Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-06-22
The Permanent ConstitufiOn-TEe
Demand of the lines.

Having separated from the late United
States for just cause and permanently, and al
the same time adopted the Provisional Con
stitution of the Confederate States, the peO-
pie Of Tennessee must very soon take meas
ures looking to 8 permanent settlement Of
their future political relations That theiI
minds may be intelligently directed to thi:
all-important subject We beg to call their at
tention to the following facts:
Immediately on the assembling OF The
Commissioners from the seeded States in
February last, at Montgomery. Ala, they
framed and adopted Constitution for Pro-
yisional Government. which, by its terms,
was to continue for the term of one year IN
less sooner superseded By the establishment
Of permanent Government
The Congress of the Provisional Govern
meut proceeded on the 1lth of March to
sdout a constitution for the permanent gov
eminent of the Confederate States This
permanent constitution was referred for rati-
6eation to each of the seven States which had
then left the Union, and each Of them, through
their Conventions, ratified and adopted it, to
90 into effect and operation at some future
time. not then determined upon. In the
meantime the Provisional Government con-
tinued.
Since then the States of Virginia. North
Carolina, Arkansas and Tennessee have left
the Union, the three former by Conventions
and the last by q direct vote of the people.
Virginia and North Carolina. and, we believe,
Arkansas, have each adopted the permanent
constitution of the Confederate States of the
South, while Tennessee alone stands exelus-
lively under the Provisional Government.
The late session of the Provisional Con-
eress at Montgomery enacted a law providing
for the organization Of a permanent Govern
meEt under the permanent Constitution,
which is to be effected by the election of q
President in the usual way by electors, OF
members of Congress by the people, and Sem
srors in Congress by the State Legislatures.
The election OF President under this law is to
take place on the first Wednesday in Novem-
her next. The President is TO be Inaugural
ted on the 22d of February next, and the per-
manent Government will then go into full
practical operation.
From these facts it will at once appear
that Tennessee must take prompt action upon
the permanent Constitution. The Provision
al Government of which she is now q MEN,
Der will be superced and pass away in Feb
ruary next, and she must either adopt the
permau, nj constitution in lime to participate
in The election of the new President aud in
the launching forth of the permanent Gov
ernmeut: or she must stand aiCof and b dis
franchised in these important proceedings or
she must max up her mind to stand perman
emily alone. These are the only alternatives
presented TO Us as Tennesseans- 10 view Of
them We do not hesitate to express our con-
Fiction, arrived at after mature reflection.
that our only course of safety and prudence
sud propriety is to ratify and adopt the per-
manent constitution al the earliest moment
consistent with due deliberstion, and thus
have our voice IN the new Government, and
assume our full share Of responsibility for
cur acts and for a common cause in defence
of common rights, equality and liberty. We,
therefore, adopt heartily the suggestion OF
our neighbor of the Banner, made yesterday,
that s'the Legislature. at its present session,
pass an Ordinance adopting the Permanent
Constitution, said Ordinance to be voted
npol by the people Of the State at the next
August election" This will enable US to aid
10 establishing the new and permanent Gov
eminent, give Us voice in the election of its
administrative officer, and put US upon foot
ing Of equality in all respects with the other
States of the South. We know OF no other
mode that will, unless it be through the ex-
pensive medium of Convention and by adj
ditional elections