Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-08-16
F5r the Pdfria.
THE Proposed Constitutional Con-
yentiOn.

yentiOn.
MEssRs. EDITORS have noticed a recent
editorial in the PATRIOT, in regard to the pro-
posed Constitutional Convention; and think
the view you take of it is correct. The whole
proceeding is eminently radical and revolu-
tionary, in direct hostility to the Constitution,
and can only be justified upon the ground OF
intolerable evils, for which there is no other
remedy but revolution.
In the Constitution of 1896, there was this
provision: ''That whenever two-thirds of the
General Assembly shall think it necessary TO
amend or change this Constitution, they shall
recommend to the electors, at the next cleo
ton for members of the General Assembly,
to vote for or against a Convention; and if it
shall appear that majority of all the citi-
zens of the State voting for representatives
have voted for Convention, the General
Assembly shall at their next session, call a
Convention, to consist of as many members
as there may be in the General Assembly, to
be chosen in the manner, at the same
place, and by the same electors that choose
the General Assembly, who shall meet within
three months after the said election, for the
purpose of revising and amending or chang
ing the Constitution"
1t was under this clause the Convention to
revise and amend the Constitution of the
State, was called in 1884. The 3rd Sec. Of
Art. IL, of the amended Constitution which
was submitted to the people Of Tennessee for
their ratification, is as follows: ANY amend
ment or amendments to this Constitution may
be proposed in the Senate or House of Rep
rescntives, and if the same shall be agreed to
by a majority of all the members elected to
each of the two Houses such proposed amend
ment or amendments shall be entered on their
journals, with the yeas and nays thereon, and
referred to the General Assembly then next
to be chosen, and shall be published six
months previous to the time of making such
choice. And if in the General Assembly next
chosen as aforesaid, such proposed amend
ment or amendments, shall be agreed to by
two-thirds of all the members elected to each
House, then it shall be the duty Of the Cen
eral Assembly to submit such proposed amend
ment or amendments to the people. In such
sembly shall prescribe; and if the people
shall approve and ratify such amendment or
amendments, by majority of all the citizens
of the State, voting for Representatives, vot-
ing in their favor, such amendment or amend
ments shall become part of this Constitution.
When any amendment or amendments to the
Constitution shall be proposed in pursuance
of the foregoing provisions, the same shall at
each of the said sessions be read three times
on three several days in each House. The
Legislature shall not propose amendments to
the Constitution oftener than once in six
years"
Is not the meaning of this clause obvious?
Was it not intended to dispense with any
future Convention, but at the same time to
furnish an ample remedy for any defects in
the instrument? No one can doubt it. Had
not the people the right to say in their sove-
reign capacity in what way future amend
ments should be made, and is it not equally
binding upon them with any other constitu-
tional provision? That must be admitted.
If the whole Constitution can be thus I'M
tremendously set aside, what security can
there be for any of our rights secured by it
And does not this whole proceeding SAVIOR too
much of that spirit of anarchy and lawless-
ness which unhapply is so rife in some other
portions of our land, but from which we have
hitherto been free?
You do but justice to the Convention in
saving it was eminently conservative; and
that no future amendments were intended to
be made to the Constitution except i'll the
way pointed out in that instrument. The
debates in the Convention upon the adoption
of this section will abundantly show this.
The section as we find it in the Constitution,
except the concluding sentence, which pro-
hibits the Legislature from proposing amend
ments oftener than once IN six years, was
proposed by Mr. White, Of Sumner, on the
2Ist of May, 1884, the third day of the ses-
sion, and was well considered by the Body. !
(See Journal Of the Convention, Pp IL, 49, The |
mode of proceeding adopted by the Conven-
ton was to go into Committee oi the Whole
for the purpose of taking up and examining
the old Constitution in detail, by articles and
sections.
On the 22nd of July, 1884, after the section
in the old Constitution was read in reference
to amendments before referred to, Mr.. Carter.
President of the Convention, offered an
amendment with preamble, stating lit was
important TO the best interests Of the people
of Tennessee, that an ordinance of this Con-
vention shall exist, appointing the mode Of
hereafter amending the Constitution of the
State in such parts thereof as may be con-
sidered defective, without touching and EN-
dangering the whole instrument" and made
a proposition to that effect.
Mr. White then proposed the section in the
present Constitution in lieu of Mr.. Carriers
ortlnanee,-.See NashUILe Weekly Republican Of
sob JaIy lS34,-and said ''he regarded II rs "A
matter of great interest TO the country, that
we should provide diff rent mode of amend
ing our Constitution" He said, There was
great Inconvenience and danger too, under
this system. If the country was dissatisfied
with any part of the CONSTITUTIONAL IL did
not work well in practice, in every particular
we must submit To the evil while it is toll.
cradle, or incur the expense of calling Con
yention. And then there IL no security that
the particular grievance complained OF will
be remedied. Everything is aiioat You can
not say to the Convention thus far shall you
go and no farther. The foundations Of the
Government may be undermined-and those
great principles which have always been re-
garded as sacred, be destroyed. The Consti-
tuition or fundamental law, which secures TO
us our civil and religious rights and liberties,
saould be regarded with reverence, and hal
lowed in the affections OF the country. This
cannot be the case. nor can any community
feel safe, where, upon any momentary excite