The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1861-02-01
The Position of Tennessee.

Tennessee in the present momentous
crisis. We republish them below. and
commend them to the careful considera-
ton of our readers:
!. Resohed By The General Assembly Of
Tennessee, That Convention or delegates
from all the slave-holdng States should
assemble at Nashville, Tennessee, or such
other place as a majority of the States
cooperating may designate, or the 4th
day Of February, to digest and define ba-
sis upon which, if possible, the Federal
Union and the Constitutional rights of
the slave States may be preserved and
perpe.uated. ,-.------
9, Resolved, That the eneral Assembly
of Tennessee appoint a number of dele
gates to said Convention, of our ablest
and wisest men, equal to our whole dele
CATION in Congress; and that the Govern
or ofTennessee Immediately furnish copies
of these reolutions to the Governors of
the slave-holding States, and urge the
participation of such States in said Con-
vention.
g. RcSoived, That in the opinion of the
General Assembly of Tennessee such plan
of adjustment should embrace the follow
ing propositions as amendments to the
Constitution of the United States:--
FIRST A declaratory amendment that
African slaves as held under the insttu-
tions of. the slave-holding States shall be
recognised as property, and entitled to
the status of other property, in the States
where slavery exists, in all places within
the exclusive jurisdiction of Congress in
the slave States, in all the territories
South of SO degrees, 80 minutes, in the
District of Columbia, in transit and whilst
temporarily sojourning with the owner ir
the non-slaveholding States and terrific
res North of sc degrees, 80 minutes; and,
when fugitives from the owner, in the
several places above named, as well as in
all places, in the exclusive jurisdiction Of
Congress, in the non.slaveholding States.
Second, That in all the territory now
owned, or which may be hereafter ac-
quired by the United States South of the
parallel of sc degrees, 80 minutes, Afri-
can slavery shall be recognized as exist
ing, and be protected by all the depart
ments of the Federal and territorial Gov
ernment; and in all North of that line,
now owned or TO be acquired, it shall not
be recognized as existing And whenev-
er States formed out of any of said terri
tory South of said line, having popula-
ton equal to that of Congressional Dis
trict, shall apply for admission into the
Union, the same shall be admitted as
slave States; whilst States North of the
line, formed out of said territory and
having population equal to II Congress
sional District, shall be admitted without
slavery: But the States formed out of
said territory, North and South, having
been admitted us members of the Union,
shall have all the powcis over the institu-
ton Of slavery possessed by the other
States of the Union.
IHid, Congress shall have no power to
abolish slavery in places under its exclu-
sive jurisdiction, and situate within the
limits of States that permit the holding
of slaves.
Fourth, Congress shall have no power
to abolish slavery within the District OF
Columbia as long as it exists in the ad
joining States of Virginia and Maryland
or either, nor without the consent Of the
inhabitants, nor without just compensa-
ton made to such owners of slaves as dc
not consent to such adjustment. Nor
shall Congress at any time prohibit Off
GERS of the Federal Government, or mem
bers of Congress, whose duties require
them to be in said District, from bringing
with them their slaves, and holding
them as such, during the time their du
, ties may require them to remain there
and afterwards taking them from the
District.
/ Eth, Congress shall have no power tt
= prohibit or hinder the transportation o
slaves from one State TO another, or to
Territory in which slaves are by law per
mitted to be held, whether that transpol
tation be by land, navigable rivers, or b,
the sen.
iSiath, In addition to the fugitive slav
q clause provide that when slave has beel
demanded of the Executive authority o
the State to which he has fled, if he j
Q not delivered, and the owner permitted
n to carry him out of the State in peace
y that the State so failing to deliver, shal
pay to the owner the value OF such slave
and.such damages as he may have sus
E tained in attempting to reclaim his slave
: and secure his right of action in the Su
preme Court of the United States, wit
s execution against the property of sue
State, and of the individual member
= thereof.
Il Seventh, No further amendments OF til
t. Constitution shall affect the five preceC
ing articles, nor the third paragraph {
% the second section of the first article {
the Constitution, nor the third paragrap
of the second section of the fourth art
:" Gle of said Constitution, and no amenC
y ments shall be made to the Constitutio
,r which will authorize or give to Congrei
n any power TO abolish or interfere wit
y slavery in any of the States by who's
D. laws it is or may be allowed or permitted
Eighth, That slave property shall
n rendered secure IN transit through, {
: whilst temporarily sojourning in the MOI
y slaveholding States, or territories, or
to the District Of Columbia.
d Ninth, An amendment to the effe,
a that all fugitiyes are to be deemed thos
/, offending the laws within the jurisdi
~ ton of the State, and who escape ther
lc from to other States and that it is til
La. duty of each State to suppress armed IL
vasions of another State.
70 4. Resolpei, That said Convention I,
m the slaveho!ding States, having agree
e. upon basis of adjustment satisfactol
10 to themselves, should, in the opinion
= this General Assembly, refer it to Coz
= vention of all the States, slaveholdir
g. and non-slaveholding, in the manner fc
IL lowing, 1t should invite all the Stat
n. friendly to such plan of adjustment
elect delegates, in such manner as to T
fleet the popular will, to assemble in
\, constitutional Convention of all Il
!" States, North and South, to be held
O. Richmond, Virginia, on the--iay
u. February, 1851 to revise and perfect So
OF plan of adjustment for its reference +
ne final ratification and adoption by Conve
tions of the States respectively.
- s. Resoiued, That should plan of a
u justment satisfactory to the South not
n acceded to by the requisite number
GO States to perfect amendments tc the Co
"a Z. =