State of the United States of America and "admitted into the Union on equal footing with the original States in all respects whatsoever." To these terms of admission into the Confederacy and Union of the United States, Florida, by act of the General Assembly, passed on the 25th day of July, A. D. 1845, agreeably to the 6th clause of the 17th article of her Constitution, gave her assent. Thus Florida delegated and agreed that, while she should remain a member
