Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-02-04
Letter from the southern RIGHTS
Union Candidates.
NASHVILLE. Jan. 81, 1861.

= NASHVILLE, Jan. 81, 1S6l.--s
GENTLEMEN-We are in receipt of your
letter of this date, in which after stating the
fnpolicy of any division of sentiment in
Tennessee, you propose to us that You will
Immediately decline and leave US without OPP
position, if we will pledge ourselves il elect
ed. Ito insist in our State Convention that
Tennessee shall by the 4tlr of March next
unite her destiny with those Southern States
that may by that time have dissolved their
connection with the Federal Union," on GER
tain contingencies:
l. Should the Commissioner from Virgil
mia, Kentucky and Tennessee deem it unne-
cessary to submit any plan of adjustment to
Congress and advise the withdrawal of their
respective States from the Union. A majori-
ty of the Commissioners from any State to
be regarded as speaking the voice of the
Commissioners from that State.
2. Should Congress refuse to propose such
amendments to the Constitution as may have
been agreed upon by the Commissioners In
the Washington Conference from the States
above named. 1t being further understood
that as a condition precedent to the uniting
of Tennessee with those States that may have
Withdrawn from the Union, said States shall
adopt the Constitution of the United States
as the basis of the Government they propose
to FORM
We have given this letter all due consid-
GRAFTON. and whilst admitting the Importance
of harmony in our action, we cannot accept
that harmony at the expense of our convic-
ton Of right and duty. We frankly admit
that we have the utmost confidence in the
Commissioners from Virginia, Kentucky and
Tennessee about to assemble at Washington.
We look with the most intense in
terest to the result of their deliberations, and
if they should deem further attempts towards
adjustment of our difficulties visionary and
useless, or il they agreed upon amendments
to our Constitution to be proposed by
Congress to the States, and Congress should
decline the proposition, we should feel deep
ly grieved at such result. Our confidence
in the future would be greatly impaired, and
we should consult earnestly with the border
slave States so as to make some other united
effort for the salvation of the Union or COM
mon destiny nth the tUaole South. We cannot,
however, agree to pledge ourselves in either
event to pursue the course you have indicat-
ed. In the event of our election we shall be
but the representatives of our people, and if
we can ascertain their judgment in the con-
| tingencies above referred to, must obey their
wishes or resign aud we cannot anticipate
| their action. Furthermore, we would not
now be willing to make-suppositiuos cases OF
| this character, and then give pledges, which
| could not be recalled, that we would act in
| Il particular manner. 1t may be that the
contingencies referred to in your letter
eht arise, and yet other circumstance
might occur Immediately after or contempt
raneousy which would affect our own action
and that of our sister slave States rrmaniue
| in the Union. At the time of our nomination
aud since. our general views of the course ant
| policy to be pursued by the convention were
| given to the public, and we cannot now con
sent 10 modify them.
| Yours respectfully,
| ANDREW EWING,
NELL S. BRowN,
RUSSELL. HoUSToN.
To Hon. II. S. Foote, Hon. J. G. Burch, j
]. Mccain, Esq. -