Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-01-08

4
have already passed since the development of facts
when mike the perpetuity Of the Union depend
atone, upon teir giving h the South satisfactory
guarantees fofher chartered rights Yet, there has
Dsen NO proposition at alfsatsfactory. made by any
member of The d0uliuaft and aggressive marty OF
that section So far from il their Senator's and Re-
representatives. 10 Congress, have yeted down and
spurned every proposition that looked to the ac-
compiishment Of this object. no matter whence en-
anatlng and the fact that their Constituents have
IN no authoritative manner issued words Of rebuke
or warning to them, mast be taken as CONCLUSIVE
proof of their acquieseng in the policy.
In view Of these facts canrot close my ewes to-
the conclusion that Tennessee will be poweriess in
efforts she may make TO quell the storm that per-
yades the country. The work OF alienation and
disruption has gone so far that it will be extremely
difficult. if not impossible. to arrest It and before
your adjournment. m al human probabilits. the
only practical question for the State to determine
will be whether she will unite her fortunes with
Northern or Southern Confederacy : upon which
question, when presented, am certain there be
little or no division in sentiment identified as we
are IN every respect with the South.
& II this calamity shall befail the country the
south viii have the consolation of knowing that
she Is III manner responsible for the disaster
The responsibility rests .alone upon the Northern
people, who have wilfully broken the bond of
Union, repudiated the obligations and duties which
It imposes, and only cling to its benefits. Yet even
IN tins dark hour of responsibility and peril. per
ses of civil government just they existed before
the Union was formed. a-s- 4ss
The sages and patriots of the revolutions when in
the act Of severug their connection with the mother
country and establishing the great cardinal princi
pies of free government soemnly declared that
governments were instituted among men to secure
their rights 'to life liberty and the pursuit of hap
piness deriving their just powers from the consent
of the governed that whenever any form of govern
ment becomes destructive of these ends il is the
sd Inf IN alt av1
stitute new government, laying its foundations on
such principles and organizing its powers IN such
forIs them shall seem most likely to effect their
safety and happiness - But
when long train of abuses and usurpations, pur-
suing invariably the same object evinces design to
reduce them under absolute despotisn,i it is their
right, it is their duty, TO throw of such govern
nsent, and to provide new guards for their future
security" @
Recognizing these great principles, the people Of
Tennessee Incorporated in their declaration of
rights, as fundamental article of the Constitution
of the State, sThatgoy being instituted for
the common benefit. the doctrine Of non-resistaBce
against arbitrary power and oppression is absurd,
slavsh and destructive of the good and happiness of
mankind"
Whatever line of policy may be adopted by the
people of Tennessee, with regard to the present Fed
era relations Of the State that the swords
of her brave and gallant sons will never be drawn
for the purpose of coercing, subiugatng or holding
as conquered province, any one of her sister
States whose people may declare their independence
of the Federal Government for the purpose of be-
ing relieved from a long train Of abuses and usur
patons.S 70 admit the right policy Of coercion,
would be untrue to the example of our fathers and
the glorious memories of the past destructive of
those great and fundamental principles of civil lib
erty, purchased with their blood; destructive of
State sovereignty and equality; tending to centrali
zation and thus subject the rights of the minority
to the despotism of an unrestraned majority.
as mi for witt nf rsiet
Southern States to the wisdom of their policy;
DESTROYS as may be that whatever action taken
in this emergency, should be taken by the South
a unit; hopeful as we may be Of finding
dy for grievances consistent with the perpetui-
ty of the present Confederacy, the question last
Is one which each member of that Coafederaey
must determine for itself and any attempt upon the
part of the others to hold, by means of a military
force, an unwilling sovereignty as member of
common Union, must inevitably lead to the worst
form of internecine War; and if successful result in
the establishment of and totally different Gov
ernment from the one established by the Oonsttu-
ton the Constitutional Union being Union of con
Sent and nos of force, of peace and not of blood
composed of soseregaties; free, and politically
equal. But the and cOercive Government,
while it would "derive its powers" to govern por-
ton of the States 'r0 The consent of the qoreraed
would derive the power by which it governed the
remainder. from the cannon and the Sloord, and not
from their cORSeH-a Union not of equals but of the
victors and the vanquished, pinned together by the
bayonet and concealed in blood
devouty trust that a merciful Providence may
avert such calamity. and believe that there is no
respectable portion of our people, whatever may
be their differences of opinion upon other questions,
who are so blind to reason or so lost to patriotism
and every sentiment of civil liberty, a. TO give
eopntenappe to policy fatal in its results, and SO
revolving to every sentiment of humanity.
While sincerely trust that Tennessee may never
be drfsen to the desperate alternative of appealing
to arms in defence of the rights of her people,
nevertheless deem it proper in view of the present
excited state of the public mind and unsettled
dton of the country to call your attention 20 the
fact that with the execution Of small number of
Volanteer Companies, we have no military 0rgani-
sation in the State the militia having disorganzed
Immediately after the repeal Of the law which
qured drills and public parades. Independent of
the impending crisis, regard a thorough organ
ization of the militia imperatively demanded by
every consideration of prudence and safety. |
therefore submit the question tC your consideration
with the earnest hope that you will adopt such plan
of organization will secure q Gle state at all
times and under all circumstances, an efficient and
reliable military force.
am unable in the absence of full reports from
the clerks of the several counties to inform yen
the military strength of the State. Such reports
as have been made to this department shall be laid
before you. do not doubt however. that the mill
tary strength of the State may be safely estimated
ct one hundred and twenty thousand uier.
1t is proper in this connecuon that call your a..
tention to the repors of Iohn Heriges Keeper of
Public Arms, herewith transmitted showing the
number. character and condition of the public arms
of the State. and respectfully recommend that you
provide for the purchase of such number and char
acter of arms, for the of the State, as may be
necessary to Thoroughly arm an efficient military
f6re&
with the foregoing recital of facts pertaining to the
all-important political crisis Of the day. i
But comparative failure OF orops for two sue
ccssYe years. With the destruction OF commercial
confidence, resulting in the suspension of CONNER
cial transactions, general stagnation of trade and
financial embarrassment which pervade the whole
country with its ever attendant evil of general pc
cuniary Distress at the beginning of which many of
the banks in the State suspended specie payment
thereby mourning the penalties prescribed by the
banking code of the last session.
1t is asserted and suppose truly, that the cond-
ton of the banks was such as not to make suspen-
sion necessary on their own account; that by the
adoption of purely selfish policy, they could have
weathered thestorm and sustained themselves but
to have done they must have cut off all discounts
and enforced the collection of their debts from the
people, which would have increased the general
distress Ii is also urged with great earnestness by
a gerry large number of the people, that you should
pass laws for relief, and IN order TO enable the
banks to afford the greatest possb assistance to the
people until another crop can be made that the pen
altes incurred by the suspension Of the banks should
be released. II
While ! am confident in the opinion that the sus-
pension of specie payment by the banks is wrong in
principle and tends depreciate the currency and
unsettle the standard of value, am equally conf
dent that the policy of relief laws, to which this
general pecuniary distress has driven the public
mind is to say the least of it. of doubtful policy
and generally injurious in their ultimate effects upon
she community. The idea of freeing people from
pecqniaey distress by legislation Ia to my mind
impossbility. Yet co universal is the anxiety ex-
pressed and so confident the hope of relief from
the adoption Of the policy suggested that while l
cannot concur in the truth of the argument,
commend the adoption of the policy, do not feel
at liberty obstinatey to stand between the people
of the State and their chosen Representatives to
prevent the adoption of such legislation connected
with these questions they may think will promote
their interest and general welfare.
therefore submit to your consideration these
questions for such action az yoA in your discretion
may see proper to take with regard to them
am aware that there are many questions of a
general character with regard to which the constt
uents of many of you desire legislation, but having
convened you in extraordinary session, upon what
conceived to be an extraordinary occasion in the
history of the country and feeling the necessity of
prompt and immediate action upon the absorbing
Questions csnHected with the political crisis of the
day. haze intentionally agoided submitting any
others than those TO which have especially called