Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-02-02
Respectfully,
H s. FoOTE,
J. J. M'CANS,
JOHN c. BURCH.
Letter of mcssrs. FeoIe, JIcCann. and
BurcR.

Letter of Mcssrs. FoOie, McCann. and
BurcE.
NASHVILLE, Jan. 81, 1851.
Hons. ANDREW EWING, y. S. BRows, AND Rus
SELL HousToS- Gentleman :-Ycu are aware that our
Legislature yesterday passed the following resOlu
ton;
'Resolred BIZ The General assembly of the State of
Tennessee That the Commissioners recently elected
by the Legislature be requested TO repair to Wash
ington City in order to meet the Commissioners
from such slave States may be represented in the
Convention on the 4th day of February, or as soon
thereafter az possible; and that the Governor in
form them of the passage of this resolution at the
very earliest moment
" Provided that this shalt not be construed so
as 10 prevent delegates from saeeting aRd con-
ferring with delegates from nonslavehoGng States,
after they have met with delegates from ssEehOiG-
ing States, and come to a consideration to the
course of policy to be pursued by the Southern
States there represented"
You are slso aware that the Virginia Legislature
recently passed eeries of resolutions inviting
conference of the States 1t Washington on the 4th
of February, and appointing lyssioners on the
part of Virginia to attend that Conference. Ewo Of
those resolutions are as follows:
Rssolusd That if said Commissioners, after fal!
adjustment requiring amendments of the Federal
Constitution for further security of the rights of
the people of the eisveholdng States, they be re-
quesed to communicate the proposed amendments
TO Congress for the purpose 81 waving the same
submitted by that body, according to EhS forms Of
the Constitution TO the several States for ratihca
ton.
ResoIred, That if said Commissioners cannot
agree on such adjustment, or, if agreeing, Congress
shall refuse 20 subnit for ratification such amend
ments as may be proposed, then the Commissioners
Of this State shah immmediately communicate the
result TO the Executive of this Commonwealth, TO
be laid by him before the Convention ct the peape
Of Virginia and the General Assembly, prcyiaed
that the said Commissioners be subject ct all times
TO the control Of the General Assembly er IT, in
sion, to that Of the State Convention.
It being exceedingly desirable that, in this a2-
pSEng crisis there should be the greatest possible
unsniEaity cfsentimen among the people of Tennes>
see as to the ceSrse t. be pursued by the Slate, and
1t having been suggested by many that there is not
an irrecoucilabe difference Dey%se,l the positions
assumed by you and by US as candidates, re res-
gecttully propose to retire from the canvass aRa
leave the hc to you provided you will agree upon
the happening Of either Ofthe two conditions herein
after specified, to insist in our State Convention that
Tennessee shall by the lsb Of M-rch next unite her
destiny with those Southern States Tat NAV bv
that time have declared their eoRnectpn r;th the
Federal Union dissolved
The two conditions above referred to ore.
!. Should the commissioners from Virginia Ken
lucky and Tennessee deem il unnecessary 10 submit
any plan Of adjustment to Congress, and advise the
Withdrawal of their respective States from The
Union. majority Of the commissioners from snv
State to be regarded as speaking the voice of the
commissioners from that State
2 sRond Congress refuse TO propose sucb
| amendments TO the Constitution, as may have been
agreed upon by the eommissioners in the Washing
ton conference from the ar@c States above named Il
being further understood that as a condition nro-
eedent 70 the uniting Of Tennessee with these States
that nay have withdrawn from the Union said STATES
shall have adopted the Constitution Of the United
States GO the Sass of the Government which thew
propose to form in fenpessee.
We think we can fully assure you, from an in
terchapge of views that We have had with many of
our supporters, tkst should We withdraw frOGa The
canvass you will have no opposition.
An early response is respectfully solicited
Respectfully sc. II. 5 toQTE.
j. J. McC&EE.
JNo. c. BURcB