The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-06-20
THE NASHVILLE CONVENTION.
a d D II = 8 8
People or Maryland, Virginia, North Caro-.
lima, south Carolina, Georgia, Florida,
Alabama, Tennessee, fentueisy, Leuhia-
ma, Texas. Missouri. and Arkansas.
TO TIE


Fellow CITrzESs:In obedience to the commands OF
those represent have together to con.
fer with each other concerning your relation with the
General 6overnm ment and the nonsaveholding States
of the Union, the subject of the institution Of Ella
very We deem II proper lay before you as briefly
the subject will permit the result of debera-
tions and councils
In order that your condition may be understood aud
the conclusions at which have arrived be justly ap
preciaed it is necessary briefly refer past
transactions.
Its now sixteen years since the Institution OF sla
very In the south began 10 be agtated in Congress,
and assaied by our sister States Upts that time the
people OF the northern states seem 10 nave respected
the rights reserved to the Southern States ny the
stution and to have acted under the conviction that
the subject OF slavery being beyond the legislation o.
congress all agitation WITH respect to IT, on the part OF
Congress. was equally forbidden BY the constitution.
But at this time portion OF the eope OF the North be-
gan to assa la Congress the institution of slavery and
20 accomplish their object dragging into the vortex
OF Congress ons agitation they claimed the right OF
titioning congress upon all .ah.ctS whatsoever As
petition Is only the hrst step In legislation 1t was
clear that right to petition legislative body must
be limited by its powers OF legislation No ons can
rave right 10 ask OF another 10 do that which he mas
no moral or legal right to do. Nor can any tribunal
have the Tower TO and consider any matter be-
petitions to Congress the subject of slavery,
considered by the South representatives generally
a. an st.emrt indrecsy TO assume jurisdiction over
the subJect ell In All parts OF Union The object
without disguise, was the overthrow OF slavery in the
Sates but our assailants framed the petitions pre-
nted emery against slavery In the District OF Colum
pa ana our territories and against what they call the
internal slave trade-that IL, the transmission OF
slaves from one Southern State to another Conscious
of the fatal tendency ofhe agitation of slavery in Con-
gress te destroy the peace and stability of the Union
effort made, supported by large portion Of the
Northern representatives 10 suppress IL by rule in
the House Of representatives which provided that all
p~ions on the subject OF sisvery shoua be neither
considered, printed. nor referred This rule
sailed by the people OF the Northern States VIOLA
ting that clause of the contribution which prohibits
Congress from passing laws to prevent the people
from peaceably assembling and petitioning for
redress of grievances. In December. lsiL this rule
fell before the aim ost unanimous voice OF the North;
and thus the unlimited power Of introducing and
considering the subject of slavery in Congress,
asserted In the meantime the course Of the orth.
ern people showed clearly that the agitation Of
slavery in Congress was only one of the means they
relied on to overthrow this institution throughout the
Union. Newspapers were set sp amongst thefn. and
lecturers hired abroad to exite them against
slavery in the Southern states Organizations we're
formed to carry of slaves from the South and pre-
tect them by violence FROM rec spture Although the
bonstt u ion lures that fugitive slaves like fugves
from justice should be rendered up by the States to
which they may have fled. the Legislatures of aim st
every Northern State fthless to this treaty stpuls
ton between the States passed laws designed and cal
euated ent rely defeat this provision of the cousti-
trtior, without which the Union would have never
exist ed, and by these laws virtually nuaed the act
OF 1874 passed by Congress to aid It's enforcement
Mo- content with the agitation Of slavery in political
circles the Northern forced it also into the reli-
gous ass atons the Union and produced
The result of all these various methods OF assang
slavery In the Southern States, that it became the
grand topic Of interest and discussion in Congress aud
out OF Congress aud one Of tho most important ee-
ments of politics in the Union Thus, an tution.
belonging to the soutbera States exclusively, was
wrested from their exclusive control: aud instead Of
that protection which IL the great object Of all govern
ments which the constitution Of the United States
guarantees to all the states and their uiions the
Northern States and Congress under their control,
combined together TO assa and destroy slavery In the
South. The Southern States did nothing to vnaicate
their rights and arrest this of things. The
Mexican broke out; and instead Of that patriotic
coopsration of all sections Of the Union which would
have taken place In the better days OF The republic to
bring to just and ht norabe conclusion In the very
FIRST appropriation bill to carry IL the North endea-
vored to thrust the subject OF slavery Throughout
the they kept the agitation thus clearly ma
nfesng their determination that the general govern
ment. in none OF It's operations, internal or externa
shall be exempted from thu introduction of this dan
gerous subject. The war el.sed with honor, and an
immense territory adged to the United States
Their previous threats we're realized; and the
non-slsyeholdiug states immediately claimed the
right 10 exclude the people Of the Southern
States from all the territory acqui ted and to
apf ropriate IL 20 themselves Il this pretension
arose from a mere lust Of power. It would be
hard 10 bear the superiority and mastery 10 implies
1t would degrade the Southern States from being ths
equals Of the Northern Stats to position OF colonial
lust of power hut is only further step In ths
progress Of things aiming at the abolition of slavery
in the states by the extension and multiplication OF
lavchcldirg staten the Union the nrctension Is
TO be rs sarmn NJ II u insulting The southern
nlmty the rights In our territories belonging y them
IN common with the Northern states, ana declared
their determination TO maintain them ani finding in
the Northern States no dspostion to abas their de-
nasbds the convention In which Assem- 5led has
been brought together take counse to the
the soubern States should pursse for the msinte-
nance of their rights. liberty. aut honor.
Such Ia brief but Imperfect sfatement 81 past tran
actions and they force upon us the question IA "hs,
condition do They place the southern s,atsa AM
trst, what " their CONDITION IN Congresst Tue um'
was when ycur repfesenayes In Congress we're neither
offered nor would they endure reproach IN your pc
halt But Tor many years past. they nave heari YOU
in CoDgr,ss, habually rev.i by the most opproori-
ons epi,hets on account OF the insttuton OF svery
III their spirits yet unbroken they must b. chilled
by sense OF humiliation nt the insults they dty re-
eeive as your representative. You sre arragned n.
criminals. satery Is dragged into every debate. and
Congress has become little cleo than agraud nstrumens
In the hands Of aboitonsts 20 degrade and ruin the
South Instead Of peace aud prOt.etiou. aggression
and insult on the south characterize s proceedings
and councils. And what Is your condition with re-
epect o. your sister statesl where Is that respect
and comfy which (due from all nations toward each
other is more especially due from States bound to-
rether in eonfdcracy and which was once dis.
played In all their intercourse Instead respect ant
sympathy, denunsiation ard hostility on account of
your institution of slavery have for years past chsr1c
terisd the communications addressed to you by the
Northern States And what " your condition IN the
Union The nor-savehuldng states stand combined,
h.4f