The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1861-03-30

meats proposed By the Peace Congress
Thus il appears that many expedients were
presented 10 remove the causes Of disafTec-
tiIn; but none Of these we're originated hv
Black Republicans. They came from the
other political parties; and while these pa
trirsic men were laboriBg to secure the
rights Of the people, and assure them Of
this security aud thus save the Union, the
Black Republicans were urging forward
troops to Washington. through the instru-
mentality Of the Lieut.. General, smuggling
th,,ir President into Washington, abusing
Dir. Buchanan for not piunging the coun-
try into war by sending troops ard ships Of
war to reinforce the Southern forts, and in
stead Of aiding in compromise, they were
all the time insisting that no change in the
Constitution should be made, and that 20
concessions should be made to what they
called Southern TRAITORS.
At length vote was TO be taken upon
someo of these propositions. The Critienden
amendment was taken up and voted down,
as well as he recollected, By every single
Black Republicans, large majority of the
House. The amendment of Mr. Kellogg,
Illinois, was also rejected by very near the
same vote, and then came the vote upon
Mr.. Corwin's proposition from the majority
of the Committee of thirty three Some
week \ before resolution had been offered
y by o ASlack Republican. to the effect that
under our present Constitution Congress had
no power to interfere with slavery in the
States, and this had passed unanimously -
Mr.. Corwin's amendment proposed to pro.
vide by an amendment Of the Constitution,
no change should ever be permitted that
should authorize such Interference. This
was all the constitutional guarantee proposed
By the majority of this committee. Yet
this was voted down, and not until the next
day, with the unanimous vote of the South,
were they able, with all their efforts to
r pass it, and then only with a bare constitu-
tiOna majority. Then came the proposition
, Of the Peace Congress. But before speak.
, ing of the fate of this proposition, it was
I proper to look at the course of public opin.
I ion in Tennessee. Our Legislature had
met and passed a series of resolutions, de
handing amendments to the Constitution
. guaranteeing the rights of the South more
+ strongly and securely than the Crittender
. amendment These had passed the Legis
;. lature by very large majority of boil
II Houses, and had been approved by thu
= press Of all parties. lie noticed the Nash
. vile BANNER and the Patriot cndored then
n most heartily, declaring that they and Ten
4 nessee would accept nothing less" Thes,
IL things went to show most satisfactorily, tina
= Notwithstanding the bitterness that hat
existed between the contending politica
p parties in Tennessee, that upon this vita
i question the people of Tennessee were bar
o monious. and had sunk the partisan in tn
patriot. At this time, and under such cir
II cunstances the delegates to the Peace Con
o gress we've appointed. They were seecte,
+ from all parties to represent the State, and no
g any particular party, but to secure the guar
10 antecs that all parties had said were jus
~ and right, and that "we would take nothin
! less" The Legislature also ordered that
" vote of the people of Tennessee should b
i taken, to determine whether We should hav
a Convention of the State or not Thi
y election took place on the 9th of February
- whilst the Peace Congress vas in session
:. In the meantime your Representatives i
:, Congress were demanding guarantees
y Your press had said that they and the pee
y pie "would take nothing less" Your men
bers to the Peace Congress were sent to d.
>, mand guarantees, and they were demandin
= guarantees. Whilst all these claims an
= demands for guarantees were pending, tn
=, news of the Tennessee election came, votin
.. down even the call for Convention by
large majority. Mr.. T. said he believe
- there was not a man in Washington, col
nected with the Political affairs of the coul
l. try, who did not feel the effects of tn
y. news. Your members both in the FEEDER
as also in the Peace Congress, who were i
~ boring to secure the guarantees you had
= manded, felt discouraged and disheartene,
bo This was especially SO of our Northel
T. friends. But the Black Republicans fe
ID encouraged and jubilant, and declared tn
~ Tennessee was satisfied with them, and hs
~ repudiated all claim or desire for furth
&c guarantees The result of this election,
% voting down the proposition for CONVEX
n ton, in the Men crisis Of public affairs, h;
-, a most whitening and disastrous effect upC
of our efforts at Cancellation. Mr.. T. said
ny knew this was this was true as to himse
n, That several Northern Democrats, who we
or ready to corporate heartily with the Sout
N. most seriously regretted it, and several
ca the Tennessee delegation in the Peace Co
:, gress admitted to him in sadness and sc
- row, that the result of our election HI
20 greatly weakened, if not destroyed their
"a fuence, whilst>it had encouraged their en-
he mics to resent all their appeals for conct
oil sions.
it But under all these adverse circumsta
D. ces, this Peace Congress agreed upon
no port, and passed it by majority of 0
on only and even this bare majority was {