Southern shield., 1850-03-02
From the Knoxville (Tenn.) Register,

| The opposed Southern Convention seems tC
 attract very little attention in this Sate It ha:
 been adverted to by few of the papers, but nc
 assemblage of the people, so far as we are in formed, has taken any notice whatever of tht
 proposition, neither has the Legislature of tht State This may seem strange, since the pro lposltlon IS to hold the Convention at Nashville
 But our people do not regard the rights of the South as endangered in an eminent degree by the course of the Abolitionists. They seem tc
 think, and to act upon the thought, that it will 1 be time enough to consider the mode anC measure of redress when some papabe outrage upon the rights of the Southern States shall have received the sanction of Congress. This lis the true position for Southern men; and Ten lnesseans, who are devotedly attached to the Union, will be slow in giving their sanction to any assemblage which may weaken the bonds of our glorious Contederacy. They will weigh well the consequences before they take action in relation to the matter, and if in their judg- ment there exists necessity for the proposed [COnventOn, 1t will certainly receive their cor dial sanction; but, on the contrary, if they are satisfied as to the impolicy of the Convention and of the mischief that may grow out of its
 action, their cooperation will certainly be withheld.
 But what is the object of the proposed Con venton? The Mississippi resolutions say .tC
 devise and adopt some mode of resistance to the
 aggressions" of the North upon the South | Well, how is this "mode of resistance to bt
 adopted! Is the object of the Convention tc
 unite the pubic opinion of the South in oppos
 ton to the efforts of Northern fanatics? Ifthis l is the "mode of resistarce'' to be adopted, the
 object has been anticipated, for the people of the
 South are thoroughly united, and will maintain
 their rights whenever the aggressions of the
 North become too intoerabe to be borne: bu
 not until then will they adopt ''mode of resls
 tance" incompatible with their devotion to the Union. Is the object of the Convention to in
 l. dulge in menacing and violent language-tC
 declaim of fraternal war and bloodshed, and tc
 pass high-soundng resolutions? If so, we arc opposed to assuming any such yaporing attitude
 As to the feelings of the people of the Soutf
 upon this vexed question, the North already
 knows them. As to threatening the North witt
 what we will do, that is not the way in whici determined men, who know their rights, are il
 the habit of asserting them, and neither is 1t tho way to operate on the judgment and sense 0 | justice of bold adversary. Our threats o violence may be treated with disregard and ever
 conempt. Our strength, as yet, is one of mora
 power resting on justice, right, generosity ant
 the requirements of fraternal connexion, and le us, by all means, retain that power unimpaired
 Is the Convention, in adopting mode of resis
 tance, to take the initatory step to dissolution lof the Union and the establishnaem of C South ern C0nfederacy? IF so, WE PROTEST AGAINST ITS ASSEMBLING UPON THE SOIL OF TENNESSEE If the ultrasm of Southern men leads them tC
 desire the adoption of such ''mode of resls
 tance" as will inevitably bring about dissolu ton of the Union, let not the work be commenced | in Tennessee, where not one man in a thou sand can be found who favors disunion in any shape or under any circumstances, other thai those which violated constitutional rights woulC sanction.
 With the uncertainty that exists as to th'
 real objects of the Convention, we are opposed to pledging Tennessee to abide whatever course its members may think proper to adopt.