Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-06-27
The Declaration of Grievances of the Pc.
IitIcians Of Enst Tennanken.

claration Of grievances."
Is was presided yer by Tics. A. r. Nelson, the
coadjutor of ANDREW JOHNSON. These men were
not elected by the people of the various counties OF
East Tennessee and consequently no pohucai au-
thority whatever was delegated to them to act LOT
tAe people. They simply assumed that because
majority of the voters of East Tennessee had cast
their votes against separation from the despohsm,
which has succeeded the Federal Union, the same
msjority are now in favor Of separating themselves
from the Government of Tennessee. after an over
whelming majority of the people of the whole
State have determined TO absolve themselves from
all political connection ih the old Union. What
ron segutur? Their reasoning would seem
to be this The people Of East Tenes
see, or a majority of them, opposed to
secession from the Federal Union. The people Of the
whole State have decreed separation from the
Union. Therefore the people of East Tennessee are
in favor of secession from the State. For themselves
they declare that "the cause of secession has no
charms for them, land its progress has been mark
ed by the most alarming and dangerous attacks upon
the public liberty" And yet they advocate the
disruption Of ties the most intimate sacred and
preseriptive known to peoples nations They
regard secession from Confederscy, after the
been openly denied by the substitution of the Chca
go platform for the Constitution as dangerous and
sbhorrent And yet they turn around and advocate
the secession Of East Tennessee from consolidat-
ed State Government, when rights Of theirs have
been denied by the State, no tyranny inflicted ard
no usurpation even attempted. Like Mr.. LINCOLN
who they declare has done no wrong to the South in
assuming supreme powers in Maryland and Mis-
- c.. A. L A.
ry power and overriding the State Governments,
and in making war upon States, without the au-
thority of Congress- and without an appropriation
to carry on the war like this despot and usurper
they can see no difference between county and a
state, and they can likewise see no difference =
tween convention legally authorized and fairly
chosen by the people and one selfconstituted and
assuming dictatorial AMI supreme powers, 10 VIC
lently wrench asunder State Government, without
authority either Of law or sentiment.
Do not these domineering leaders at once see in
what a deplorable and disgraceful inconsistency
they involve themselves? Do they not perceive
that their cause is the highest justification of the
people of Tennessee in separating from the militia
~ dictatorship Of LINCOLN
II it is right for county or counties to declare
their independence of the supreme State authority
for alleged grievances much more is It Unsuitable
and right for State to separate itself from Con-
federste Government, that has oppressed it. They
thus logically acknowledge the right of the people |
of Tennessee to separate themselves from the In
ion, and are henceforth forever barred from OBJ |
jecting to secession or revolution, by whatever |
they call IT, This Inconsistency, 10 call it by
no harsher name. is the apparent when it is |
remembered that the leaders Of the antisecessiou |
lists have exploded all their magazines Of ridicule
upon the idea of psIceG5e secession. and yet they
immediately reduce their own arguments to an ab- |
surdIty by claiming that the counties Of East Ten
nessee have the right separate themselves peace
ably from the State and they appoint commissioners
10 memorabilia the Legislature TO allow them to do
so! We should like to see the memorial Of these
gentlemen commissioners Like the Roman sooth-
sayers, they can scarcely refrain from laughing in
each others faces when they sit down to indite
paper innocent Of reason, right consistency and
patriotism.
But on the contrary, if these East Tennessee
Conventionists retorate that the whole of Tennes>
see had no right to separate from the Union, does
it not follow the night, the day" that they have
no right to secede from the State? They may say,
however, that the people of The State having done
wrong, they may sanctify the wrong, by doubling
it. Well it is maxim, old justice itself, that
"two wrongs do not make a right" VIII it not be
much better for them, even il the people of the
State have committed error, TO quietly and grace
fully acquesce in the necessity of a separation and
not comphcate wrong violence. war and division
by throwing themselves into the arms Of people
who have no sympathy in common with them, no
interest with them, no love for them, no associa
ton with them, no geographical connection, and
trade excepting what they sell them at heavy pro
fits
If it is merely revenge, or the fancied loss Of
power and prestige, the pert of these political
leaders. that stimulates them to thus throw them
selves into collision with their feIow-citizens of
Tennessee, they should remember that such REBEL
ion against their State Government will bring no
glory or profit but only shame and confusion. If
they seek for peace. they should study history and
learn that small neutral States are always the
bloodiest battle grounds for contending begerents
and that their neutrality brings them nothing but
desolated fields aud depopulated territory. 1t is
syren voice which whispers in their ears that they
cIn get peace by neutrality. What! neutrality on
the part Il East Tennessesns between their breih,
ren of West and Middle Tennessee and the wanda
hordes of Lincoln Such monstrosity E,
4 !
troubled dream of selfish political hacks, ,
who have too long enjoyed public confidence,
and now, finding that they must lose it, are driven
to desperate expeiIents and would betray the Peo>
pie into the hands OF their enemies Il
In another column We publish this declaration J
OF grievances" iudited - these self consttu I'd
of East Tennysseaus An examina. :
ton of VIII show that it is 3 miserable trnvesty
n L l.. I
ever of real grisvana the may be the decla-
ton, the State Government ought to and will re- /
dress The State Of Tennessee is not the enemy of
its Eastern division. The people Of the other diyis
ions entertain for their brethren in the East the
most cordial and fraternal feelings Many of these
supposed grievances are clearly imaginary as has ?
been demonstrated by the kind and conciljatcly
course of the Legislature None of them are charge
Ibe to the Government OF the State by any sound o
reasoning, and therefore they constitute no caus. 4
or separation from the tate.
East Tennessee will always get justice, kindness -,
md respect from her codivisons a, she has here
ofore done Nothing but the high crime of overt f
reason VIII subject any Tennessean to its penalties Z
We hope that reason vii! resume its sway among | -
he excited persons who nov counsel separation u
md that cooler and more coucilistns temper will
Prevail to invoke the resumption OF those traternal
md patriotic sentiments under whose auspices Ten =
,essee has marched to glory prosperity and renown
The LEGISLATURE There seems TO be general Of
that the Legislature viii adjourn early &c
i the coming week. perhaps Monday, the day al =
-eady fixed upon by the House of Representatives c.
NEGROES IN Tue New York CusToN House. In mott y y
ing the fact that Collector BARNEY had turned dem
erat out Of the Custom House, and appointed ne Sc
: =. 49,. T. ,,,,,,,,7 ,>a,, TI,r,nsbirs, D., st
80 LAS P4-0'' 'Ne I;
says; in
'ector Goo lrich set the example before lac OF
in Office a month, by appointing q negro TO
Of a billiard stloon) as a Messenger, in cl
Scavy a faithful and industrious free C,
.-ith q large family Of white children II