The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-11-25
The Nashville Convention.


merely states that Mr. DoNELsoN moved that the
vote be reconsidered. The accommodation" "the
row"-the "breaking up in confusion"-&c.,
&c, was therefore a flight of fancy on the part
of some Geographic reporter The adjourn
ment was in regular order-and we mistake
much the character of Mr. DoNELsoN, if he
would perpetrate-and of the other members,
il they would have permitted, any such indecO-
rous and insulting conduct, rs has been attribu-
} ted to him.
From Proceedings Of Serenth Day.
On the re-assembling Of the Convention, Cen
eral Gordon of Virginia, stated that he was in
structed by the committee on resolutions to re-
port that they had adopted the preamble as re-
ported by the committee on Saturday, and had
su bstituted in place of the resolutions the fol-
lowing. The preamble and resolutions were
then read as follows
We, the Delegates assembled from portion
of the States of this Confederacy make this cx-
position of the causes which have brought us
together and of the rights which the States we
represent are entitled to under the compact of
Union.
We have amongst us two races, marked by
such distinctions of color and physics and
moral qualities, as forever forbid their living to-
gether OH terms of social and political equality
The black race have been slaves from the
earliest settlement of our country, and our rea-
tons of master and slave have grown up from
that time. A change in those relations must
| end in CONFUSION, and the entire ruin of one or
both races.
When the Constitution was adopted this re-
lation Of master and slave, as it exists, was ex-
pressly recognized and guarded in that instru-
ment. 1t was great and vital interest, invov,
ing our very existence rs separate people, then
rs well rs now.
The States Of this Confederacy acceded to
that compact, each one for itself and ratified it
rs States.
If the non-slnvcholding States, who are parties
to that compact, disregard its provisions and
endangcr our peace and existence by united and
deliberate action, we have right, rs States,
there being no common arbitcr to secede.
The object of those who are urging on the
Federal Government in its aggressive policy
upon our domestic institutions is, beyond all
= doubt, finally to overthrow them, and abolish
, the existing relation between the master and
slave. We feel authorized to assert this from
their own declarations, and from the history of
events in this country for the last few years.
. TO abolish slavery or the slave trade in the
District of CoIumba-to regulate the sale
and transfer Of slaves between the States-tO
exclude shareholders with their property from
the Territores--to admit California under the
circumstances Of the case we hold to be all parts
of the same system of measures and subordin-
ate to the end they have in view, which is openly
avowcd to be, the total overthrow of the institu-
ton
We make no aggressive move. We stand
, upon the defensive. We invoke the spirit of the
ala, ,f,
rights-our independence-the peace and exs-
tence of our families depend upon the issue.
= The Federal Government has within few
$ years acquired, by treaty and by triumphant war
vast territories. This has been done by the
councils and the arms Of all, and the benefits
and rights belong alike and equally to all the
States. The Federal Government is but the
, common agent Of the States united, and repre-
sents their conjoined sovereignty over subject
matter granted and defined in the compact
The authority it exercises over all acquired
territory, must in good faith, be exercised for the
, equal benefit of all the parties. TO prohibit our
! citizens from settling there with the most valu-
able part of our property, is not on y degrading
to us equals, but violates our highest constl'
tutional rights.
J. Restrictions aud prohibitions against the slave
:. holding States it would appear, are to be the
q fixed and settled policy of the Government
y and those States that are hereafter to be admit
: ted into the Federal Union from their extensive
territories will but confirm and increase the
power of the majority; and he knows little OF
history who cannot read our destiny in the
future if we fail to do our duty now, rs free
people.
We have been harassed and insuted by those
X who ought to have been our BRETHREN in their
constant agitation of n subject vital to us and
d the peace of our families. We have been out
! ragged by their gross misrepresentation of oul
a moral aud social habits, and by the manner il
. which they have denounced us before the world
r We have had our property enticed off and tn,
, means of recovery denied us by our co-States r
:, the territories of the Union, which we were en-,
titled to ms political equals under the Constitu-
ton. Our peace has been endangered by incen-
!, diary appeals The Union, instead Of being
considered fraternal bond, has been used as
, the means of striking at our vital interests.
The admission of California, under the cir
=, cumstances of the case, confirms an unauthorized
and revolutionary seizure Of public domain, and
the exclusion of near half the States of the Con-
federacy from equal rights NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. the
line of $500 which was original acquiesced III
as matter Of compromise and peace, and APP
proprates to the Northern States 100000 square
> miles below that line, and is so gross and papa
Ole WOlutlhn Vi lhe plliiClhcS VI JdstNo all.
, equality as to shake our confidence in any secu
a rty to be given by that majority who are nov
clothed with power to govern the future destiny
of the Confederacy
The recent purchase Of Territory by Con-
gress from Texas, as low down as 32 deg. on
, the Rio Grande, also indicates that the bounda-
: ries ofthe slavehoding States are fixed and our
doom prescribed so far as it depends upon the
will of dominant majority, and nothing now
can save us from degraded destiny but the
, spirit Of freemcn who know their rights and are
resolved to maintain them, be the consequences
what they may.
f We have no powers that are binding upon the
States we represent: But in order to produce
system and concerted action, we recommend the
following resolutions, viz
!. Resolred, That we have ever cherished, and
do now cherish cordial attachment: to the con.
sttutional Union of the States, and that to pre-
serve and perpetuate that Union unimpalred
this convention originated and has now rc-as'
sembled
Resolved, That the Union of the States is a