Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-12-02
TENNESSEE LEGISLATURES.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
WEDNESDAY, November 80, 1859.
AFTERNOON SESSION.

WEDNESDAY, November 80, 1852
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The House resumed the consideration Of Mr.
Bsyless resolutions, pending at the time of the IT
cess for dinner.
Mr.. WHITM0RE spoke in favor of the resolu.
tions. His speech is held for revision. When he
had concluded
Mr.. EWING submitted the following resolutions
which he desired at the proper time to cffer in lieu
of the resolutions and amendmen 5 under consider
ation end they read for The information of the
HOusr:
RssOlped That the members of tlis General As
semby look upon the recent silly and wicked At
tempt Of John Brown and his seventeen misguided
followers TO excite instruction among the slaves
at Harpers Ferry, mainly the result Of the gross
delusiOn (goten up and fOstered By fanatcsl sgta-
torsl which prevails at the North in regard to the
condition of the slave population in the South As
Stunning it to be so grievous as to inspire constant
discomfort among the slaves, and disposing them to
eagerly embrace any project which may be held out
TO them 10 effect their escape from bondage-A de-
fusion which it would be unWise aud of mischiev-
GUS consequences On the part of the South to coD-
firm or strengthen, by exsRgeratiug for party eff
feet for any other purpose the danger 60 be ap-
pretended from such outbreaks Of John Brown and
his followers Hsrper's Ferry; in which they ut
terly failed to excite insurrscuonary spiri: in
single slave so far We are Informed.
Resolved That while it is Ia nifest from the num-
Der aud the cost of the arms collected by Brown
and his followers, that they must have received di
rect aid aud encouragement in their wicked entel-
prise, from many abolition leaders, besides such
mOuomaniacs as GerIit SMITH and DR., Howe; aud
whilst it further manifest that they acei 10 per-
feet harmony of purpose with the teachings AMI
sympathies OF the whole abolition faction at the
Nortn nevertheless we do not believe the great body
of the Republican party encourage or sympsthise
with such WIcse1ness and folly. But 1t must be
conceded by all reasonable men, that the existence
Of such party at he Nor h, NO matter under what
circunstaL ces Of prov, calcn it had lis origin-s
party based upon the single idea Of hostility 10
slavery powerful in the number Of its msmbers and
in the ability CT its ie4ders-R ptriy Upheld by nu-
merous public Journals daily teemDg with exsggera-
ted pictures OppIessi' endured by the slaves,
with iLhammatory Iay,c ives against the South,
against slavery aud The s!aVehUlders-ineviiably
tends to incile the Wesk-m nded and fsnatiesl 80
engage in such despe and pre- posterouG schemes;
and that if such party shall be long upheld at the
North it must in the end tngender such degree
of alienation aud bitter hatred between the people
of the North and South as will prove to be Ineom-
psible with the existence or continuance Of COM
mon government.
Resolpsd, That the idea or theory that the exist
ence of slavery in some States communities, and
the absence of 1t in other and adjoining States OF
communities, is incompatible with the existence oil
a union of such States and communities under one
Federal head or General Government, was Tefu.ed
BY the Judgment and conclusions of the four dsrs of
the Republic, and the founders Of the Federal Con-
situtiOn and has been clearly disprOVed by the ex
perience of more than half century Of successful,
harmonious and prosperous career of the whole
country under the present coDfederated Union.
RssoiUed That, in the opinion Of the members Of
this General Assembly, there is nc necessary conN
ct betweeeu free and slave labor in any well regu
lated cmmunity, and least of aE in country like
the United States, embracing such a variety and
extent of SOIL climate and production; that in this
country SO far from being in conflict, free and slave
labor may coexist in perfect harmony, aad 10 the
mutual advantage and convenience Of both the
African race being BY nature endowed with powers
of endurance and cal aGity for labor and enjoy
ment in climes which soon impair the energies Of
the white race, may be appropriately sud probably
employed in the culture Of such staples as rice,
sugar and cotton, products Necessary to the oom
forts of the white race, while the latter, in climes
more congenial to their physical constitution, may
find profitable employment on the farm and IN
| the workshop, in supplying products adapted to
| the consumption and wants of both races, Of the
| slave as we'll as of the free white race.
Resolred That the theory Of an "irrepressibe con-
Act" is a startling and mischievOus invention and
il we'll calculated if held to be true, to reconcile
the minds of men, both North and South, to sepa
| ration of the Union, under the apprehension thai
in no other way can the multiplied mischiefs Of pei
uetual strife the subject Of slavery, between thu
| two sections, be avoided.
Resolved, That in the opinion Of this General As
sembly all the evils growing out Of the present in
tense slavery agitstion-sn the discord, alienation
| and bitter hatred now growing up and extending
bet Eeen the North and the South, are the Legitimate
| fruit not of any necessary and 'irrepressibe con
Aictn bet free and slave labor, but of q conhic
tetWeen rival aspirants in the of ambitiol
North and Sou'h, urged on by an iDordinste greek
| of official power and plunder-s CONFLICT which car
only be repressed by powerful AMI successful ef
fort by the friends of the Union, 10 rouse the PEG
ME to conviction Of the reality and magnitude o
| the impending dangers to its existence.
| 6ssolred That the declaration Of VIM. H. Sew
ard to the effect that respectable portion of tn
South under the lead of such men as F. P Blair
of Missouri, and Cassus NJ. Clay, of Kentucky, or
prepared to unite with the Republican party agsins
the extension Of slavery, "and will eventually riS
ND against slavery" ne aver to be unfOunded il
fact at least far as the people Of Tennessee ar
| concerned But we think it due to truth and can
dor 10 state that Mr. Seward and others who hsv
asserted the con rary, have mad high Democratic
thorty to sustain them in their assertion, since it
well known that leading politicians and public jour
nails in this State have proclaimed TO the world tina
| a large proportion o, the people Of the State O
Tennessee under the lead Of prominent men of tn
Opposition party, were preparing TO unite with tn
Republican party; and some of them have gone 8
far as to assert that some of the leaders Of the 0p
position were sbolitionis's in sentiment
Rssolusd, That we have full confidence in the cor
sentative members of Congress from this State
and that they will regard as enemies TO the Unio
and will have no utilization with any party or fac
ton, or with the members of any party or tactic
who have given encouragement or countenance
the wicked outrage perpetrated by John Brown al
his followers at Harpers Ferry and further, ths
they will cooperate with the conservative me
North aud South in organizing the House of Ref
resent stives that the Offices aud important commits
tees Of that body may be placed in the hands
those who will cherish the union Of the States as
national blessing and expose the corr1ptions Of ID
present administration Of the General Government
and in doing this, they will, in opinion, reprr
sent the sentiment of the people of Tennessee an
reflect honor on themselves and their constituent
Mr. WISENER commenced speech in opposite
to some of the resolutions, but particularly
favor of his amendment. He gave way for M
ton to adjourn.
And then,
On motion, the House adjourned till to-morro
| morning at 81 o'clock