Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1861-01-18

to the mechanic whose shop is closed, to the
multiplied thousands OF laborers thrown out of
employment, to the trader made bankrupt by
this agitation. We owe IL to ourselves, our chill.
dren, our self.respect and equalNy in the Gov
ernment, to have this question: settled perma-
nehtly and forever upon terms consistent nth
justice and honor, and which viii give us peace
and perfect security for the present and the
future.
Palihiiyes and opiates, in the character Of
/ legislative compromises, may be applied afford
| ing momeutary relief; but there will he no per-
manent safety, security or peace, nntil Northern
prejudice has been eradicated anil the public
sentiment of that section radically changed and
nationalized. To attempt the appJication Of ef-
fective remedies before this great lbiect has been
accomplished, is like cleans ng the stream while
the fountain itself is poisoned /.
| The consequences and immense interests which
are involved in the proper solutidn of the difii-
culties that now surround us, the deep, lasting
and vital Importance of settling thfm upon prin-
ciples of justice and equality, deraand the most
serious consi lerntion of the whole people, ms we
as that Of the public functionarie&of the State
Whilst cheerfuly submit to your discretion the
whole question of our federal relations, having
no doubt myself as to the necessity and prOpri-
ETY. of calling State Convention, yet | respect
fully recommend that you provide by law for
submitting to the people of the State the ques.
I
the election of delegates by the people, in the
ratio of legislative representation, to meet in
State Convention, at the Capitol, at Nashville, nj
the earliest day practicable, TO take into consid-
GRAFTON our federal relations, abd determine
what action shall be taken by thelState Of Ten.
nessee for the security of the rights and the
peace of her citizens
The question of Convention or No Conrention
can and should be determined and the delegates
chosen at the same election, which can be very
easily accomplished by heading one head Of tick
cts CONVENTION and another set No CONVENTION
II majority OF the people vote for Convention
then the persons receiving the largest number
of votes in their respective counties and districts
to be commissioned as delegates.
This will place the whole matter 10 the hand,
of the people, for them, in their sovereignty, u
determine how far their rights have been viola
ted, the character of redress guaranty they
will demand, the action they FIll take : fol
their present and future security.i
Ii there be remedy for the evils which eflic
the country, consistent with the perpetuity o
the Union, il will, in my opinion, be found il
such Constitutional amendments Us will deprive
the fanatical majorities of the North of tbs
power to invade our rights or impair the security
or value Of our property.
Clear and we'll defined as our ri shts are, unde
the present Constitution. to participate equally
with the citizens of all other Stafes in the set
Element of the common Territories and to hol,
ourselves there until excluded byAhe formation
, of State Constitution, yet every dFganized Ter
, ritory will become field of angry5if not bloody
strife between the Southern man iihd the Aboli
zionist, and we shall see the tragedies of Kan
sas reenacted in each of them, as they approach
the period of forming their Site Constitution 8
Plain and unmistakabe as is the duty Of eacl
T State, to deliver up the fugtivef slave to hi
owner, yet the attempt to reclaim, is at the peri
of the masters life.
These evils can be obvated to great extent
/ if not entirely, by the following ahepdments t.
the Constitution:
, 1st Establish line upon the Northern bound
airy OF the present slave States, and extend /
through the Territories to the Pacific Ocean, upoi
. such parallel of latitude as will divide thsu
eqitably between the Moth and South, expressl,
providing that all the Terrtury now owned o
that may be hereafter acquired North of that lin
shall be forever free, and all South of it, Jorepe
slave. This will remove the question of exist
ence or nom existence of slavery in our States O
Territiries entirely and forever from the areni
of politics. The question being settled by th
Constitution, is no longer open for the politician
to ride into position bytappealiug to fanatca
Prejudces, or assailing the rights Of his neigh
bors. -i+1t
I'd In addition todhe fugitive slave claus
provide, that When slave has been demanded 0
the Executive authority of the State 10 which h
? has fed, if he is not delivered, and the owne
permitted to carry him out of the State in peace
that tho State failing to deliver, shall pay tn
, owner double the value of such slave, an secur
the right OF action in the Supreme Court of tb
> United States. This willisecure the return o
the slave TO hiSowner, or his value, with sutfi
cient sum to indemnify him for he expenses ne
cessarily incident to the recovery.
Sd. Provide for the protection of the owner il
the peaceable possession of his slave while il
lsr ilu in, &C. III
States Of the Confederacy; and in the event of tn
[ slaves escape or being taken from the owner re
quire the State TO return, or account for him as i
4 case of the fugitive.
4th. Expressly prohibit Congress from abO'
o ishng slavery in the District OF Columbia, i
e any dock k-yard, navy yard, arsenal or district
a any character whatever, within the limits of an
slave State.
q 9TH That these provisions shall never b
changed except by the consent of all the slav
q States
With these amendments to the Constitution.
e should feel thatOur rights were reasonably 81
= cure, not only in theory but Ia fact, and s6oul
d indulge the hope Of living in the Union in peac
il Without these, or some other amend nents, whic
promise an equal amount and certainty of sect
rity there is no hope Of peace or security in II
e government.
If the non slavehoding States refuse to con
e ply with demand, 50 just aud reasonable; r.
a fuse TO abandon at once and forever their unju
S, war upon us, our institutions aud our rights r.
r fuse, as they have heretofore done, to perform
50 in good faith, the obligations Of the compact
,s union, much as we may appreciate the powe
n prosperity, greatness, and glory Of tins GOV erl
n menti deeply hs We depiore the existence
I'll causes which have already driven State fro
the Unioni much as We may regret the imperi
IT tive necessity which they have wautonly an
y wickedly formed upon us, every consideration
4. self preservation and self-respect require thu
We should assert and maintain our equality
v the Union or independence out Of it,"
n In my opinion, the only mode left us of pc
" peiuating the Union upon the principle Of justi'
Of and equality, upon which It was originally e
r. tablished is by the Southern States, identified /
r they are, in interest, sentiment and feeling an
/. must in the nalural~course OF events, share.
At common destiny, uniting in, the expression Of
u fixed aud uualtered resolve, that the rights qua
N anteed by the Constitution must be respecte
nd f,ily and nerfacti " aecured in the nreaAl