Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-01-10
AnnREss n7
HON. E:NJ.WHART0N

TeAnessee, In the %~PHe- AZ NasnV1ilcq
January 9Th, 1851.
M President, and Gentlemen Of be Se1ts. and of d.
House Of Representatives Of Tennessee:
Returning to my native State, after many years
residence abroad, am profoundly grateful for the
cordial reception extended to me by his Excellency
the Governor, and the assembled representatives Of
the people.
know, however. and am proud to acknowledge
that the compliment is not inteDded for me person
ally, but for the State which Ihave the honor tC
represent on this occasion. In her name and By
her authority, come to commune with you II
reference TO the fearful political crisis which has
befallen our common country, 10 the hope that tht
cooperation Of Tennessee may be secured in the
effort to preserve the rights the honor and the indie
pendenee Of the slaveholdng States of this Confed
eracy.
am charged in the language of my commission
to inform your honorable body, and the people o.
State you represent that the Legislature OF MIS-
sssippi has passed an act calling convention OF the
people Of the State toconsider the present threaten
ing relations of the Northern and Southern secnons
of the Confederacy, aggravated by the receH.
ton of President upon principles OF hostllly ~
the States Of the South, and to express the eres'
hope of Mississippi that Tennessee will cooperate
with her in the adoption of efficient measures Ior
the common defence and safety Of the Sfa1es tsns
threatened That Convention assembled on tae en-
inst and il now in session dedberaung upon me AZ
ton contemplated by the Legislature Ill tle ACT
which called il into being.
am charged also to present certain resolutions
adonted almost without dissenting Voice, enuuer-
ating the grievances of which they complain and
prescribing the remedy for the same. hacn OF the
measures thus adopted has received the sanction of
+bo ,aonIa in an election held on the 10th ult
Anopular majority of not less than $4,000, and a
maioT;ty IN the Convention of from so to 20, have
cordially endorsed the action of the Legislature in
the premises.
tho cha Of r.eusa,lv
proposed there is but one sentiment to the neces-
sity of prompt and efficient action That unanimity of
sentiment prevailed even before the recent startling
events which have occurred in South Carolina.
Probably there is not in the State man
who does not feel that the argument is exhausted;
that it is in vain longer to remind the dominant
jority of the North of their repeated violations of
the constitutional rights of the South, of the con-
sideration upon which the South acquiesced in the
Compromise measures Of 1S50-5i which az thattime
eonvulsed and so nearly dissolved the Union.
The most distinguished leaders of the party op-
posed to the immediate and separate secession of
the State uuhesitatingly denounced the election of
Mr. Lincoln as a declaration of war against the
Southern States and indignantly repealed the thought
of submitting to it.
Indeed they pointed to the necessity of South
ern Confederacy, and only sought the cooperation
of Southern States and to secure that recommended
that convention Of such States should be held.
Her sovereign voice can only be inferred from
the known ana declared UeieSdJeS
who have been elected. In few days, if not ere
this the convention will give expression to it in the
most solemn and authoritative FORM When that
has been done it will be the command of the Sover
eign which like the fiat Of the Omnipotent, chal-
lenges the obedience of every citizen. . f,s..b 81.
That obedience will be rendered, not grudgingly,
but with charity. Already the public mind is ex-
peeting it, and is prepared for it. p .i+t'
Forgetting all past political dissentons her sons
will gather around her standard, and Vieing with
each other in demonstrations of loyalty and afec-
ton, there swear eternal fidelity to her, sacred
cause.
Without repeating the almost innumerable in
stances in which the anti-slavery sentiment of the
North has invaded the constitutional rights of the
people of the South, many of which are sc forth in
the preamble to the resolutions adopted by the
Legislature of Mississippi may say its aggressive
spirit has eliminated in the recent Presidential
election. r'.''t -' -ifs'+ ..i
The election of sectional candidate, by a domi-
nant sectional majority, platform of hostility
to the constitutional rights of the people of ff-
teen sovereign States, was an event which never
entered the minds of the trainers of the Constitu-
ton Like parricide amongst the GreciaDs there
was no law to punish it, as they supposed no child
could be so unnatural as to murder his p?yei -
So, the sages who framed the great ~ -" marta
Of liberty, never imagined th.s .ie Time Wouiu
of canal Moderated sister soyereigns, that ma
in.y organized upon principles of deadly hostility
10 the domestic institutions of the minority, would
obtain the ascendency. t..i Eiti- .-tti
The cardinal principle upon which the theory of
Government rests which they insugurated the
absolute equality of the States in all political rights
md privileges. -.-N' ...It |t|.
To establish that principle, the battles of the Re-
'olution were fought. 1t was worth all the blood
md treasure, privatiOns and suffering it cost When
t has been surrendered, nothing accomplished by
he Revolution worth preserving will remain. Mis-
issippI has determined to cling to it as the mari
Ter clngs TO the last plank when night and the tenn
'est have gathered around him." .-...
1t is not the mere election of mountaineering
Z that Of it itself would be- in view of the often
i've sentiments he has uttered, and is known TO
ertain-which has awakened that tornado of pop
liar Indignation which is now sweeping over the
outh. 1t is not the mere platform. upon which he
vas nominated-infamOus as that is to the South
IN man-but it is the determined, aggressive spirit
f Abolition, INDUCING and sustaining the party
which has secured his triumph and the overthrow
{ the Constitution. 1t is the unappeasable hatred
which that party chershes, and has cherished,
OF slavery and the STAKEHOLDER, that proclaiming |
0 US that there is an "irrepressible conflict" be-
ween them and u.s. 1t is that the Chair of State, |
nee occupied by Washington, is to be desecrat-
by the chief of party which has risen upon |
he principle of denying to the citizens of fifteen
Overeign States that equality of rights secured to
hem IN the common property OF all the States 1t |
that institution existing at the formation of the
and now the foundation of the wealth,
rOperity and happiness of twelve millions of peO-
le is to be outlawed, and the moral sentiment of
he world invoked to make it, and those who toler-
te il, hateful 1t is that the President elect owes
is triumph to such a party that he has pander-
! to such sentiment, and that the Govern
tent is 10 be administered for such purpose,
rat the State of Mississippi has resolved whatever
Jay be the issue-fearlessy to appeal to the God of
atles the justice of her and the arbtrament
mankind. Come what may, though il should cost
very drop of blood and every cent of property she
i'll never submit 10 the domination of such party
nd of such chief
In that appeal, she invokes no sympathy or COM
assion She has fully counted the cost of resist
nee. She has not rashly taken her position. a
eeessity too strong and imposing to be dsregarded
smands that she should assume the guardianship of
er own rights and honor. She will never consent
lat either shall be under the control Of a govern
ent hostile TO her and hers. She ardently desires
e cooperation of her sisters having a common in
rest and destiny She defies and despiseS the
slice of her foes. She has sent commissioners to
the slaveholding States TO invite their co-opera
On in defence of common rights against a common
emy. She bids me, as her representative, say to
r chivarous sister, Tennessee, that she has too
ten illustrated her heroism in arms, and her WIS
I'M in council, to doubt that as upon the deathless
aims of Chalmette and at the storming of Monterey
ey stood shoulder to shoulder, that they will be |
parated now. when the hottest cause that ever in |
ired the human heart, summons them to the con-
CT.
Mississippi knows and appreciates the loyalty to
e Union which has ever distinguished her sister. | {
he sentiment has an abiding place in her own
som. To it she is ready to sacrifice everything
hch proud sovereign State may or dare sacri-
e Of care comfort or convenience. Her honor |
d constitutional rights she may not, dare not sur
nder. For the honor of the national Government, &
e has sacrificed hecatombs of her best sons. To
Indicate her own honor she is ready to sacrifice {
r last son, and herself disappear from the map of
tons. She bids me say that " she loves and cher
hes the Union; that she remembers with the kind
feelings our common origin, with pride our
mmon Achievements, and has fondly anticipated the
mmou greatness and glory which has seemed to s
wait US; but that origin achievements and antlci-
Iuon of coming greatness are to us as nothing l
impaired to this question; that it is to us vital I
leston; that 1t involves not only our liberty but
hat Is greater lf to freemen anything can be) ex
tence ITSELF" So, viewing it, and despairing Of
turning sense of justice with her naughty and vic
rlous Zoe, she has determined to welcome death | I
Ither than submission. She considers dissolution
the Union great though not the greatest calami- q
+. In the language of her own warrior statesman {
e fearless the chlvalrOus Davis She would cling
to our constitutional Government see 1
6 as she does, in the fraternal union of equal 7
ates, the benefit to all and the fulllment of that
gh destiny which our fathers hoped for and left it
r their sons to attain. She has seen the national
x surrounded by the flags of foreign countries and