Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-07-01

u Louisiana the old Convention had been called to-
getEer and the seeding delegates re-appointed
whilst the party in favor Of Mr.. DOUGLAS procured
. Convention in which 81 out Of 80 parishes were
represented, who appointed new set of repre-
sentatives. The friends of Mr. DoUGlAs were ad-
Jnitted and his opponents rejected. A similar
injustice was perpetrated to one district in
Alabama, and thus by strategic skill and the
sof compliant majority change was effect
ed of nearly 40 votes from the count at Charlestoa
that is some Il or'ls votes were thrown from one
side of the balance to the other. This unjust and
unfortunate result was produced by the error of
Mr.. DoUeLAs in not withdrawing at Charleston; he
made his friends fight for seats in Alabama, Geor
gia, Louisiana, and, Arkansas and, although de-
feated yet as they up and presented their ere
dentias at Baltimore his friends were fatally COM
mitted to their suport, right or wrong.
1t has been urged that every convention is the
judge of its own credentials and as such, an errO
neous or corrupt decision is not ground for
secession any more than it would be in the case of
Congress State Legislature. This reasoning is
unsound because there is similarity between the
bodies compared. A party convention is an assem-
blage unknown to our laws, with no authority to
enforce its DEGREES and purely dependant for its
istence and power the fairness of its constitution
and the business of its resolutions. If legal assem-
bly, makes d wrong decision it may possibly be cor
rected sometimes by appeal to another tribunal and
if there is appeal still the law must be enforced
to avoid an overthrow of the Government. If a
convention is packed by unjust decisions there isno
remedy except withdrawal, the very condition on
which 1t existed is overthrown and appeal TO the
people alone remains. The Tennessee delegation
did not, however, decide absolutely to retire from
the convention when those votes had been severaly
given-they wished to advise and consult with the
delegations from Virginia, Maryland, North Caro-
lima, Kentucky Delaware and other States, as to
ascertain if it were not possible still to devise some
means of reconciliation The large majority of the
delegations from Virginia and North Carolina part
of those from Maryland and Missouri and the whole
from California and Oregon retired absolutely Del
aware declined to vote. Tennessee and Kentucky
retired for consultation and it announced to US
THAT Hi''gz5 Ake Kentucky delegates would retire,
nile meA touid renAainzr, under protest without
voting, an6the balance would act with the eonven-
ton. Under these circumstances, regarding the
convention longer national or calculated to
complsh the object of its creation and that cur
! manning
only be to register the nomination of Mr.. DOUGLASS
nineteen of those representing the State of Tennes
see withdrew from the convention. Subsequent
| ly to our withdrawal and before the balloting
was closed, two more of our Representatives
retired, leaving only three who finally acted with
She Convention We regretted exceedingly the dis
ruption of the Convention, we felt the novel and
weighty responsibility thrown upon US, and it was
only in tile last resort that we felt it our duty not to
compromise the Democracy of Tennessee in nomi-
nation of such Convention believing then as we do
now that another nomination was inevitable and
when made you would have supported it, or we
should have been rent in twain by the clash of rival
claimants We have no complaint to urge against
those of our delegation who acted differently They
are accountable to their constituents and with
them we leave the matter.
1t became very serious question with US, after
our retirement from the Convention, whatcourse we
should pursue: whether we should return to Ten
neessee and refer the matter to State Convention
or cooperate in another nomination. We canvassed
the matter anxiously, and after ascertaining that
delegates from all the Southern States except South
Carolina and Florida and many from the Northern
or Free States would join in making proper plat
| form and acceptable nominations, and that Mr..
CUSHING would resign his position in the other con-
vention and join in our movement, we decided that
it would be most expedent for US to participate in
the Convention to be Immediately organized at Bal
| tmore.
We came to this result from the following consid-
creations The season was far advanced for nOmina
tons and by the time State convention was assem-
bled in Tennessee it would be too late for You to
participate in a new selection and you could only be
left to participate inOne made ,withoutyour concur
renee. The advocacy of the claims of rival nomi-
nees in different counties would have engendered
bitter animosites that might never have been recon
cled by the action of the Convention and in the in
term opponents in Tennessee would have been
actively prosecuting the campaign before our lead
ers were chosen. For these and other reasons, too
numerous to be urgedn address of this descrip-
ton, decided to unite in the convention to be im-
mediately organized at Baltimore Our authority was
well known to the men with whom we acted, to the
candidates whom nominated and to our friends
at home. If our power had technically expired, this
was well known and UNDERSTOOD no person could be
deceived and farther bound by action than the
facts exhibited to the world would justify. If you
should believe that we exceeded our powers and
SOVSu ~ 10 AoA yOu W ASSulb
will be accepted by US as firal and obligatory
We adopted the platform offered by the majority
of the States represented at Charleston and al
ready recited in the address. We nominated as a
candidate for the Presidency, the accomplished
statesman of Kentucky, JOHN C. BREcKMRDGE, and
for the Vice Presidency, General JOSEPH LANE, of
Oregon, the MARION of the Mexican War, and we
earnestly recommend then; to your support. They
are National men, identified with the glory and
honor of our common country and deeply pledged
to the perpetuation of its admirable Government.
ANDREW EWING,
SAM MHIIGAN,