Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-02-27
DIsfederation of the Stale.
From the Southern Literary Messenger February 1861
(CoNCLunEnN

From the Southern Literary Messenger, February 1851
(CoScLUDED.)
Scarcely had Washington assumed the reins q,
government, sc arcely had the new Union drawn iIs
first breath, scarcely was the ink dry with which
the new Constitution had been written and solemnv
signed by the delegates, when the same nen which
had drawn up the plan for the first Union nnde-
the Confederacy, wrote and presented to Congress
petition, which, in effect was asking for dissoIn
ton OF the Union. Benjamin Franklin who in the
Convention at Philadelphia, had moved the mani;
nous adoption OF the Constitution, which. in lis
Terms, recognised the right OF properly in slaves
by making them the basis MISREPRESENTATION. subject
ing them to taxation. permitting their importation
Tor twenty years and providing for the support OF
the Government by q tax of ten dollars the head
upon SUCH property so to be imported and reouir-
| ing the rendition of fugitves from sarvica
Benjamin Franklin, dlsregardinp the nlo;noo,
principle o. constitutional law-that Congress- conld
exercise no adwer not specially delegated to il by
the Constitg .l9n-lgporing the fact that no power
over slavery IN the States, territories, had been
gwen to OlGCess-cooIy presented to Congress a
petition to Eafghat? To abolish slavery and FREE tbs
slaves As Anaining the declaration of ,oqr of the
North, 10 - Eaged relentlessly, and to the bitter
emu upOr foouth and Its interests even to their
maj desu sc' A. II need be; as containing the key
mote 10 Id I'm which the North have ever since
been slngis q q season and out of season. from the
HANS OF Css!Sess, from the rostrum from the pul-
PIT from ~ press, from the chair Of the school
master, uh = gov, IN the good year 1862 there has
| arisen sue{zSe tempest of cantng fanatcism as to
oriYe tue OF ahlp OF State clear of its moorlngs and
Destined 10 ..sult inevitably in its destruction-as
containing ~ beginning of the end, we shall here
set it FORTH st is follows: "a Memorial OF the
'aSocety for promoting the Abolition of
Slavery the 9Plief of free negroes un1awfuly held
| IN Dondage SO tAe Improvement of the African
| race The '.emorial respectfully showeth: That
from reg ~ for the happiness IF mankind an as
ISOLATION - formed several years sinee in this
state by nber of her citizens of various religi-
Gus denomiis ions, for promoting The Abolition If
slavery ane ssr the relief OF those unlawfuly held
IN bondage 81 Just and acute conception of the true
principles Etherty, as it spread through the land
produced aS sSlons TO their numbers, many friends
10 thelr ca q, and legislative cooperation with
their views hich, by the blessing of Divine ProV-
dence, have S.een successfully directed to the re-
| neVlng fron4:ondage large number of their fell
loW-creaturk Sot the African race. They have also
the satlsfac NJ to observe that in consequence of
that spirit q philanthropy and genuine liberty
winch Is geA ally diffusing its beneficial influence
similar 1nstk 9ns are forming at home and abroad
THAT ma K sld are formed by the same Almighty
Being, alike Tsects of His care and equally design
ed for the eiSment of happiness. the Christian re-
hgon teacheE Us to believe; and the political creed
| OF America ysly comedies with the position.
Your ek;orialists, particularly engaged in at
tending to TX distresses arising from Slavery be-
heve to be indispensable duty to present this
subject to yo& notice. They have observed with
real satlsfact4n that many important and salutary
powers are VESted IN you, for promoting the well
fare and se13ring the blessings of liberty to the
people OF thGsS nted States:' and they conceive
that these blTsngs ought rightfully to be admins
tered wlthor dstincton of color to all descriptions
OF people sGshey indulge themselves in the pleas
ing expecatS that nothing that can be done for the
relief of the Unhappy objects of their care Will be
either oHitte; Cor delayed
.Frem persuasion that equal liberty was origi-
nally the poTNon and Is still the birth right of all
l frNOn aaAFr A. nd I-Al
and the principles of their institutions your me-
morailsts conceive themselves bound to use all
Justltabie endeavors to loosen the bonds of Slavery
and promote general enjoyment of the blessings
of freedom
Under these impressions they earnestly entreat
your serious attention to the subject of Slavery:
that you will be pleased to countenance the restora
tlon OF liberty to those unhappy men, who alone in
this land of freedom are degraded into perpetual
bondage, and who, amidst the general joy of sur
rounding treemen, are grooming in servile subjec-
tion that you will devise means for removing this
inconsistency from the character of the American
people, that you will promote mercy and Justice
towards this depressed race; and that you Will step
TO the very verge of the power vested in you, for
dlscouraglng every species of traffic in the persons
of our fellow-men.
"BENJ. FRANKLIN, President"
"Phladdphist, Feb. Sd, 1902
Well might .r. Tucker, of South Carolina, rebuke
him and say. Franklin ought to have known the
Constitution b.ter than to have signed such petit
ton"
During Washington's administration composed as
1t was OF the chiefs of all the opposing pares the
struggle between the North and South was kept un
der for the time But no sooner had Washington |
sgnifed his intention to retire, than it broke out
atresh in relation to the choice of successor JEFF
terson although not candidate got almost the entire
Southern vote; and Mr.. Adams the Northern vote |
Adams was elected by only few votes, and Jeffer-
son was Vice President. And so very repusive was |
1 m no SnTNfr
partial and sectional policy of Mr. Adams admins
traton, that the question was seriously mooted of |
setting up Southern Confederacy. Probably moth
ing but the dlscountenance of Mr. Jefferson to the
PROJECT kept 1t from being carried out. To John
Taylor, he wrote as fOllows-"Mr. New showed me
your letter on The subject of the Patent which gave
me an opportunity of observing what you said as
to the effect with you, Of public proceedings, and
1t was not uny to estimate the separate mass of
Virginia and NSS''th Carolina, with view to their
separate exisfsNce. 1t is true that we are COM
pletey under ~ saddle of Massachusetts, and Con-
nectcut; and cekt they ride us very hard, cruelty
insulting our ceilings, as well as exhausting our
strength and Subsistence. Their natural friends the
three other Es IN States, join them from sort of
family pride; ~ they have the art to divide GER
tam other par the Union, so as to make use of
them to COVER: We whole. This il not new; il Ia
the ola praQt2 Al despots to use part of the
people 10 keeIsySsTe rest in order. And those who
have once gotESe ascendency and possessed them
selves OF all 'esources of the nation their reve-
nues and office have immense means for retaining
their adVantak But our present situation is not q
natural one" n
We need noE& Tell upon the resolutions of 1898 of
Virginia and ~ lucky, the frat drawn up by Mr.
Madison, the EHnd of Mr.. Jefferson; nor stop to
show that thf Sre conceived in the spirit of "hith
erto and no f @er."
Mr. Adams gJsort and stormy four years were
soon over. ysyas candidate for reelection sup
ported by tn yuth. Mr.. Jefferson got the greater
number OF VC9z but burr, who was run for Vice |
President aloFs with with Mr., Jefferson got exactly
the same vote AT. jefferson did. The mode then was
az the readergil remember, to vote only for Pres
dent-the person getting the next highest vote be-
ing Vice President. So the election wss thFown in
to the House ofRepresentatiyes, neither Jefferson
nor Burr having the largest number of votes. The
North, disappointed in electing Adams seized upon
his chance of defeating the South and cast their s
votes for Burr, Northern man. Burr was uncrg-
oulous enough to let himself be used thus, and that
contest like to h"Ve led to civil war, and did cause
/ change in tbs mode of eeeting the President.
What Mr.. Jefferson thought would be proper rem
dy, if faction IN Congress had used the forms of
he Constitution the Republicans have now done L
o violate its So sat, we know from his letter to Mr.
JsSerson's works, vol. 4th page 355 =
The minority 4 the House of Representatives. Il
avs he-"afteI seeing the mpOssbility Of electing
lurr. the cert sSity that legislative usurpatiOn 3
you'd be resiste ~ arms and recourse to COnven-
ion to re-orgs zee aud amend the government held
consultation ~ this dilemma &C. But Mr. Jeffer- r.
on was eectH and once more affairs seemed to p
year a peaeeflT aspect between the North and
outh Mr. N fsson, another Southern man, sue g
eeded ana litigation for the nations honor and for II
ne protection q the rights Of the Northern sailor 70
eclhred cEar TEhe second war of Independence ls
gainst EnglaER That New England was through
ut that cor az in virtual rebellion to the gem Y
raj governplH III, that for the saks Of making 81
,onay out of tSir commerce they forgot their own
onor that thA gave treasonahie aid and comfort :.
, the enemy. II they held dsunsn Hartford Con- W
sations need III be related; for no one has forgot m
N or ever ca forget their most Unpatriate and lC
reasonable ~ uot. To show the sad lengths to "a
hich sectioRa%ad party luminosity carry even tn
great and go man. let US cite passage from the wi
me pen viii: n wrote sGr Constitution-we mean TO
at of Gouvel - Morris. Under date of Nov lsty
ia, he SAYS T. ew England will, trust continue pa
ue to herself The oppressive course pertinaci- ce
lsly pursued Fist open the eyes Of even the will no