Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-02-20

- TSs resolutions adopted BY the General Assem-
his. published in our paper few days since, define
the position of Tennessee satisfactorily, as we be-
lieve TO the great mass CT the people. ihey sLo-
stantialv adopt the Crittenden compromise as pa
sis of adjustment of the pending issues between the
North and South and Tennessee VIII say 10 tue
neople of the North, not in spirit OF clustering
defiance and bragga9ocio but nrmly anu calnly,
and with sincere and honest desire tnat shas gu
iustment NAV be accepted-we demand .nothing
more-,ce mill accept of nothing IesS.''
Here SIR is whist this newspaper, Representing
the most conservative elemnnt in Tennessee, says IN
is the uncompromising position OF that Staee WIN
regard to these resolutions, that she DEMANDS no'
ing less" ~. 80
NV colleague SAYS he is for adjourning this cues
ton over from this House to the people. VINO, iet
me ask have refused every such proposition. " ID
humiliating to southern men TO have to say lnas
cry effort that has been made for the adJustmehso
these difinuties has come from southern members.
How have they been treatedY Why, SIR every
proposition that has been made by the most con
Sentative men in the House and Senate, by when
this question is to be turned over Ar1 ,,
Congress to the people, has been trampieu
under foot and Indignantly spurned by those
to whose defense my colleague has come 1here
was proposal made the other day-the most direct
one have heard of-to adjourn this questlon over
to the people; and that every Representative upon
this floor of all parties, should resign his seat 10
| take effect on the 2lst of February; that new
election should be ordered to allow the people to
| speak between now and the 9Th of March next In
| twenty days public sentiment might have been ex-
pressed upon these questions; and then, when the
/ new Congress came in we would walk out never
/ heard of my colleague seizIng upon this mode OF
adiourning this question over to the people.
| But is it the manly part Of Southern Representa-
tiyrs to stand here in their places, and plead upon
their Bonded knees suppians at the footstool OF
the Republican power, day BIZ dayf l, for one, am
tired Of making these appeals when the chief rulers
of the party President premier, press, and all are
/ daily and hourly laundering in our ears that they
have no compromise to make.
! Mr. Kigore. Will the gentlemen permit me to
] ask him question? The gentleman has given US
/ the utimatum of Tennessee, and has complained
1 continually of thewrongs of the Republican party
1 and of the people Of the North. / would ask the
gentleman to specify those particular wrongs, so
| that may reply to the charge. M
/ Mr. Avery. For forty years, sir. we have been
specifying these charges, until, finding that specify
ing does no good have become tired OF It Will,
/ however, satisfy the gentleman with some slight
| specifications presently.
/ Ny colleague goes on to enumsrate what ne calls
the items in the bill of Indictment against the Repub-
| lican party and proceeds, seriGn, to defend them
from what he denominates false charges. de first
aludes to the personal liberty bills and assumes to
speak er cGthedrd, for the Republican party IN say
ing that those bills only exist III such far of States
| as Vermont, not accessible for fugitive slaves. II
my memory serves me right, they have been passed
in every single Republican State where there has
not been either a Democratic Legislature or DEM
| ocratic Governor to veto their passage.
Mr.. Kilgore. l ask the gentleman whether there
has been personal liberty bill passed in single
State since the existence of the Republican party?
| Mr.. Avery. do not know when you date the
| birth of the Republican party.
| Mr.. Kilgore 1t commenced in lSJ4-55.
| Mr.. Avery. There have been presume; but II
matters not when they were passed,
| Mr.. Kigore. Well, name the States.
| Mr.. Avery. will DO that directly. | say that
where these bills have not been passed. it has been
| where there was a Democratic Legislature, or q
Democratic Governor to veto them. Ny colleague
says that none were passed in the Northwestern
States. /: that is so, 1t was for the reason have
stated. He says there is personal liberty bill in
the State of Ohio. recollect that Senator fro
Ohio, Mr.. Wade] said, at the last session of Con-
gress on the floor of the American Senate, that the
| personal liberty bill had been stricken from the
statute book OF Ohio it true; but that whenever
the Republican party came into power they would
be re-enstamped upon the statute books Of the
State.
made to repeal these bills had the honor to make
| a speech last session. in which warned them upon
| these very questions. At the conclusion of that
speech after citing and arguing against those very
| bills SAID:
al think have clearly established that the Re-
publican party is the only party in the land traitor
GUS to the Constitution and consequently disoyal to
the Union; that the founders of the Republic held
no principles such as theirs; that the Democratic
| party is not aggressive but defensive upon the
question of Southern rights; that the Republican
party alone aggressive; that should this party
| succeed that success would work the inevitable
overthrow of the best Government ever given to
man."
g am for preserving this, the fairest fabric Of
human liberty. am for unfolding our institutions
as they came from the hands of our fathers.
| cherish them just as they gave them TO u.s. Perish
forever all the bright memories of the iilustrious
past if they cannot be preserved unsulledi yield
to no mortal man in devotion to this Union. Tennes-
see the proud State of my nativity among the first
| born daughters, loves this Union with deep 6evo-
ton. But sir, with this devotion there is mingled a
| sacred attachment to the Constitution Her rights
in the Confederacy, her equality, and the perfect
equality of all her people, she will guard with a
/ Jealous care"
| Il warn you then, you men Of the North-you who
| boast your Bunker Hill and other battle fields of
( the RevolutiOn-I warn you to beware, to stop
while yet it is time, and stay the hand that is laid
| upon the ark of our covenant"
| Sir they did not stay the hand; and the words
| then spoken have proven, alas but too prophetic
| The next charge from which my colleague under
| takes to defend the Republican party is that the
people of the free States intend to abolish slavery
where 1t exists in the States. In yindcation of this
| charge he says
" No political party that ever assembled in con-
ventiOn in this country has given stronger guaran-
tees against any desire any power 10 interfere
with slavery in the States of this Union. They did
more than thls-that which no other political party
| in this country has ever done. Apprehending the
| possibility of invasions similar to that of John
| Brown, they denounce in express terms, all such
| raids as among the gravest of crimes"
CONCLUDED TOMORROW.