Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-11-27


reution our status N the Union was 10 be changed
then it ought TO be slIbmi ted 10 the people of each
State for their approva. or rejection.
The time adorded by this coul Sc to.:he people OF
the North end South to reflect on the ,lsneer q
which folly and madness had exposed o, Union
the deep interest It word elicit amongst the masses
the remedy it would afford for immediate aud in
temperate action, and the confidence it would Sen
gender as to the fur e. a. rite ! its recomme
dalton.
It would seem almost id'e to Indicate advance
what measures should be adopted in convention
No person could now prophecy what would be the
result of its labors. lis members word have the
benefit of all the Information which could be aort
ed until the close Of their session and would fair
hope that whatever is recommended by them would
be accepted the best that could be alta ned, even
if unacceptable to MANY
In view. however of sus ming the position as to
the prOpriety Of having convention it may not be
unimportant 10 make some suggestions as to proper
subjects of its action and in doing So there are two
principles that ought 10 be regarded as axiOms.
LIST. We ought not to secede i,on this Union until
every reasonable effort had been made to preserve
it, and whateve rules CT creed should be prescribed
as to our future action. we ought to allow fri
time for e,Derience and make every reaso liable ex-
cuse for non-performanee. mt we had fun assn
rance that or efforts for the Union ere in vain,
and that we had no seer ty for ou- lives and prop
erty except \ secession
I'd. We ought TO assume as moderate ground in
defense of our rights was compatible with orr
safety and The maintenance of the Constitution.
The great desire of the South is chat the agitation Of
slavery shOrld fear is that me anti-sla-
very feeling of the North is the result of fanat'
cism that w not be abated I It'll lavery is extin-
guished or Withdrawn from its sphere. If we knew
any resting place or qrie.Gs in the future for this
agitation, or if we cor d be assured that it was
founded alone Oh greed for Office and spoils and
would be exLinguished when gorged, we would not
be SO anxious as we now are and our condition in
the Union would not be so perilous. Fearing then,
in common with thousands of Southern men, that
this on slavery is the result of wide spread and
ever Increasing fansticism, may rest assured if
our fears are just that in lu'ted period the Repub
lican party win reach and endeavor to pass any bar
rier, however just and constitutional, which we NAV
unite upon. then, we make our demand mode
rate and undoubtedly right, it Wv unite the whole
South and force OF two resuts-either .he North
VII yield to ou- desire, and we can remain honor
ably ahd safely n the Urion, they will reject
ultimatpm, and we can separate from Them justl-
fed in our consciences and in The Judgment of man.
lind, with the South as a unit The Importance of
an utimatum by the entire South, and joint seces-
sion is not admi ed in South Carolina with her e
tensive seabOard and people somewhat harmonized
in opinion but IN interior States with no outlet
and radical differences of view as to what amount
of aggression WI justify secession is in my judg
ment sac qra non.
Should the two positions 1 have indicated be re-
ceived basis OF action ov The convention there
then three or four subjects Cor consultation and
decision The faithful execution o. the fugitive
slave law. is the first am most important demand
which should be mace, and entire good faith in
its execution shOuld be required from the General
Government. Some plan or organization should be
called INTO action each s'lveholdiag Ssa.,, By
which it should be made the duty of some pubic Of
icer to have his attention Erected TO the pursuit
and arrest of runaways from his State he should
be Known officially to the Executive of the Uu on
il sholId be his duty wheA notified OF The flight of
slave 10 a free State TO have hin arrested if pos
sble notify the Executive, necessary and require
his assistance, and every instance report the facts
of the case 10 the Governor OF his own State, so that
they might be pub shed and our Southern people
kept aware OF the amount of orr losses and the ex-
listing good ia on the part OF The Federal and State
GOveIrmen
The repeal of what are / loN Il as the /" Personal
Liberty BIS o. several States where, n direct
conflict VITA the laws o. the Union sho' d be
claimed, and & refused by al mos. of Inc States
where enacted alter me ,apse of reasonable 'ime
shOOd BE- trea,ed a state o. host ty that must
require their explosion or VI ret ement fom the
Union. If Org one or two States should retain
these laws their sia.u books, agaiRs the gene
hen rust 10 the speedy and eicIent acton of Con-
!ress and tue Executive, to prevent any 'cgal Or
dangerous result ON them to our nsti.ul ocs.
)ne great difficulty il tie fc,el; execution of the
Fugitive Slave Lew, h'imcr,o, has been the help
essness OF each individual shareholder when pUr
suit o. his slave il he had been supper. ed il his
light by his own State the iacis a made public |
md the President forced to eficiens measures many
If the losses we rave suffered would nos have
ed, and pro opinion at The North would have |
become more healthy Iris subjec:. The right Of
go mo the Territories of the Union
md reside there with their slaves until The people
IF an organ zed Government i'll the Territory should
determine that slavery ought not longer 20 exist |
here, is ella med by the entire South and ad |
ritted by very large hber of the people N the |
iOn-slaYebOld igS ties. There is even in the South
wide difference as 10 whether Shareholders can |
ION bv he peopl. of Territory preparatory 10
. L. I'll IL, ,,;oII
.bove indicated Nv own con, Sion : in accord
nee with the opinion of majority of the Supreme
court of he Union that SHAREHOLDERS can and ought
lnder the Constitu .on to lie protected from any
friendly or hostile legislation N Territory until
he people meet I the State Convention, and this
Measure OF right ought 20 be melted out to US. If,
Iowever, Southern Convention shor determine
hat W G ought to rely on simple nonjntervention by
,ongres' and claim nothing more, until the whole
ma Ter lis precisely adjudicated by the Supreme
,ourt under the Kansas-Nebraska bin or some
imilar enactment, then. my judgment, we should
y I'm te and make our action cor foTm n reso-
utiOn.
There is not much p2obabi ty that slavery W
yer exist long North of 36S 3O| and if our Northern
republicans in 1850 had been content to extend this
|
d all the bitter. irritating strife this subject
characteristic of The last few years but they
ternly adjustment ald lett us as the
My policy we could adopt that of non interyen-
ion, and now it can hard be expected thatwe will
ermit them by a law of Congress to forbid our en-
rance With our property into the Territories, how
yer remote may be the prospect of the permanent
establishment o. slavery in any o. oU' present
territories.
The right of any Territory recognizing slavery in
he Constitution adopted preparatory to its admis
ion into the Union, to be thus admitted if other
Use e gible ought certsi, " 10 be required; and
1henever deliberately dep'ed, its rejection from
he Union for such cause, ought 20 be made the
round OF resistance. The probability of such an
vent is at present remote as not to form one OF
he active causes Of The present excitement but
We can hardly expect desire there assembage Of
ny Southern Conference, during the present CEN
Iry, and it would be well 20 seek definite adjust
lent of any future of dispute which lie
within our horizon. That Slave States should be
eceived into the Union without opposition on that
round, has been the practice of or Government !
xty years except in the memorable instance Of
he Sta,e of Missouri. If precedent has any force
H., - On