Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-01-11

ourseyes upon o6estions Of policy But that time Is
past the issue upon us s one Of life and desth and
TO Doubt now, which side to tske ts TO be damn ed.
The enemy s a. our door, aud he who is net for ps
Is against as.' Sttt " y }5tt alJl
l3y V.5fCau of Convention. as
Senator PAINE of Shelby, introduced in the Senate
on Wednesday the following bill, calling cOtven-
ton Of the people Of Tennessee. On the sams day
Mr.. 6 sULr, Of Maury, introduced the same bin in
the House WedO not doubt that its main proVis-
| ious will pass 10th Houses.
4 4 I'LL ron A eoNvfErIoS OF rHE People or rEx.
gg HEssER.
sEcrIos /. Bet enacted BY ths General AsseasSly
of he State Of Tennessee, That election fer dele
gates TO Convention Of the people of the State Of
| Tennessee, shall be he'd in the several counties
thereof on Saturday, the day of January, 1861,
and that said election shall be held at all the pre-
cihcis and voting places established BY Law, and
shall be managed and conducted by the sheriffs and
other proper officers Of the counties respectively,
in the manner and subject to the rules prescribed
by law for tn eleeten Of members If the Legisla-
! ture And it is hereby declared 10 be the duty OF
fe G oxernor to Issue his proclamation TO the sew
eral shsrfs of the State ct least ten days before
| The time appoin ed for holding said election, re-
curing them to hold and conduct the game as herein
provided and said sherifs shall advertise the time
and place of sail election in case Of the election
of members of the Legislature. VI t4g5
SEC. 2 Be Il further enacted, That the whole
number Of delegates elected to said Convention
shall be one hundred, and that each county shall
be represented in said CONVENTION by the same
number Of delegates that il has Representatives in
the Legislature; that each Floating District shall
be Represented BY one delegate, and each Senator
ial District by one delegate in said Convention.
SEC. g. Be Il fsrtitr eqacted. That no persoH
shall be eligible to seat 10 said Convention, who
is not over tweniy-one years Of age, and who has
not been cit zen of the State for twelve tbs.
and Of the county or district from which he IS
elected six months Anmsdiately preceding.the cleo
ton. .. s.ts .Hatbfft+. a
SEC. T. Be il further enacted, That il shall be tai
duty Of the Sheriff Of said County immediately
after said election, to make complete return to
the SecretNy of State Of the votes cast for dele
gates in his County, and the certificate Of election
Of the returning officer Of the proper County and
the certificate of election shall be evidence in favor
of any delegate Of his right to 8 seat in said Con-
venton subject if contested to be decided 10 such
manner as the Convention may prescribe. All 3D..
SEC. 5. Be i: further enacted, That the delegates
elected under the provisions Of this act shall assem-
BILE al Nashville on the day Of February, 1861,
and organize themselves into Convention, By the
election of President, and such ether officers as
they may deem necessary; and thus organized shall
proceed TO consider the then existing relations be-
tween the Government of The United States and the
and to adopt such measures for indicating the
sovereignty Of the State aud the protection of its
institutions shall appear TO them to be demand
ed. Said Convention shall adopt such rules and
regulations for its government and the transaction
Of business as it shall think proper. The officers,
members and assistants Of said Convention shall re-
csiVe the same compensation as is now allowed by
law to the members, officers and assistants Of the
General Assembly of the State, and 10 be paid in
the same manner by the Treasurer of the State.
SEC 6. BE it further enacted, That in case Of
vacancy occurring in said Convention by death,
resignation, or otherwise Of any member, il shall
be the duty Of the Governor to cause such vacancy
10 be filed, if practicable by issuing his writ of
election to the Sheriff or Sherifs Of the proper
County or Counties, requiring him or them on five
days notice 10 hold election according to law, to
FL the same.
SEC. Z. Be IL further enacted, That in the events
majority Of the votes cast for legates shall have
the word ''No Convention written printed on
them, il shall be deemed expression of the Iopu
lar will sgainst the said Convention, and the same
shall not be held
SEC 8. Bet further enacted, That this act shall
take effect from and after its passage.
----------------
Federal Relations.
The following are the resolutions on Federal Re-
lations introduced by Senator PAYNE in the Senate.
FEDERAL RELATIONS.
State of Tennessee, hold with the trainers of the
Declaration Of Independence. that Governments, in
stituted among men "deriye their just powers from
the consent of the governed"
We hold with the trainers of the Tennessee Dec
laratiOn of Rights THAT all power is inherent in
the people and all free governments are founded on
their authority and instituted for their peace safety
and happiness; for the advancement of these ends
they have at all times an unalenable and lndefeas
ible right to alter reform, or abolish the govern
N 81 ma NJ think
The government being instituted for the common
benefit the doctrine of nonresisIance against arbl-
trary power and oppression is absurd. slavsh and
destructive of the good and happiness of man
kind"
Wehold with Edward Everett, that 'the sugges
ton that the Union can be maintained by the numer
ical preponderance and military proves of one
section eXerted to the other into submission
is as seltcontradictory is dangerous 1t comes
loaded with the death-smel from fields wet with
brothers blood :" Therefore ....H -.
l. ReSOlred, That when the Convention and peo-
pie of Tennessee proclaimed in their Declaration of
Rights and inserted IN the first section of the first
article Of the State Convention that "the people;
have unaienable and indefeasible right to alter
reform or abolish the government in such manner
as they may think proper" for the advancement of
their peace, safety and happiness Fhey meant The
people of Tennessee.
2. ReSolUed That the people of Tennessee. and
the people OF Tennessee alone, have the right to de-
tsrmne when the government under which they
live Federal or State, becomes destructive of their
lives, liberty and the pursuit of happiness"
). ReSOtpet, That as citizens of Tennessee, we
clam neither further greater rgts for her peo-
pie than we cheeruy cOncede to the people of each
and every other State of the Federal Union.
f. Resolved That the policy of subiugating or CO.
ercing, by Federal authority, the people of State
who have solemnly dissolved their connection with
the Union, is abhorrent TO humanity to the doc
trne of States Rights. and the principle of civil
liberty-a policy, which if carried into practice,
woul lead to the enforcement of despotsm and
the enslavement of freemen.
5. Resolved That looking upon civil war as a ma
tionvl evil compared TO which all others sink into
nsignifcance we hereby instruct our Senator'S and
earnestly request our Representatives IN Congress
TO oppose every measure that may tend to bring
about such result and TO insist upon the adoption
of such measures of Federal policy as will prevent
hostile collision between the forces of any of the
State Governments, and those acting under Federal
authority.
3. ReSoDed, That in the Sectional struggle brought
on by the A t-Savery sentiment of the North, the
heart the voice, the arm of Tennessee.-a all ought
to, and loiA be with the South:
I. Res0lUed, That as the last hone adjusting ex-
listing difficulties and restoring the shattered frao
ments of the Union, consists in preventing hostile
collision betwiXt Federal and State authorities, we
feel il to be due to the sovereignty of the State.
and the cause of civil and constitutional liberty to
declare that under circumstances would the ped
pie of Tennessee permit hostile force under Fed
eral authority to pass her domain for the pur-
pose OF making war upon the people Of any other
State.