Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-01-05
~ TELEGR.ApH.


AIsAAY, y. T.. Jan. 3-The STATE Lsesalature met
yesterday. The Assembly organized By electinr
MF. Lit1ejohn, Speaker.
The Governor message Is document Of consia-
cradle length, and refers ALMOST entirely to matters
Of local interest lie concludes az follows:
New ork yields to none Of her sister States in
her devotion 10 the Union. She reYeres It as the
fruit Of a long and protraeted contest for liberty
and independence and she eherishes & for its pres
ems benefits and its guarantees for the future Her
citizens discovered at . very early period that
slavery was an evil and prompt and considerable pro-
vision was made for its extinction So far as our
example was worthy of imitation the other nem-
beIs Of the coutederacy had the advantage Of il,
but we never claimed that We had the right To in
terfere directly or indirectly with slavery as t ex-
lsted IN the 0iher States Of the Union. We were
satisfied with the solemn and earnest declaration re-
corded upon our statute books that we regarded
slavery az great ana social evil and treated j. ac-
.c0rdingly. New York still maintains the same Do
sition. She emphatcally disavoWs al sympathy or
Of cooperation With those misguided men, who no
matter what the prov0cati0n, have sought in the
past. or who may seek in the future unlaWfully to
interfere with the institutions Of any Of her sister
States; that the offenders in the recent invasion of
Virginia intended 10 sGbvert the existing govern
ment and to establish in its stead another more CON
sonant with their notions Of justice and equal rights
Is not certain that they proposed TO berate and arm
the slaves Of that region and aid their escape to
foreign country, IS beyond dispute and that pur-
certain to be resisted at all hazards The blood shed
and thus melted rests in the eye Of the law on the
heads Of those whose violation of law provoked It.
We may admit that their aims were unselfish and
even philanthropic that they honestly believed and
felt that they riskng liberty and life in behalf
OF the wronged and oppressed; but we must never
forget the obvious TRUTH that social order can only
exist through general recognition of the sanctity
of the law, and that tranquility and security must
vanish from that community wherein every one shall
feel at liberty to redress whatever he deems griev-
ious, by raising his against the authorities and
the laws
Another question is presented. where it is prOpos-
ed TO establish or 20 permit the establishment Of
slavery in the Territories being the common pro
perty Of the whole people, so long as they remain
Territories. New York will claim the right to par
ticpate in their government, and in way can she
do except through the agency Of her chosen rep
resenatyes in Congress to egisate for the Terrific
riesand prohibit the establishment Of slavery there
III yielding cheerful obedience to the doctrines of
State sovereignty having disposition interfere
with the local institutions of the States and prepared
at al times to aid those States in the preservation
Of their sovereign power, the people OF New York
Will always enforce their views In loyal, peaceful
and constitutional manner. and viii not surrender
the right participate IN the reformation Of this or
any other evil IN the administration Of the National
Government.