Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1861-02-07
aaairs If the Aatioll.
Substance Of a Speech Delivered
al Knoxville, December, 1860, by
Landon {. Haynes, in response to
a call Of a meeting TO consider
the Condition Of the Country.

a call OF meeting 10 c6nS'de
The Condition Of the Country.
Mr.. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN
In response TO the cali made upol
me, / ask, what are the periIs upor
the country7 What the causes whlei
have forced them into existence! ant
what the remedies for their reno
val?
A dissolution Of the Union by
a secession of some of the Southern
States. now seem TO be inevitable
Fer. by the 4ih Of March, 1861
unless some remedy nat as yet con
cei,ed and brought to the public
view, can be devised to restore trar-
utility to the Southern feeling to IN
sure the right Of propsrty against mo-
lssta:ion; and domestic peace against
probable blooshed; and TO satisfy the
public miad that the powers OF the
State aud Federal Government. shall
heye. more be welded in hostility to
the rights and equality OF the States
and the rights aud equality OF their
ci,iz Ms, everywhe ere within b e
sphere of the Fe ederal jurisdiction Of
South Carolina, and perhaps. Georgia,
.Alabama, Mississippi and Florida, aud
other Atlaulic and Gull States will
have formerly seeded from the Fed
eral Union. This meeting has been
called to consider the action OF Ten
nessee, in reference to crisis SO
momsn:ous. / will not pause to con-
sider the nature Of the right of Sc
cession, whether it is to be found
within or without the Constitution OF
the United States. may remark.
however, that I9hays been aecus.
toned to think that the trainers OF
the Constitution designed and hoped
that it might be perpetuated; and
therefore, that the right OF secession
is de hoes the Constitution. Il lies
back behind and is close connected
with that right Of. self-preservatiou
which is antecedent and psramo unit
to all constitutions and forms Of gov
ernmeut. In the eye ol The laws OF
nations. States are moral persons,
subject to the same moral obligations
arising from moral doiies, and pos
tive agreements, as individuals them.
selves. And right of secession can
Dot arise, in my opinion, ina olate
of the Federal Union in view OF the
constltutianal compaet between the
States, until necessity occurs te
demand provision for its safety ape
precaotien against some Imminent
danger, distant or impending. II
this sense the right Of secession a.
we'll as the rights OF revolution ar'
reserved to The peopl'' aud the States
to be exercised aieGe upon The cen'ih
gpncy: that when such abuses an'
nsurpations h ave arisen rs eminent.
endaneer tbe rights OF life. liberty
property, or the pursuit OF happiness
the State may then Stand upon To-
great aud sacred principle oi ind'
vidual safety and sell.preseryatlo1
and ,ake precautionary measure
against such impending dangers. ;
that the right OF secession must D
conceded to exist and It's exercis
TO bs righlfnl whenever lie, liberty
property, and the pursuit OF happ
ness are impsrllet.; whether by III
non.us.r. or the uncons,it0tion'
exercise of the Federal power.
: can make no 9iiferencD, 'h' reior
+ practically. whether it be called
. constitutional, revolutionary or na
! ura! right; siuce its existence az
) riuhiful exeIcise must be conced'
!. upon the happening Of Jastflao
\ contingency; and such as for lnslanc
lis specified in the Declaration
independence Of the United State
81 And whatever may be the charsct
and nature Of the right, the nome
Itous conclusion is forced upon us
: The intelligence which daily reach
us, that these States which ha'
lnamed are about to assume It's ex'
{ else aud take their stand as separa
:. and distinct Powers among ihe :
iions of the earth. And the questi
Iarises what is likely 10 BE- lie RESI-
ri of such State action; and what SD
be the action Of TENNESSEE IT %