Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-04-04
Substance of the Speech of Hon. Jas. H
Thomas,
DELIVERED IN ooMUMBIA, MONDAY THE 18Th OF MARCH.
From the Columbia Herald.


| From the Columbia Herald.
After returning to his neighbors, frinds and con
sttuents his grateful thanks for their generous con
fdence and support, Mr.. T. proceeded to give re
view of the efforts that had been made during thu
| last Congress to settle The question effect
| ing the Uuion. He said that, having been laugh
from childhood to venerate the Union ard having
ever been devoted to it with the knowledge that the
ardent desire of his constituents that it Should
| be preserved. he went to Washington hoping tha
| something might be done and with the determine
ton to labor to avert the calamity of its destruc'
| ton.
When Congress met, it was manifest that some
important adjustment must be effected, and that Al
an early day, or the Southern States would secede
This was known to ALL and all felt that secession
| revolution, and probably war, was imminent. The
/ Black Republicans had a majority in the House
they had elected their President, and all the evils
1 threatening the country, resulted from the odous
and destructive principles which they avowed
They had raised the storm, they only could abate it,
they had aroused the country they alone could quiet
I it. This was so apparent that the friends OF the
Union hoped and waited for them to prepare some
thing that might, at least, allay the fears of the
South and that might lead to settlement, but the
hope was not 70 be gratfed. Not of'that party
| IN either House could be induced to propose con
| sideartion of this important subject.
| After waiting for some days, and finding no one
of that party willing even 70 suggest the consdera-
ton the subject IN any way, and seeing the con-
tinued growing discOntento of the South Col Boteer
of Virginia, introduced resolution TO raise com
mittee and consider and report what could. or
| should be done to the Union. Upon motion 81
Senator Powell, of Kentucky, COMMITTEES OF like
character was raised in the Senate. These several
committees went TO work but it soon became
known that their lsbors were 70 result in nothing
/ favorable; and the Committee of the Senate, Chat
heretofore conservative branch of the Government
soon found that they could not agree upon any pro-
position for amicable settlement, and gave up all
/ further effort. The House Committee OF Thirty
three still continued its labors lnthe meantime,
proposition for Peace Congress from the Border
States, to meet in Washington in the month of Feb
ruary, had. been make and agreed to. This
| Congress men, and was composed of many prom
nent men, distinguished not only for their talents
and patriotism but also for their eminent public
services These from all the political parties
of the country, old and new. and the country was
anxiously looking to these committees and this
Peace Congress, one all Of them, with the ear
nest bope for some peaceful solution of our Difficult
ties Whilst these movements were In progress,
l State after State had seeded. until six
States had severally declared themselves no long
| er in the Union, and Texas was rapidly adj
vancing TO the same position. The new President
Wss on his W to the Federal city. to take charge
| of the Government Federal troops were ordered
TO Washington to protect the Government from i'm
aginary dangers: they were coming in hundreds;
the city was fast becoming military encsmpment;
and armed soldiery were met In every street IN the
1 civ. Lincoln was moving Oh Ule
cities with grand ovation at every stopping place
coming In strict accordance, in all his movements
| with his programme, until he reached Harrisburg
! IN Pennsylvania The next day he was to stop in
Baltimore the first Southern city in his programme
| where a reception was prepared for him. But to
the surprise of everybody, but probably very few
of his intimate friends he made his appearance in
washington the morning of the day he was to come
| 10 Baltimore. He came before day. disguised in a
military cloak and Scotch cap and came to the Ho-
Il ,onfnd m thn raIIhlU hf1f
not UNEXPECTED to Mr. Seward who was there TO re-
ceiye and welcome the President of the nation al
that uuseenly hour and in that most unseemly dis
guise to the Capitol of the nation garrisonod by the
4 United States Army, under the command OF Lieut.
I General Scott Mr.. T. said that he supposed that
/ b;a associations with Southern men were Of
such character that if there had beenany violence
1 meditated against the Government OF Mr.. Lincoln
he would have known or heard something of 1t. but
that he was unable to discover anything to justify
| these military preparations, or this military fight
1 and that Black Republican committee with pow
ers to send for persons and papers, and to examine
| witnesses on OATH had also failed to find anything
TO alarm the fears of even the most sensitive. YET
all these things had occurEed-these reconnoterngs
reinfurceInents AID trimmings, disappointments and
dis0t,sin1s all and nothing yet done to quiet pub
lie fears or to aay the apprehensions of the cOun
| trv The Committee of Thirty Three had reported
but the report was undisposed OF; the Peace Con
| eress in session, and nothing agreed upon and Mp
Lincoln safe at the seat OF Government guarded ny
| the Lieut.. General.
| Itshould be remembered that early in the session
| the venerable Senator, Mr.. Crttenden of Kentucky
had introduced propositions to amend the Constlt
ton which were embodied in the minority report Of
the Committee of ThirtyThree. Mr.. Q. is known tC
the world as one of the most devoted Union men o.
the country, his propositions were mid, kind anc
respectful to all sections of the Union, and wer'
| GENERALLY approved by all parties in Congress- ex
oept the Black Republicans. Congress ther
had before it Mr.. Crittendens amendments
ard the reports of the Committee OF Thirty
three and to these were added the amendments pro
posed by the Peace Congress. Thus it appears tina
| many expedients were presented TO remove TN
causes of dissfection but none of these were orr
Cnated by Black Republicans. They came iron
the other political parties aud while these patri
otto men were labGring to aecure the rights OF TN
I people and assure them of this security and thu
ave the Union, the Black Republicans were urginI
forward troops to Washington, through the lnstru
mentality of the Lieutenant General, smuggling
their President into Washington. abusing Mr. Bushan
an for not punging the country into war by sendln
troops and ships of war to reinforce the Southeri
forts and instead of aiding in q compromise, the
were al the time insisting that no change In tn
Constitution should be made and that no concession
should be, made TO what they called SOutheF
| traitors. ,.s -.
At length a vote wsE 10 be taken upon some %
these bronositions. The Crittenden amendment wa
taken up and voted down, SIS well as he recollected
by every single Black Republicsn slargeS majorit
Of the House. The amendment OF Mr. Kellogg, Q
Illinois, was also rejected by very nesR the sam
| vote and then came the vote upon Mr.. CorWln'
uroposrtion from the majority of the Committee Q
| Thirty three Some weeks before, resolution hsi
been offered by Black Republican to the effect tina
| under our the present Consultation Congress mad n
mower to interfere with slavery in the States ana tni
had passed unanimously. Mr.. Corwip's amendmen
proposed to provide by an amendment to tDe Conss
| tuition, no change should ever be permitted tina
shoud authorize such interference. This was All tn
constitutional guarantee proposed by the majority
1 this committee Yet this was voted down, and ne
until the next day. with the unanimous vote OF th'
South were they able, with all their efforts to pas
IL and then only with bare Constitutions major
| ity. Then came the proposition of the Peace Ooa
gress But before speaking Of the fate OF TINS pre-
positious it proper TO look at the course OF pns
| liz oninion In Tennessee. Our Legislature had me
| and nsssed a series of resolutions, demsndIn
| Amendments TO the Constitution, guaranteeing to
RIGHTS of the South more strongly and securely tina
| the Crittenden amendment. These had passed tn
Teoislaturc by very large majority of both Houses
and had been approved by the press of all pa rtie
| he noticed the Nashville Bonner and the Patriot eT
dorsed them most heartily, decisring that they an
! Tennessee would accept nothing less" ines
1 things went to show most satisfactorily, that no
l withstanding the bitterness that had existsd b.
tween the contending political parties in Tennesse
that upou this vital question they had sunk the pal
| tisan in the patriot. At this time and under sue
circumstances the delegates to the Feace Congres
! -,ara annoiuted They were selected from al Fal
80 20 reDresent the State and not any paFtieuls
nsrtv bnt to secure the guarantees that all partie
had said lwere just and right, and that w
should tate nothing less" The Legislature ais
ordered that vote of the people of Tennessee
should be taken, to determine whether we shoul
, ( 49, . Co,vention of the State not. Tn
: election took place on the srh Of Februar
whilst The Peace Congress was in session IN II
, Geaptime your Representatives in Congress wel
1, demanding guarantees Your press had said tn
!. they and the people "wsuld take nothing less
aenani guarantees. aud they were demandin
euaraptees. whilst all these claims and demsns
fir guarantees were pending. the news Of the Iel
= pessee election came, voting dom even the CAL