Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1861-04-04

that Union we have alike been
laugh. to vcnerale and love. it can
not be questioned, that the future
destiny Of Tennessee, and the inau-
ence to be welded by her in the
mighty struggle gcing on, are ques-
tons Of paramount int rest, aot only
to her own citizens. but 10 the people
of the States, both North and South.
And in consequence OF the extreme
interest which | feel in that destiny
AS 40 individual, taken in connection
with the numerous solicitations Of
my fliends; have been induced to
announce my name as candidate
to represent you in the Represent.
alive branch Of your next Legisia.
I ure As it will be some time be-
! fore the canvass viii optn, ! trust
:; on will not deem it egotism 10 me
to declare (@hat many Of you already
know that have ever been, as am
now, an uncompromisipg member OF
the States Right Democratic party.
[
The celebrated Virginia and Ken
lucky Resolutions, which have been
incorporated into all orr National
Platforms, proclaim the great cardinal
doctrine that Zach State is the sole
Judge Of its own infractions, as Well
as the mode and measure Of its own
redress. / have been taught to
believe by all the great expounders
i of Democratic faith, from the days
of the renowned Jefferson, down 70
tie present time, that the principles
enumerated in these resolutions were
a sure and legitimate basis upon
which the States could maintain
their individual rights against the
insiduous eneroao bments Of arbitrary
power and oppression.
Recent developments in our IA.
tional history, present no satisfactory
reason to my mind, why | should
renounee these principles; but upon
the contrary, reasons are constantly
accumulating to convince ME that /
should hold them more sacred than
ever before.
| Again, / lave been taught from
early childhood, to almost reyer-
euce The Constitution Of the Uni
ted States, but when | see a dom.
indnt political faction convert that
sacred instrument into an engine
for the destruction Ct my native
State and her institutions, then it is,
that | am under obligations to pay
homage at its shrine, no longer than
can unIoose the CALLING shackles.
| know however. that it is argued BY
some, that a State has no right to
secede from the Union, and that if
a State shold do so, she is exercising
an unauthorized power, and ought
therefore to be coerced back into her
former position by the strong arm Of
the Federal Government, even though
| it be at the point Of the blooded
sword. To those who entertain such
options, / would call their attention
to Article 20 b of the Amended
Constitution which declares that:
l"Ihe -po,cers NOT DELEGATED 10 Tie
United States by the Constitution,
NOR PROHIBITED BY IT 70 THE STATES,
ARE RESERVED To THE STATES OR TO THE
PEOPLE p" Now I would ask: In
what article Of the Constitution has
the "power' ever been "delegated'
to the Federal government to ooerce
State into an association which she
recognized as oppressive?
! frankly admit that / have never
yet been able to find any snch "det-
egated power." Again, ] would ask:
In what Article of the Constitution
can the clause be found which de-
clares that the States are aprohiJitcd'|
from seeding, when they are armed
with justifiable cause? If such an
article exists in tbe Constitution i'll
has escaped my observation. And