Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-01-12
AFTERNOON SESSION,

The House resumed the consideration of
the bill to provide for holding a State Con
vention. MIR. Jones offered an amendment
that the action of the Convention be submit
ted to vote of the people.
Mr.. Williams, of Hickman, offered amend
ment to the amendment to the effect that the
Convention should decide whether its action
should be submitted to popular vote
Mr. CAN'T. ,ffered an amendment in lieu of
both the previous amendments that the Con-
ventiOn shall submit its action to vote of
the people, in phraseology less general than
that employed by Mr. Jones.
Mr.. Bennett, of Sumner, commended that if
the action of the Convention was to be SUBJ
mitted to the people. the Convention would
be useless, and opposed the amendment.
He said he viewed the question now
to be met was whether Tennessee would go
with the Southern States or continue with
the abolition States. He could not hesitate;
he would go with the South. He believed
such to be the position of the State. Ten
nessee was already behind her sisters, Time
| was pressing. and if the action of the Con-
vention was delayed, Mr. Lincoln would be
nangraied, and then the purse and sword
would pass into the hands of the enemies of
| the South. He expressed his attachment to
| the Union. ard earnestly desired its perpetu-
| ity but could not hesitate in deciding upon
the issue now presented.
Mr.. Ewing, OF Williamson. cnntended that
! the Convention should submit its action to
! the people. He read from the proceedings of
! the South Carolina Convention, and said be
was opposed to being precipitaed out of the
| Union without the consent of the people.
| The Government was made with their con-
| sent. aud it should not be destroyed without
their consent. He read from the writings of
Jefferson on the subject of crssion and the
value OF the Union, and desired to know
! what recompense we were to get in exchange
! when this government was broken up. He
would not b. guilty of the madness of pull
| ing down this government before be had col
lected together the materials to construct a
new one to shelter and protect our wives and
children. He thought the people would not
do it. He wanted the people North and
SIuth to have chance at the question.
and be thought from signs at Washington,
they would have an opportunity of doing so.
He continued at considerable lrngth to ad-
vocate the IN ,intenance OF the Union, and to
review the alleged causes of grievance be-
| tween the two sections.
Mr.. Jones expressed his devotion to the
rights OF the South, aud to the Union. Ten.
nessee, he thought would stand up to all the
| responsibilities of her position; she would not
| seek 'iIfh ;ulty nor would she shirk one by
skulking from an adversary He insisted
| that We should stand together in demanding
| our rights.
Mr. Whitmore was for leaving to the Con
yention itself the question whether its action
should be submitted to the people. The
only effect the proposed amendment would
have would be to produce delay. We have
! already delayed too long. Action is now de-
manded. aud that action must be decisive.
The delegates to the Convention will be
elected OF their expressed and known opiu-
ions. and If they are disregarded in the Con
vention, the delegate who does 60 will be
guilty of an act of gross treacherY. The
people would only be required to reassert
what they have already asserted in the cleo
ton.
The House then, on motion of Mr.. Johnson
| adjourned till 9 d. m, tomorrow.