Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-12-07

The Proceedings of she Legislature uPOn
MIR. BayIess, Resolutions.

Resolutions elicting as we understand they did an
interesting and instructive debate. We have here
tofore expressed our regret at the position occupied
in that discussion by the Opposition members of the
Legislature
The resolutions we have reason to believe, were
not introduced with the intention of securing any
"party advantage" but simply to give expression
to the deep adherence Of the people of Tennessee
TO the higher law and irrepressible doctrine of
Mr. SEWARD and his associates and the unwillingness
of the people of this State to sec any portion of their
Representatives coalesce with aparty favoring them
If the premises were correct, and surely no issue
on this was anticipated, then Democratic trick
coald be made intended in their adoption, unless
the Opposition by their denial of the facts and
illusions gave it.
We had hoped they would be unanimously adopt
ed but it that the united Opposition vote of
thaSenate was thrown against them. However, in
the House large portion of the Opposition, calling
for division of the question the passage of the
resolutions unwilling to go to that extent, and
adopted a different policy with what wisdom we
leave for the public to determine.
Inasnuch, however, as it seems probable that
these resolutions to form part of the political
history of the State it is well that the position of
parties should be understood We learn that the eff
forts of several of the speakers of the Opposition
were directed TO establish the completely of Demo-
Gratis and Southern men with the Harper's Ferry
instruction; that several of them again, held the
Missouri compromise to be the "Pandoras box"
and, further, that it was unjust to denGunce the
whole Black Republican party because the large
body of them were conservative )" and yet again,
that we shOuldnot the offensive term Black = in
connection with the Republican party North. How
ever the whole body of their fire directed,
der cover of the Wisener" amendment, against
Disunionists " and "Secessionists, as if there
listed such party at the South We mention the
course of argument pursued by the Opposition, that
the people OF the State may the direction polit
cal opinions are likely to take in the State. Our
friends did right in laying the Wisener amendment
upon the table in order that pure and simple con-
domination Of the heresieS of the leaders of the
Black Republican party might be had, and that the
exact views and sentiments Of the leaders of the
Opposition in Tennessee might be seen.
We here again print the resolutions they were
voted upon and ask the calm and patriotic consider
alton Of the people Of Tennessee, Of all parties to
the indications given by this vote.
First, the vote upon the following preamble:
WHEREAS, A most dangerous epoch has arisen in
the history of country based upon the fanatical
sggressiOns Of Northern Black Republicans on the
reserved rights CT the States and the institutions of
the South seeking TO abolish slavery by preventing
Its extension into common territory and rendering
it insecure and hazardous in our midst; and where
in the recent Instruction at liarpers Ferry as
well as in the revolutionary scenes in Kansas We
recognize the legitimate fruits Of that reasonable
policy ayOwed by the acknowledged head of the |
Black Republican party. VIM. II. Seward, in his IA
mO1s Rochester speech, in which he said
"These antagOnistic systems free and slave la |
appp a Y mi in or nd
collision results. Shall ! tell you what the COLI |
sion means They who think that it Is accidental /
unnecessary, the work Of interested fanatical /
aatatOrs. and therefore ephemeral mistake the |
altogether. Il Is irrepressibe conflict be- |
tween the opposing and enduring forces. and it |
means that the intel States must and will. sooner
or later, become either entirely slavehoding ma |
tan. or entirely. free labor nation. Either the |
cotton and rice fields Of South Carolina and the su-
gar plantations of Louisiana will ultimately be till
ed by free labor and Charleston and New Orleans
become martS for merchandise alone, else the
rye fields and wheat fields Of Massachusetts and
New York must again be surrendered by their farm
TO slave culture and the production % slaves, and
Boston and New York become once more market for
trade in the bodies and souls of men 1t is the fail
TO apprchend the great truth that induces ma
ny unsuccessful attempts at final compromise be-
tween the slave and free States and it is the exist
of this great 1act that renders all such pre-
tended compromises, when made, vain and ephem-
eral.'
And WHEREAS, Henry Wilson, another Black Re
publican Senator from Massachusetts,, has declared:
LET US remember that more than three millions
of bOndsmen. grooming under nameless woes, demand
that we shall reprOye each other and that we labor
for their deliYerence. tell You here tonight that
the agitation Of this question Of human slavery will
continue while the foot Of a slave presses the soil of
the American RcpuhhC.'
And WHEREAS, Mr.. Wade, another Black Repubi- |
can Senator from Ohio, has said
There is really no union now between the North |
and South and he believed no two nations upon the
-. loo &c. t4.v
wards each other than these two nations of the Re-
public The only salvation of the Union therefore
was to be found in divestng it entirely from all faint
of slavery"
AND WHEREAS Senator Seward. addressing South
ern Senator's from his place in that body, has boldly
proclaimed 10 the world that
AT last a new voice issues from your own region /
from the South from the slave States, and protests
against your further persistence an tins mad enter
prise TOf extending slaVeryl and admonlshes you |
that il must and will fail The cohorts gathering
from the South: the Wen of moderation and cOhser-
vatsm Who, es they have heretofore moderated in |
favor Of slavery and against freedom, VIII now be
obliged in consistency with their Just and well es-
tablished character and their hahtUal patriotism,
10 moderate against you in favor of freedom, and
rise up unanimously against slavery
And again, at Rome, in New \ Ork 1T Will be the
show of the next two years to witness the Organiza-
zion of this same Republican party within the slave
States under the lead of brave and true men, such
As Frank p Blair of Missouri. and Cassius NJ. Clay,
kentHgEV' /
national party to be effected is sure and certain
a. what has already occurred, and is now distinctly
seem
Ponder well the statement Of facts herein contain
tanned and then that but one Opposition member Of
the Legislature Mr. SETTER. OF Granger, was will
ing to record his vote for it.
The first resolution reads as follows:
THEREFOR ReSolroI ly The General Assembly Of the
State Of Tennessee, That recognize in the recent
outbreak AT Harper's Ferry. the natural fruits Of
this reasonable rrepressble conflict doctrine,
put forth by the great head Of the Black Republican
party, and echoed by his subordInates and that IT
Becomes the imperative duty of national men OF
all parties throughout the Union 20 announce to
che world their of its nfamy and to unite in
crushing out its authors traitors 10 their country
snd As deadly enemies To the public peace, to the
rights Of the States, and the preservation Of our re-
publican institutions.
This was voted for unanimously by the Democra
cv. OF the Opposition Messrs. Armstrong, Bicknell
Bledsoe Brazelton. Butler Davis, Dudley Gillespie
Green Kincaid Of Claiborne, Morris, Norman Sen
ter White Of Davidson. and Wisener. voted for 1t;
and Messrs. Caldwell, Cheatham, East. Ewing, Cor
man. Havrou. Hurt. Porter. Morphs, Richardson
Trewhtt. Williams uf Knox, and Williamson, voted
against it.
The third vote was upon the second resolution,
which reads follows
Reso1ued That We record It as the sense Of the
Tennessee Legislature that the declaration of NJ.
Seward that respectable portion of the Southern
people. under the lead OF sHCh as Cassius NJ.
Clay and Francis r. Blair will unite with the Black
Republican party 90 prevent the extension OF slave
~ and viii eventually rise up against slavery is
libel upon the honor and loyalty Of the Southern
people. and will but TO make them more watch
full and eNactng OF their public servants in the
tionai councils.
This resolution received the united Democratic J
vote and the following Opposition :-Nessrs. Arm
strong BickneI, Bledsoe Brazzleton, Butter. Davis,
DudIV. East, Gillespie, Greene, Kincaid. of Clai-
horne Martin. Morris. Norman. Senter White. of I
Davidson. and Visener voting against it were the
following Opposition members Messrs. Caldwell,
Cheatham. Ewing, German, HaSron Hurt Morphs,
Porter. Richardson Trewitt Williams, Of Knox, and
Williamson.
The third resolution read 8s follows:
ResolUad, That it is the duty Of our Representa-
tives in Congress 20 recognize as epSmles 10 the /
and elugri4liN the slave States. eli VINO IN