Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-06-21
ADDRESS ~
THE NASHVILLE CONVENTION,
o the People OF the siavc-Hoiding States.


FELLOW CITIZENS In obedience the commands OF
those represent have assembled toge'het 10
with each other concerning your relation WIN 'ue s
government and the slav-holing States oil tay
the subject OF the institution OF slavery. ny os.n
proper lay before YOU briefly as the SUBJECT WI" po'
the result Of our deliberations and councils; 800, a ,h
In order that condition may be understood, an"
conclusions m which we have be justly appreciated
i, i. necessary briefly refer few past transacons
Ii i, now sixteen years the institution oi slavery ~
h south hec,n 10 be- actacd in Congress and assaed oy
our sister States Up that time, the people OF ne
ern Satss have respected the rights d
Southern States the constitution and 10 Ss ac.eo u'
dor the con yction that the subject OF slavery nelhg
ths legislation oil Congress- all agitation WIN tespe' " =
on the part of Congress equally forbidden ny me CON
stitu,ion But, This time, portion OF tue Pc".e u m
North began ossa in Congress the institution %
and TO accomplish their object OF dra.en. ~ ih.o e
of agitation they claimed the right Oh pe''o
inc Consre.s upon all subjects whatsoever As pcuoh
only the frs, step legislation was clear 'na' g. ~
petition legislative body must De hi'eo y! ''' i
No one can have right ask Of another TO do mat Shic
he has moral legal right 10 do Nor can any I.o
have the power and consider any matter ocyoha
its jurisdiction. The claim therefore 10 present Pei'ons
10 Congress on the subject Of slavery vas considered oy
the Southern representatives &eneraV as an ho
rac,v Ia assume jurisdiction the subject itself IN all
parts of the Union The OBJECT without disguise was the
overthrow of slavery in The States bat our assaiah.s r
ed the petitions chiefly against slavery in the Dis
,ric of Columbia and territories and against what hey
call the internal slave radethat is the TRANSMISSION OF
slaves from Southern State 10 another Conscious oi
the fatal tendency OF the agitation OF slavery in Congress
10 destroy the peace and stability of the Union effort
stvss which provided that all petitions on the subject OF ala
very should be neither considered printed referred ms
rule assaed by the people ol Inc Northern States as
violating that clause of the constitution which prohibits
Congress from passing laws 10 prevent the people ro
neaceubly assembling and peonng for redress of gfie
ysncrs In December 1874 this rule fell almost
unanimous voice the North and thus tho unlimited pow
of introducing and considering he subject oi sa'ey IN
Congress was asserted
In the mean Time the course OF the Northern people
showed clearly that the agitation OF slavery in Congress
only OF the means they relied on to overthrow TINS
institution throughout the Union Newspapers were sci
ND amongst them hired abroad TO
excite them against slavery in the Southern States Organ
zoons formed 10 oil slaves from Tile Sou'n anu
10 proec, them by violence from ecapurc Although tls
constitution requires that fugitive slaves like ugves from
nsce should be rendered up by the States which they
NAV have fled the Legislatures ut amos, every Northern
State ahless this treaty stipulation between The States
passed laws designed and calculated entirely 10 defeat this
provision of tho constitution without which the Union
would existed and by these laws virtually NULL
fled the act of 1894 passed bv Congress 10 aid its enforce
inen, Not with the agitation OF slavery in political
circles. the Northern people forced also into the religious
associations extending thu Union and produced
ration OF the Methodist and Baptist churches.
The result Of all these various methods OF assalng slave
nv in the Southern States was that il became tho grand
topic and discussion in Congress and out 0. Con-
grass and one of The most important elements Of politics
1 Union. Thus institution belonging 10 the Southern
exclusively wested from their exclusive con
troll and instead Of that protection which the great OBJ
Isct of all governments and which the Constitution oil the
United States guarantees to all the States and their ns
tuons the Northern States and Congress under tsr
combined together aSSi and destroy slavery III the
South The Southern States did nothing vindcatc their
rights and this of things The Mexican
broke and instead of that patriotic cooperation oil al
sections of the Unnn which would have taken place in tic
better days of the Republic bring and honor
able conclusion tho very first appropriation bill 10 carr
i, on the North voe thrust the subject of slavery
Throughout the they kept up the agitation thus clear
ly Inanestfng their determination that the General Govern
ment in OF its operations INTERIM or EXTERNAL shall
be exempted from the Introduction OF this dangerous sub
Ject
The closed with honor; and immense territory
added TO the United States. Their previous threats
allied; and tho non-savehoiing States Immediately claimed
the right exclude the people o the Southern STATES from
all the territory acquired and appropriate IL themselves
this peiension lust of power woulc
be hard 10 bear the superiority and mastery ii implies
would degrade the Southern States from being the equals
the Northern States 10 position OF colonial lnerioriiy
But when exclusion is lust Of power
but is only further step tie progress Of things aiming
the abolition Of slavery in the States by the extension
and multiplication OF slavc'ioidn@ States in the Union
the petension seen 10 ne ~ alarming as II Is insulting
The Southern Statcs in their legislatures set forth with
great nnaninity the right, il territories belonging IL
them in common with the Northern States, and declared
their determination 10 maintain them and finding in III,
Northern States disposition to abaic their demands the
sether take counse the Southern States
should pursue for the maintenance OF he .ish.s,
and honor.
Such is Il brief but imperfect statement of past
lions and they force upon the question in what condition
do they place Southern first what
condition Congress Tho time when your represent
taves in Congress were neither offered would they
due reproach in your behalf Bat Tor many past,
opprobrious eptets Of the institution Of
slavery. If their spirits yet unhrohen they be
chilled by sense OF humiliation at the insults they daily
ceva representatives. You arra.ned crimi-
mails Slavery dragged into every debate, and Congress
has become little else than grand instrument in the hands
OF abolonlsS TO degrade ana rum the South Instead o
peace and protection aggression and insult the South
characterize its proceedings and councils And what your
condition with respect your sister Staes Wer, that
respect and comfy which (ue all nations ards each
other is especially due from States bound together in
ther intercourse Instead vi respect and sympathy dcnun
citation and hostility account of your institution ui
slavery have past characterised the communications
addressed you by the Northern States
Aud what your condition in the Union? The slave
holding States stand combined only from you
your common property but place upon your front the
brand OF ntercrlty You not TO extend account OF
institutions, but they increase and multiply that
the shame and sin OF slavery NAV, by their phanhropic
agency, b. exnguishei nom amongst But the worst
feature OF your condition is that il progressive. As low
and humiliating be, is destined if
rested "a lower deep Every effect is cause and the
spirit of fanacis brook delay the progress creates
II you were 10 yield everything the North requires
abolish slavery in the District II Com5iasubmii be
cgsited pirates for conveying slaves
oher-le trial BY Jury ami VIII c habcas corpus from
you the Northern States fugitive sayesivc up all
your territories swell Northern arrogance and preduni
nancewoud things stop there. These are ali means aim
ing at one great end,he abolition 81 slavery the States.
Surenderng oi these you will but nflame Ill,
power by which another will bc cXac,.d-and when all are
conquered will the evil he arrested! In fifty years twenty
sayehoding States be added lo the Union,
whilst many which now savehoiing may become
sluvchuding States There then will bc no need now
openly 10 put aside tie Constitution their object
Ii they viii deien 10 do H. III, clodng States will
then have the power 10y wohrjs in Congress and three
fourths OF the States amend the constitution and then
have lis express sanction their policy Your
condition is progressive
if from the past transactions we have narrated we learn
our condition IN the Union, they teach also pas;
policy OF nonac;ion and sub.as aggression cannot
bring peace and safety When t oil Congress were
thrown open 10 Citation The =. ect ot slavery the
Southern States had moved with energy avert
things unconstitutional Itself and surely tending bring
the savehod!ng and nonsilyehodng States collision
although late, might no. have been late stop subse
quent encroachments upon rights. But the Southern
States passve aud their obearancc has had the effect
of inspiring the Northern people with the belief either tna
value union with them than value the lhsti
tuition OF slavery that dare from conscious
inability TO fotect ourselves. You have unsene"usy
stood STILL fist your supporters and TN defenders OF the
constitution in the Northern States III their efforts 10
from the agiaioGS o slavery i'll Congress have
been politically annihated have turned ioea for
have tamey ac9uesc,d until hate and persscute tbs
South has become high passport honor and power in
the Union
You have nwssv stood STILL whilst year after the
volume of an-sayey policy and sympathy has swollen
10 unanimty throughout all the saychoding States
and the sections OF the Union face each
collision You have waited until the Constitution ,he
T. States has been virtually abolished or worse
only what the majority in Congress think proper make it,