Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-07-12
For the Nashville Patriot.
Tennessee Convention Of 1s34-SIavery.


MEssRs. EDIroRs I'll have noticed the view
taken in leading political journal, of the action
of the Convention which revised and amended the
Constitution of Tennessee, in 1884, upon the SUBJ
iect of slavery, which deem inaccurate, and in
Justice to the Convention, beg to correct through
your columns. 1t is supposed, in the article al"
Iuded to, that the action of the Convention was
hostile to the institution of slavery, as indicated by
areport adopted by the body; and that the Con-
vention looked forward to the period when this
great evil as it is said they regarded it, should be
e1tirpated from the country.
Il this correct? Let Us look at the facts as they
appear on the journal. Immediately after the as
sembling OF the Convention, on the 18th OF May,
1894, memorials were presented upon the subject
of the emancipation of the slaves, aad we find
from a report made to the body on the 9th oil july
1884, (see l26 Of the Journal that the number Of
memoriasts amounted to 1904, out Of free white
population at the time OF $500 that they were
confined to sixteen counties mainly in the Eastern
Division OF the State-and that from more than
two thirds of the sixteen counties the signers were
very few in numbers; that the signers of the me-
MORALS were not the owners probably oil ESQ
slaves-and consequently in the language OF the
committee, these memorials we're anything else
than an expression of the public sentiment on the
subject"
On the S0th May, 1884, Mr.. Stevenson, the Rep
resen:stve from Washington, introduced the fol-
lowing resolution:
Resolved, That committee of thirteen, one
from each Congressional District, be appointed to
take iuto consideration the propriety of designating
some period from which slavery SHALL not be toier-
ated in this State; and that all memorials on that
subject, that have or may be presented to the Con
vention, be referred to SAID committee, to consider
and report thereon" (5S of the Journal)
On the 9th June, this resolution was called up
for consideration, when, upon motion of Mr.. Hunts
man. it was laid upon the table till the LIST of jan
usry, after, in other words, indefinitely postponed
by majority of SO to 20. 90 OF the Journal)
Here then is a decisive action of the Convention,
not subject to misconstruction, and which so far
from looking forward at any distance of time when
slavery to be eITingushed, repels all sympathy
with the movement.
In addition to this, for the greater security OF
slavery and its protection in all future time, reso-
luton was introduced into the Convention on the
9th of June, adopted on the SOth Of June: al,
POI of the Journal containing positive prohibit
ton against the emancipation of slaves without the
consent of the owner. This is a distinct and inde
pendent provision not to be found in the old Con-
sttution, and reads follows in the new: "The
General Assembly shall have no power to pass laws
for the emancipation of slaves without the consent
of their owner or owners" See Art. 2, Sec. 81
Of the Constitution.
This makes it as we think too clear for argu.
ment, that the public opinion of Tennessee, as re.
hected through the Convention, was not one OF
sympathy with emancipation in any form that il
could be presented, unless by the voluntary act of
the master. And it leaves future legislation like
wise free to throw such guards and restraints upon
the exercise of this power by the master as the
public interests may require. The fact is the opn'
ion of a vast majority OF the Convention as re-
1ected through their acts, was then what enlght-
ened public opinion is now, that our system of do
mestic servtude is interviewer as it were with the
very bres OF society; that it is part OF our social
polity and inseparable from it, that it is for the
mutual happiness of both races not opposed to the
teachings of the Bible; and that to all human WIS.,
ion it will continue till the last of civil insttus
tons are overthrow.
Another change in the amended Constitution
which confines the right OF suffrage to ''every free
white man" instead of "every fireman." as under
the old, accords with the views heretofore
expressed in regard to the opinions Of the Conven.
ton upon this subject.
Upon what then is the opinion based Of the hos
tiity of the Convention to slavery 1t is upon the
report of committee to the Convention, which
was adopted by a vote of A to 10. What are the
facts in regard to this report After the whole
question of emancipation had been indefinitely
postponed by the Convention as heretofore
marked, and the memorials disposed of in what
might be regarded a very summary way, a COM
mittee of three was apponted,-it was deemed re-
spectful to the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT for the purpose
OF making report the basis of any action by
the Convention, for the question had already been
decided, but ITO draft the reasons that govern this
Convention in declining to act upon the memorials
on the subject Of slavery
John A. MKinney, the member from Hawkins,
a man of fine genius and q distinguished lawyer,
was the chairman Of this committee. (See ~ of
the JOurnal) He made two reports, they we're
signed by him chairman, presented by him, and
bear the impress of his hand in every part. These
reports are very able, presenting a mastery expo
ston of the whole subject, indicating the insti-
tuition Of slavery both upon civil and religious
grounds, showing by an irresistible array Of facts
and eloquent reasoning, that the prayer of the
memoralists should not be granted and conclusive
ly defending the action of the Convention upon the
subject A brief abstract of part Of these re.
ports only be given.
Mr.. Mckinney, in his first report, speaks Of the
wretched condition of the free man Of color, $50
long as he remains among white men"-that the
condition of the slave sis better than that of the
free man of color in the midst Of white men, with
whom he has no common interest, no fellow feel
ing, no equality" The report then adverts to the
effect that emancipation would have upon the slave,
on the State Of Tennessee, on her sister States
and that it would be disastrous to them all: that
"the interference of the Convention in this matter
would have thrown fire brand into the commu-
nty and kludled strife that would not be eKtin-
guished for years to come; and in doing so, they
would have pulled down ruin on the head Of the
slave, instea d of having Ameorated his condition"
that f the prayer of the slave population of this
State could be heard on this subject, it would be
that the prayer Of the memorialists might not be
granted" that sit is not intended to draw q com
parson between the situation Of the slave populA
lion in Tennessee, and the situation of the labor
ing peassntry in European countries; but il is con-
fdentlx heliexed II thAt comnarison were made |