Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1855-1861, 1861-06-15

To the Ptopie % tho Waited State"
PfLLow.cl1IzESs, The delegates 10 Com
ycnllon Of the Border Slave States assembled
Ia the city OF Frankfort desire 10 address
you In relation ~ the present condition ui The
eountty
None u rs hsye ever expected to live TO
see lhr spectacle now exhibited 10 our die.
traced land, The cry Of nrms resounds
throughout our borders, and 10 u few short
weeks we have seen pll over che land ihe
marshaliuR Of troops roady for the conflict
The pursuit' Of peace are pepleredand phau'
doned and the fell spirit of war bas seized
almost every hear, until even gentle and ten.
der woman yields ~ the fierce impulse, and
encourages the strife, ana The maternal eye
scarce pthers tear ~ tho son sciyes bis
arms and PUSHES toward the field Of carnage
and death,
II this warlke spril-this terrible energy
were ji'pmyed In preparing to meet the
leglons Of nm invading enemy our hearts
would eXult IN the exhibition Of the martial
spirit Of our country but ALA the com-
bhtanls are descendants OF sires who stood
side by side In 'he day Of battle TO maintain
the Independence Of our country, aud 10 the
approaching couhct brother Is 70 fall by tho
hand OF brother.
Can We hope, 10 this day Of fierce passion,
that our voice, crying for peace, will be heard
VIII any pOrlrtrure Of the horrors Of civil
war, that we can give, have any Influence
with those who mr. rush,ng mudly on 20 de-
sToy each orher2 We fear not States
which should have been with us, and whose
voice would have increased the potency Of
/ our demands for peace. have been seized with
the prevailing madness, aud have rushed to
arms. Sui We feel hound 10 make our voice
10 be heard. with the hope that Ourwords will
have their influence vt some day, when men
shall behold tho. wasting and dessolalion that
/ Their madness has produced
/ All the slave States except four nre array
ed 10 hostility to the general government,
/ and are demanding that the confederation
/ which they have formed shall be recogniz ed
/ rs separate sovereign nation. The process
/ by which they have attempted to form them
selves into " distinct nation has been for
each state by itself to declare all connection
with the general government terminated, and
then urite in forming confederation among
themselves,
/ Our present purpose does not require Us to
discuss the proprIeiy Of the acts Of these
states, yet il may be proper for US to say, thnt
they hud no warrant in any known principle
Of our government and no Justification 10 the
facts existing when they seeded
When these states claim that their soyer-
eighty asa nation shall be recognized and
nave collected armies to make OoltheirclaiIh,
the government Of the United States insists
that the ordinances Of secession ARE utterly
void, and that the constitution and laws Of
the United States are still in force within the
seeded states just rs they arc within any Of
the other states, Uud to maintain this posi-
ton armies are rapidly gathering on the Dor.
ders Of the seeded States.
ii there could be any intervention by which
the shedding Of blood and the desoation OF
civil war could be avoided the practical good
sense Of the American people might dis,oy-
er some mode Of adjusting the difficulties,
which would be alike honorable and beneficial
to both the conicudng parties But while
one side dcmnnds the recognition Of its sos.
ereignty and the other insists that such rec.
ignition is "a constitutional impossibiity, it
:, manifest that there can be no srblter but
the sword, unless the people themselves, ac-
. ting upon aud through their representatives.,
state and national, shall intcrpose, arrest the
strife, and enforce n settlement without
boodshei II any terms Of adjustment
would be satisfactory 10 both parties which
would fail short Of the recognition OF the
sovereignty Of the seceded states, and still
satisfy them, aud short Of the obedience Of
the secedcd states 10 the constitution and
Laws of the Uuilcd States, and still satisfy
the Dcop'eof the United States, it is the duty
/ Of each party 10 notify the other Of such
terms As would be satisfactory, so that an at
. tempt at adjustment might be made.
Bot VIC repeat if the recognition Of the
severe gnty Of The seeded states continue q
sme qua non, and If government continue
10 dlsclaim he constitutional power to make
such recognition. there Is no peaceful soiu-
ton Of the difficulty possible, other than
such as the people themselves mny by tLeiI
action produce.
Il is proper for US to say that in our opin.
ion the Constitution delegates to no one de.
pnrtment Of the Government nor TO all OF
u them combined, the power 10 destroy the Gov
! eminent itell, rs would be done Dy tae diyis-
/ ion vi the -Ountg iuto separate cor fedora
/ cies, and that the obligation exists TO main
tnin the Constitution OF the Uni ed States
and TO preserve the Union unimpared
II bias been sugge'trd, IN quartz titled
TO the highes1 respect, that the Independence
Of the state which have seeded might be
ACKNOWLEDGED by the National Convention,
adupslng IN amendment to the Constitution
for thai parposo, as such an amendment would
/ have The support and acquioseuce Of the Sc
coded States But we leave that for the de-
c.siyu Of the people aud their Representa-
tyes, when they shall feel the imperative ne
cessity Of such settlement.
We now turn to the consideration Of what
ought to he done for the purpose Of quietiug
apprehension within the few slave States
which adhere TO the Union established by
their fathers.
We ask no concession Of new or additional
rights. We DO not fear any immediate en-
crOncbment upon our rights No slave States.
The amendment 10 the Constitution proposed
by the last Congress, gives assurance that At
present there IL u" danger that our rights
will be- nssailel. But We are few in number,
md the prepoudcrnnce Of the tree states Is
continually Increasing. The security to our
rights BOW afforded ny the sense Of justice 10
the free states may he los, by n change OF
populs feeling 10 The future One great OBJ
jet 10 constitutions is TO protect the rights Of
minOrities
IN the constitution there are general grants
OF power TO the Congress Of the United states
which might br perverted 10 our injury con-
tury to the spirit Of the Instrument and s,ill
the letter Of the grant he claimed to author
ise the Injurious legislation. Such are, the
power q regulate commerce between the
states, and the power Of ",Nclusive leeis-
lafion over the District Of Columbia and
over forts, dock-ynrds and Hrsenals 10 the
several states 1t would not now BE- claimed
hy Congress that these grants authorized an
Interference in the sale OF slaves between the
people OF different states, nor would il be
claimed that they authorized The abolition Of
slavery Ia the District Of Coinmbiu, while
Maryland and Virginia remained slave states,
nor the ike abolition in forts and other plares
within slave states. But what will be- claim.
ed 10 the future We cannot know 80, also,
iu relation to the territories belonging 10 the
Z ted States. While We arr aware that al,
the territories, then urorgsniEcd, we're organ
iLeu by acts Of the st Congress which con.
tain 40 prohibition Of slavery, aud Wilde we
know shat this Was the action If n Congress
IN which the free states had the control at
the time The acts WIS passed, ttill these are
but acts Of Congress subject to repeal or NJ.
tomton vs. public feelings may change under
Temp a CT itgmelt.
u h. Dot lust that the rights NJ the slave
states. now ~ n suail minority Of tho whole
states, should he guarded 90 the particulars
mentioned BY such constitutional guarantees
~ shall render them secure against future
legislation IN times Of fxriicgfnt Our dis
iinggishrd fellow citizen, the Hon John j.
Irftteudeu. for TIE uuruUte of securing ~