Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-07-07

tuition.
1t appears that some merchants ard bankers Of
Wall street. New York, got up a petition recently
praying LINCOLN to arrest the war Of subjugation
he inaugurated against the South, by a call of a
Convention of all the States. The Superintendent of
Police heard of this petihcn and had it seized on
the 2sth ult., at the Office of Mr.. CHARLES GuToN,
No. Is Wall street, in order that it might not be
presented to LINCOLN. The following is copy Of
the petition which was signed by about seven hun
drsd citizens:
"To His EeceUssey, AbrasGm Lincoln, Prssiasnl Of
The United States;
rThe undersigned, citizens Of New Yerk, beg
leave to present to you most respectfully and earn
estly the following considerations
While they hold themselves ready TO sustain and
defend their government, and you as its legal head
they respectfully suggest thiit the only remaining
honorable position for you to prevent the horrors
of civil war and preserve the Union is to adopt the
policy Of an immediate General ConUeRtioR Of az The
States, as suggested in your Inaugural
"That course would secure SIcsful solution OF
our national difficulties and any State refused to
Join said Convention to amend the Constitution, or
adjust peaceful separation, it would stand unani-
meusly condemned before the civilized world.
Earnestly deprecatng civil war among brethren,
We implOre and beseech you to adopt this course,
which you may rest assured is the real voice Of
the people"
The Albany (N " Alias and Argls of the 1st
inst, comments on this outrage as follows:
Those who think that the Constitution and Laws
can be violated with impunity as inthe Of seiz
ure of Marshal Kane and the disbanding Of the
Police Of Baltimore, and not suffer deeper degrade
ton and outrage fail to appreciate the laws which
characterize the course of usurpauons. Whether
it is mob rising against authority, or power tran
seendng the limits Of cOnsttutiOnality, there is but
one rule 1t is the first step that costs, after that
the onward march is easy.
In apology for the seizure Of Kane it said that
he had in his pocket Brigadier-Generals commits
sion in the Rebel service. This was pure nYen-
ton; but as the in the Bastile 1t was diff
cult to dsprove it. The next pretence is the 6iseOv
~ of arms concealed in his house. Every charge
thus far made, Of this kind. has turned out false
The various plots alleged to have been discovered
against Kane and others, have turned out to be
inventions and fsbricatOns to which even the sub
ornation of false testimony could not lend the semb-
lance of credibihty.
The recent seizure Of petitions by the police Of
New York city was an outrage for winch there IS
no palliation. Yet il the sequence of the arbi
trary acts in Baltimore, for it was done in the
spirit of limitation, and by those who had fgur-
ed in getting up the mock plots and false secusa-
tions.
only innocent but comnendable. 1t embodied the
professed sentiments OF Lincoln and Seward. One
of the NeWTOrk papers says that 1t was approved
by Gen Dix. Its sIgnatures were from the best
citizens of New York. It pledged their obedience
to the laws and their support to the Government,
and urged that the questions between North and
South be submitted to convention OF all the States
tits not q question in this case, whether the call
of constitutional convention, at this time, would
be practicable. As 70 that we might dler with the
petitioners. Itis, however, the very remedy which
the Constitution points out; was recommended by
the Democratic and Conservative Convention Of the
State on the lst of February last which challenged
a submission to the people and was refused; and
would be now approved by threeNftths o. the cleo
tors Of the North, if it was supposed Il would real
ly solve our difficulties.
Mr. Guion, it viii be seen, was inveigled into the
Office of a notorious corruptionist the head Of the
lobby that has preyed upon the people OF New oTk
and the associate of the notorious men who are turn
ing this war into one of tIlage of taxpayers and
imposition upon the soli Tiers. Here his papers were
seized and taken from him and he himself arrested.
The New York papers of the Black Republican
school approve of this outrage. The papers that
proposed to supereede the President and set aside
the Constitution stigmatze the petition as treason
able They viii yet find that this is not the end Of
IT, These curses ever come back 20 pleague the in
ysntors and it is the worst of these acts of official
lawessness that they beget an endless progency Of
crime It is no consolation to u.s. that Marshal hane,
for wears eonnIVed at If he did not instlgate out
race upon the Democratic electors Of Baltimore, or
that he was tool of the Winter Davises and others
who now make him their victim Still less is it a
consolation to us to know that lawless oppression,
in this instance Will call out awless retaliation. IL
is the worst Of these wrongs that they educate men
to violence and furnish vindictiye passions with
pretence and an example.
This outrage by the Metropolitan Police reflects
back upon its origin and almost justi8es the vio-
lenee by which it was sought to be crushed in its
birth 1t would haze been crushed ere now, but
for that and it will be brought to punishment, for
this very act or we mistake the characteS Of the
people Of this State.
One of the New York papers says:
ave hear from every part of the city, this morn
ing the utmost indignation in regard to the outra
ges perpetTated upon an estimable citizen by order
of Superintendent Kennedy and hundreds Of citi-
zens whose names were not to the petition, insist
that public meeting shall be called forthwith to
vindicate the right of petition.
Many gentlemen have come forward nObly and
pledged any amount that may be necessary to carry
forward the movement and protect our sacred rights
from such violation in future.
s.If Mr.. Kennedy can seize the private papers Of
one man he can those Of any man. We understand
that many persons are very anxious to s:gn the
petition"
The Courier des Etas Unis, the organ Of the
French population has this comment:
ave said some time ago, that this war was lead
ing us rapidly on the downward road, which leads
to the suppression Of the most inviOable liberties.
The fact which we have Just recorded, proves once
more that we were right This intervention Of the
police in the exercise of the right of petition
suredIy one Of the most exorbtant and unjustlfabe
acts that can be imagined. What danger TO the
National cause could be found in petitiony And
what mode of manifestation could the people take
more inOfensiYe and more legitimatez"
Frank P. blair, Jr., and the Administra-