Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-06-04
NASHVILLE CONVENTION.

Yesterday was the day for the meeting of
this body. We shall soon be advised of its pro-
ceedings. In the mean time, our readers will
doubtless be interested in the following evidence
of the part which Mr.. Calhoun had in the origin
of the proposition of Mississippi that such Con-
vention should be held
From the augusta (Ga.) Chronicle and Sentinel
The reader will recoect that we some time since
published the following article from the Nashville
True Wing
Prior to the meeting of the Mississippi Convention,
John C. Calhoun addressed letter to Col G. S.
Tar5ley a prominent democrat, and member OF the
Genital Meeting, held in Jackson in May last; and
that he advised:
s4atfat-sssssiapi, being deeply interested, should
q He suggested Convention Of the Southern
States.
g. THAT the action of the October Convention
should be followed by the action Of the Legislature
4.That he saw no hope from theNorth- that the cr-
ses would probably come in less than twelve months
5. Upon certain events, secession was the only
remedy"
This statement of the Wing was boldly contra
dicted by the advocates of the Convention, notwth-
standing its endorsement by several leading journal
Of Mississippi among which was the Southron," pub
lshed at Jackson, the capital of the State The
tradction of the e Southron's' statement by the
ter and the Editor has succeeded in bringing to light the
original letter addressed by MIR Calhoun to Col,
Tarpley which we subjoin.
It's proper premise that the meeting ola few poll
ticafs of both parties at Jackson took place in May
l849. 1t the proceedings of this meeting that sug-
gested convention OF the people OF MISSISSIPPI which
Col. Tarpley enclosed to MIR Calhoun and requested
his views the subject and to winch MI Calhoun re-
| piled 10 the followinS letter:
Fort HILL, July 1919.
Dear Sir am greatly obliged to you for copy OF
the. proceedings of your meeting l have read 1t with
| a great deal ofpeasure.
You ask me for nv opinion as to the course which
should be adopted by the State Convention 10 Octo-
| Der next. | delayed answering your letter until this
| time that might more fully notice the development
at the North, before gave it. They are more and more
adverse to every day. There has not been sin
gle occurrence since the rising of Congress, which
does not indicate on the part OF the North fixed deter
mnation to push the abolition question to the last
| IRENE.
In nv opinion there is but one thing that holds out
promise OF saving both ourselves and the Union aud
that is Southern Conyention and that itmuch longer
delayed, cannot. 1t ought to have been held this tall
and oughtnot be delayed beyond anotheryear. All
our movements ought to look to that result For that
purpose, every Southern State ought to be organized,
with central committee, and one in each county Ours
s already 1t is indispensable to procure concert aud
prompt action. Ia the mean time firm and lesoute
resolutions ought to be adopted by yours and such meet
ngs, as may.fake place, before the assembling of the
legislatures in the fall They, when they meet, ought
ito take up the subject in the most solemn and impress
sve manner.
The greatpbject of Southern Convention should be,
to put forth M solemn the OF our grie
vances in address to the other States, and to adj
menish them in solemn manner as to the consequent
ces which must follow if they should not be redressed
and to take preparatory to 1t, in they
should not be. The call should be addressed to all
those who DESTROYS to save the Union and our in
stinti ons and who in the alternative, should it be
forced u.s. of submission or dissolving the partner
| ship, would prefer the latter.
No State could better take the lead in this great
Sentative movement than yours. 1t isdesned to be the
greatest of sufferers fhe abotonists should succeed
Land certain, but by the time your convention
meets, at tarthes, your Legislature that the time viii
have come to make the call. With great respect, am
&c. ]. G. CALHOUN.
This letter was shown by COL Tarpley, as he admits
to some Of his associates prior to the meeting of the
Convention, but Col 4. thinks it had influence il
suggesting the Nashville Convention 1t will not be
denied, however by any impartial reader that the sug
gestons OF Mr.. Calhoun strictly followed by the
| Convention, and that the statements OF the Nashville
; True Wing are fully sustained
1t may be remembered by our readers that at al
early period of the present session of Congress
there was some very sharp debate in the Senate
between Gen. Houston, of Texas, and Messrs
Butler and Foote, occasioned by the assertion Of
the first that the Nashville Convention had it's orr
gin in South Carolina. The letter of Mr.. Cal
houn to Col. Tarpley furnishes conclusive proc
that he was at least Gas the French say en- rap
port with those who first suggested the Conven.
ton in Mississippi.
We are not one of those however, who are
ready 70 condemn proposition merely because of
the persons who may bring it forward. Had the
Shareholders of the Southern States generally
united in Convention to consider the means of
arresting the progress of the abolition agitation,
| we believe it would have resulted in great good to
7 the South. The solemn warning of such body
could not have failed to exert the desired influence
upon the public mind of the North But, unhap-
PLY, the scheme of a Southern Convention was
made unpopular BY various causes, the chief of
which was the ground given by its advocates of
the Democratic party for the suspicion that some
party purpose was at the bottom of it. The fact
that South Carolina was foremost in recommend
ing the Convention also had great influence in
deterring MANY men of both parties from giving
it their appreciation. The general expectation
too, that some satisfactory adjustment would be
arrived at by Congress-, prevented large numbers Of
perfectly loyal Southern men from being satisfied
of the expediency of the proposed conference at
NASHVILLE. For these and other reasons, the Con-
venton failed to receive the sanction of the peo-
pie; and it was because of our reluctant convic-
ton that this was the fact, that we came to the
conclusion that the few towns and counties of
Virginia. in which preliminary action was advo-
Gated, would be wiser to defer to the general judy
ment of the South than otake part in partially
constituted Convention, which could not act with
| any adequate authority.
Letters from the two gentlemen, James Lyons and
Robert G. Scott, Esqrs, appointed Delegates from the
Richmond Va) Congressional District are published in
the Richmond papers, in which, still approving the OBJ
ject OF that Convention they decline go Nashville
under present circumstances; the first from indsposi-
ton which puts it Of his power leave home the