Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-03-23
THE-NASHyILLE CONVENTION.
IN SENATE. MARCHs2I, 1850.

IN SENATE, MARCHs2I, 1850.
MI FOOTE- bold in my hand several joint resolution
recently adopted by the Legislature oe State Mis- sissipp
vital connection with the inporsans questions whic
have fo some time past almost exclusively occupied the
tencno the two ouses of Congress- which have asal
ened amount Of solciude and anxiety in the public min
OF Inc country that as been seldom hsetofoe called forth
any Questions whatever shall ask presently that these
solutions may be read but shall desire action of any n
fnerenpon until my honorable colleague and myself shall
an attested copy thereof the arrival ofyhich confident
20 ce expected lew days hence. trust, Mr. President
that The Senate will bear with pati.ntly whilst offer
remarks In connection with the subject embraced in these
resohons necessary coDcevet the vndcation of th
Stale OF Mississippi against certain unjust and unknd aeea
ons ahd important al this time explanatory of the
stu e OF the State Of Mississippi in regard TO the
ron ofthe Nashville Convention should not be willing 10
oecupy the attention of the Senate with these the
present moment but FOR two reasons which will conciseiy
srte ne iIst Is !hs the National Ihtelligencer of this
c n several recent editorial articles has dealt very freely
OF censure regard the acon of the State
Mlspp m originating the call Of Southern Convention.
aoss Of this respectable Journal hae hesitated
arSgua parallel between the action of the Southern States
at this tnein resolving assemble in oonyensou the
vindfcaon Of their constitutional rights @ aSsament and
the couneracon OF certain well known of threatens
ed hosty-and tho famous Hartford Convention the very
name of which has been long odious and abhoren all
truepatrias shall now sir Indulge in the language
of -ecrimhaton 10 which strongly invited. I, is
my dre at this moment to do or to any thing which
may beg feelings of sectional unkndne and thus obstruc
that speedy compromise and settlement Of oil existing diff
cues thich all true patriots ardently DESIRE
One OF he points Of simiude between the expected Nash
vile Cnventon and that of Haor3t is urged By the
editors the National nteigencer that the Hartford Con-
voptonsts demanded amendment of the constitution as
indispensable to the security of those whom they
whicexpsden OK constitutional amendment asserted to
bs OF the expedents which hs Southern States have
arovd their determination through the medium of
The Nashville Convention On yesterday, this view Of the
subject earnestly insisted upon the honorable Senator
isoS New Hampshire, (Mr. HALE,1 who formally accused
the whole South with designing demand constitu
ioal amendments impossible to be obtained in order pave
the way dissolution Of the Union. This assertion Of
Senator from New Hampshire constitutes my second
son for undertaking at this time defence Of those who have
participated ID getting up the Nashville Convention. do
not know howl prove more satisfactorily the injustice Of
all m has been said in regard to the designs and motives of
the Southern States in agreeing meet in convention
NASHVILLE, than by reading few extracts from document
whiA lies before me, which is nothing less than
the terry Address the Southern States whsh has been
alphabetically denounced by the Editors of the National
ntsgencer Of reasonable character. Those who
wdpassionaey consider what am about bread will not
onl be satisfied that there aas been yet organized
memeat in the South for dissolution Of ,ae Union, but
thai radical change in the fundamental law of the republic
seriously contemplated much less insisted upon, in
any part of the South would be highly gratifying me,
ani have doubt under different circumstances, equally
ageeaoe the Senate have the whole of this able and
patotc address read the present OCCASION But have
only few minutes of the morning hour during which TO per-
fori the task which executing Ishall merely lay b
u
honorable Senators that there is part Of the address which
will be found upon examination perfectly to harmonIs
with the portions be read in their hearing After clear
and brcbe statement Of historic facts ad able argument
upon constitutional and ether grounds the Address proceeds
as follows:
This controyes is most aarag one 10 every lover of
the Unions blessings and gorie II is dispute between
fourteen States side and sixteen States the other
side fifteen each side il Delaware should raternze
with the South Threats force either side
settle the controversy BY intimidation The passions OF the
ha~ had
justice, humanity pariotismhe love OF the Unon
OF its great advantages and Of the evils OF dsunon the
achieved our independence framed the constitution ratified
IT. and formed the snon must come 70 the settlement OF THIS
The Union and will be preserved The slave States,
in resisting such dangerous and des usupaons of the
Federal Government defending the Constitution and
Union Their position wholly defensvedefensiye OF their
domestic relations aud their private rights Of property de-
ensye their laws upon which these domestic relations and
rights Of property founded defensive OF their social and
political existence States defensive of the Constitution and
Union defensive of law order and good government OF the
Of the people to govern themselves by and
which cannot fall before the social philosophy.
But should the non-saye States combine enforce anti
acts and continue pass laws to the ex
tension Of slavery into the Territories should they further
also attempt abolish the District OF Columbia and IN
M places purchased for need buildings in the slave States
should they also attempts by amendment OF the consttu
tion to abolish the slave States themselves, what pro,ec
ton have the States against these aggresons and these
dangerous usurpaon OF Sndeegaed power, undera eons
tuition which they ought be enabled both protect them
selves and possibly the Union In discussing this sub
with urge the States TO ray and establish the
constitution, both Mr.. Hamilton and Mr. Madison argued
that the States organized communities could successfully
resist all Mr. Hamilton said in the FEEDER
a The separate governments contederacy may apti
be compared with the teud baronies with this advantage in
their favor that from the already expained they will
generally possess the confidence and good will OF the people,
and with so important support will be enabled eectualy to
oapoe all encroachmens of the Federal Government So
the organization OF the members be not abo
ished long it exists by constitutional necessity or 10
Al
the general authority of the Unon would still be in tact
and in theory association of States confederacy The
proposed constitutions far from implying abolition OF the
State Governments makes them constitutional parts OF he
national sovereignty allowing them direct
the Senate leaves their possession certain exclusive
and very important portions OF the sovereign Ihs
fully corresponds every rational import OF the terms with
the idea of federal government 1t safely be receiv
ed as an axiom in our political system that the State Govern
men WILL in all possible contingencies afford complete secur
ty against nvasions o. The public liberty Projects OF
patton be masked under preences likely to escape
the ton OF select bodies of OF the people at
large The legislature will have better information
discover the danger distance snd possessing all
the organs civil power and the confidence OF the people,
they adopt regular plan OF opposition IN which
they combine all the OF the community They
readily communicate with each other in the different
States and with their forces for the protection
of their common liberty
Mr.. Madison said But ambitious encroaehments of the
Federal Government the authority OF the State Govern
ments would excite the opposition OF single State or OF
few States only They would be signals OF general alarm
Every Government would espoue the common
repondence would be opened plans o would De
concerted one spirit would and conduct the whole
combination, Short would result from sppre-
OF the federal produced by the dread OF to-
reign yoke aud unless the projected innovations should be
Voluntarily renounced the appeal to ia! OF force
would be made the made in the other But
what degree could drive the Federal Govern
such extremity Ii the sixteen non-save Ssaes