The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1861-01-11


single constitutionalrieht of the NORTH
The journals Of Congress will not show
even the introduction of single propo-
sition, by any Southern Representative,
calculated to impair her rights in proper
ty, injure her trade, or wound her sensi-
blitics. Nor have they at any time de-
handed at the hands Of the Federal
Government. or Northern States, more
than their well defined rights under the
Constitution. So far from II, they have
tolerated these wrongs, from feeling Of
loyalty and devotion to the Union. with
q degree of patience and forbearance un-
paralelled in the history OF brave and
free people. Moreover, they have quiet
ly submitted to a revenue system which
indirectly, but certainly, taxes the pro-
ducts Of slave labor some fifty or sixty
millions OF dollars annually, to increase
the manufacturing profits of those who
have thus persistently and wickedly as
sailed them.
To cvade the issue thus forced upon us
at this time without the fullest security
for our rights, is, in my opinion, fatal to
the institution OF slavery forever. The
time has arrived when the people Of the
South must prepare either to abandon or
TO fortify and maintain it. Abandon it,
VIZ cannot, interviewer as il is with our
wealth. prosperity and domestic happi-
ness. We owe it to the mechanic whose
shop is closed. to the multiplied thou
sands Of laborers thrown out of employ
mcnt, to the trader made bankrupt by
! this agitation. We owe it to ourselves,
our children. our selfrespect and equali.
| ~ in the Government, TO have this ques-
ton settled permanently and forever up
on terms consistent with justice and hon
or, and which will give us peace and per-
feet security t9r the present and the flu
turc.
Palliatives al opiates, in the charac-
tor of legislative compromises, may be APP
piled, aifording momentary relief; but
! there will be no permanent safety, secu-
rity or peace, until Northern prejudice
mas been eradicated, and the public sem
timent of that section radically changed
and nationalized. To attempt the appli-
cation of effective remedies before this
great object has been accomplished, is
| like cleansing the stream while the foun-
tain itself is poisoned.
| The consequences and immense inter-
ests which are involved in the proper So
luton of the diliiuties that now sur
round us, the deep lasting and vital i'm
portance of settling them upon princi-
plies of justice and and equality, demand
the most serious consideration of the
whole people, as we'll as that of the pub
| lie functionaries of the State. Whilst
chearfully submit to your discretion the
whole question of our federal relations,
having no doubt myself rs to the necessi-
ty and propriety of calling State Con-
vention, yet respectfully recommend
| th,I ,.,o,,;11 I,.l g. 81
the people of the State, the question OF
Convention, or No Convention, and also for
the election of delegates by the people,
in the ratio of legislative representation,
to meet in State Convention, at the CAPT.
tol, at Nashville at the earliest day prac-
ticable, to take into consideration our
federal relations, and determine what &C.
ton shall be taken by the State of Tenn.
essee for the security of the rights and
the peace of her citizens.
The question of Convention or No Con.
rention, can and should be determined
and the delegates chosen at the same
election, which can be vc"y easily accom-.
plished by heading one set of tickets
CONVENTION, and another set No CoNvEN
TON. If a majority Of the people vote
for Convention, then the persons receiv.
ing the largest number of votes in theii
respective counties and districts, to be
commissioned as delegates.
This will place the whole matter in the
hands of the people, for them, in theil
sovereignty, to determine how far theii
rights have been violated, the character
OF redress or guaranty they will demand
or the action they will take for their pres
ent and future security.
If there be q remedy for the evil.
which affiict the country, consistent with
the perpetuity of the Union, it will in
my opinion, be found in such Constitu
tional amendments as will deprive the
fanatical maiorities of the North of the
power to invade our rights or impair the
security or value Of our property.
Clear and well defined as our rights
are under the present Constitution, tc
participate equally with the citizens oil
all other States in the settlement of the
common Territories, and to hold our
selves there until excluded by the forma
ton of State Constitution, yet every or
ganized Territory will become a field Of
angry, if not bloody, strife between the
Southern man and the AbolitioEists, and
we shall see the tragedies of Kansas re-
enacted in each of them, as they ap
proach the period of forming their State
Constitutions.
Plain and unmistakable rs is the duty
of each State, to deliver the fugitive
slave to his owner, yet the attempt to re-
claim, is the peril of the masters life
These evils can be obviated to q great
extent If not entirely. by the following
amendments to the Constitutions:
LIST. Establish line upon the Northern
| boundary of the presept slave Stotas ond
extend it through the Territories to the
Pacific Ocean, upon such parallel of lati
tude as will divide them eauitably be.
tween the North and South, expressly
providing that all the Territory now own.
ed, or that may be hereafter acquired
North of that line, shall be forever free,
and. all South of it, forever slave. This
will remove the question of existence OF
Territories entirely and forever from the
arena. of politics. The question being
settled by the Constitution. is no longer
open for the politician to ride into posi-.
ton by appealing to fanatical prejudices,
or assailing the rights of his neighbors.
I'd. In addition to the fugitive slave
clause provide, that when slave has
been demanded of his Executive author.
ity of the State teswhich he has fed, il
he is not delivered. and the owner per-
mitted to carry him out of the State in
peace, that the State so failing to deliver,
shall pay to the owner double the value
OF such slave, and secure the right of ac-
ton in the Supreme Court of the United
States. This will secure the return OF
the slave to his owner, or his value, with
a sufficient sum to indemnify him Tor
| the pynenses pocaseorily ;no;Iapt 10 Al n