Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-07-13
NATIONAL INTEtfGENcER.
THE NASHVILLE CONVENTION.

pensation Of Providence, which has caused pause
we are at length enabled to carry into execution
our purpose of placing before the body of our
readers the Resolutions and the Address published
as the results of the late attempt to hold Con-
vention of the Southern States at Nashville, in
Tennessee.
Although the Meeting organized at Nashville was
defective in all the elements necessary to constitute
such Conventon-only one State South Caro-
lina) being regularly represented, and two others
mississippi and Alabama) irregularly, the Dele
gates being designated not by the People, but by
: the Members of the State Legislatures-and no
other of the States counted as present having any
other than few Delegates, chosen with no regula
rity, and having proper credentials delegates
two of them being represented by only delegate
each-still the proceedings are full of instruction,
in particulars which shall endeavor hereafter to
point out to our readers. AS another reason for
publishing these proceedings, we are free to &C
knowledge that the Delegates present. however
much or however little right they had to present
themselves there Representatives Of State Sove-
I reignties, were gentlemen many of them of great
worth and abilities, and whose opinions individually
would be entitled much consideration as those
q of any equal number of equally respectable citizens
assembled in any other city than Nashville, or in
any other county than Davidson, or in any other
State than Tennessee. Allowing to their proceed
4 ings so much consequence as this-and no more
we submit them, for the present without com
n men 10 the judgment of our readers
; .3ddress to the People of Marylaad. Tireinia
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Flo
\ ridd, .4lcbdma, Tennessee Kentucku Louisia-
ma, Texas, Missouri, Mississippi, and arkansas
FELLOW CITIZENS In obedience 10 the commands of
those represent have assembled together confer w
each other concerning your relation with the General Govern
ment AID the slavehodng States of the Union on the
subjec of the institution Of slavery We deem it proper 10
lay before you briefly the subject will permit the result
oil our deliberations and counsels.
In oder that your condition may be UNDERSTOOD and the
conclusions which have arrived be justly appreciate ii
is necessary briefly to refer to few past transactions
is sixteen years since the institution of slavery in
the South began TO be agated in Congress and assaed by
sister States Up TO that time, the people Of the North
States respected the rights reserved to the
Southern States by the Constitution and 10 have ac ed under
the conviction that the subject of slavery being bayond the
legislation Of Congress, all agitation with respect to on the
part of iCongress was equally forbidden by the on
But al this me portion OF the people of the North to
assai in Congress- the institution OF slavery and to accom-
psh their object OF dragging into the of
al agitation, they claimed the right of peonlng Congress
upon all subjects whatsoever As petition is only the first
step in legislation, clear that ghtto petition leg,a
tive body must be limited by its poWe OF legislation No
have right 10 ask Of another do that which he
moral legal right to do. Nor any tribunal have
the power to receive and consider matter beg on urs
dcon. The claim therefore present petitions TO Congress
the subject of slavery considered by the Southern e
representatives. generally attempt indirectly to assume
jurisdiction the subjecsse, in all parts OF the Union
hn
the States but assents framed the petitions present.
ed ch fly against slavery In the Dsctof Coumb and
Terroes and against what they call the internal trade
that is the transmission OF slaves from Southern
another Conscious Of the fatal tendency Of the agitation
slavery Congress destroy the peace and stability the
Union, effort msde, supported by large portion of
House OF representatives., which provided tina. all petitions
the subject of slavery should be neither considered print
ed referred This rule asaied by the people Of the
Northern States violating that clause of the constitution
which prohibits Congress from passing laws prevent the
people from peaceably assembling ard peioning redress
Of grievances In December, iS4i, this rule fell before the
almost unanimous Of the North and thus unlimited
power Of introducing and considering the subject slavery
Congress asserted. In the tine The the
Northern people showed clearly that the agitation If slavery
in Congress only Of The they relied on to
overthrow this institution throughout the Union Newspapers
up amongst them, and lecturers bred to 90
abroad to excite them against slavery the Southern States
Organizations formed 10 carry off slaves from the South,
and to protect them by violence from recapure Although
The constitution requires that fugitive slaves like fugitves
from justice, should be surrendered by the States which
they may have fed hs.Legsaues Of almost every Northern
State faithess this saty stipulation between the States
passed laws designed and calculated entirely TO defeat this
provision of The constitution without which the Union would
have existed, and by these laws virtually nued the
Of 1884, passed by Congress aid its enforcement Not
with the agitation Of slavery in political Circles the
Northern people forced into the religious associations
extending the Union, and produced separation of the
Methodist and Baptist churches. The result If all these
various methods of aang slavery in the Southern States
that became the grand topic of interest and discussion
in Congress- and of Congress- and OF the most
important elements of politics in the Union. Thus ns,i
ution belonging the Southern States exclusively,
wres,cd from their exclusive control aud instead o! that
protection which is the great OBJECT Of all Governments and
which the constitution Of the United States guarantees all
n the States ard their insu ions the Northern States ard
Congress under their CONTROL combined together assai
and destroy slavery in the South The Southern States did
ID nothing vndcate their rights and arrest this of
things The Mexican broke out and instead of that
patriotic operation Of all sections Of the Union. which
would have taken place in the better days Of the republic to
# bring just and honorable conclusion, in the ve5y first
81 appropriation bill carry on, the MORT endeavored to
rs thrust the subject OF slavery Throughout the they
Ia kept up the agitation thus clearly mafesing their deter
III minon that the General Government OF its opera
M ou internal external shall be exempted o the intro
M dnction Of tbs dangerous subject The closed with ho
and an immense territory added the United States
m Their previous threats ealz and the aveho
IN States mueaey claimed the RICH, exclude the people
M Of the Southern States from all the territory ued and 10
E appropriate themselves II this prelension arose from
mere lust Of power would BE- hard hear the superiority
$ IMPLIES IL would grade the Southern States
VI being the eqnals OF the Northern States position
~ colonial inerioriiy Blu, when your exclusion is not from
VA mere lust Of power, but il only further step progress