Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-01-16

TENNESSEE LEGISLATURES.
SENATE
oLNAIL.
Tuesday, JANUARY Is. 1861,

TUESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1861,
The Senate was called to order at 10 O'Clock 4.
II. by the Speaker.
CONVENTION OF SOUTHERN STATES.
Mr.. Speaker Newmsn's resolution, No. Is, to call
Convention of the Southern States, was read
thereupon-
Mr.. Speaker NEWMAN (Mr, LANE in the Chair
advocated its passage, urging the selection of an
equal number of delegates from the two old parties
of the State.
Mr.. WOOD was in favor of referring it to the
Committee on Federal Relations asking them to re-
port on these subjects
Mr.. RICHARDSON was opposed to taking any
action that subject leaving it to the Convention,
if called, to adopt such policy they may deem adj
visable, after which the resolutions were referred
to SAID Committee.
FEDERAL RELATIONS.
Mr.. PAYNE Chairman of the Committee on Fed
eral Relations, reported series of resolutions in
lieu of House Resolutonson Federal Relations, in
troduced by Messrs Bennett and Kennedy which
resolutions in lieu were read and adopted.
STATE CONVENTION.
house bill No. 3 providing for calling State Con-
venton was taken up on second reading, and then
Mr.. BRADFORD moved to amend by Inserting
18th of February, for the time of meeting for the
Convention, which motion prevailed
Mr. LANE moved to amend as to require the
action of the Convention to be decided by MAORI
ty of the polled instead of majority of votes
cast at the last Gubernatorial election and to give
20 days for the people to decide by vote, whether
or not they will ratify the said action.
Mr.. RICHARDSON thought the question settled
by this body the other day, and he was opposed to
re-opening it, and argued at length the Importance
of having majority of all the votes of the State.
to decide this important question.
Mr.. LANE had supposed this matter understood
by the Senate. Was opposed to hasty action. not
more than he was to tardy or non-action policy.
Had no fears but that the people would act and act
promptly, understandngy and periodically. His
amendment proposed to interest every one to such
extent as to go to the polls and there vote for or
against the ACTION of the Convention He was no
fgeeater, in the OpprObrious sense of that term,
but he was heart and head for the amendment. He
was for the people and was not afraid 20 trust them
in voting for against the policy adopted by the
Convention.
Mr. STOKES thought the people in some parts of
the State could not get the news of the Convention
in time to have five day notice of the elections and
urged it as alimpOrtaDt TO have unity of action in
this crisis He referred to the action of other
States If a majority of our people approve, peace
and quiet will follow the action Of the Convention
otherwise we may see Tenunesseans warning upon
each other as Wings and Tories did during our Rev
olutionary days. II Tennessee Is TO disrupt the
government, let her go as unit-and let US not he
a divided people He felt the responsibility of his
position and wished 10 act for the best interests of
all Let us act so that all may known where Ten
nessee stands Let the bill remain as 1t is, and let
us stand together upon the principles our fathers
engrafted upon our institutions-in this the best
government upon earth.