The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-04-16
What q Convention Can Do.

What q Convention Can Do.
We will not stop to enquire what
convention cannot do; because it is
Bound by no ties, save such as unite it
to its constituents. It's members swear
to support no constitution; and they
are bound by nothing save the viii OF
the people who elected them They
can do all that the people themselves
can do.
They are elected by direct appeal
TO first principles; by an act Of that
sovereignty which resides by inalienable
rightin the masses, and which IS recog-
nized as such by the constitution Of the
State
Were itpossible FOR the people 70 as-
semblo in one body, it would not be a
more complete resumption Of sovereign
ty, than to delegate their powers to &
convention Of delegates What man
does by another, he does by himself;
anything that the people may effect,
can be effected through an agent pro
perly empowered
By the election Of 2 convention, ali
unnecessary delays would be avoided
the institution Of slavery could be dis
posed Of in twenty-four hours; and by
this means that industrial paralysis
which must continue until the matter
IS settled, will be removed, and Tennes
see will again flourish; immigration viii
set in this direction; the wilderness VIII
be made to blossom as the rose; wasted
plantations will be white with cotton
mountain sides, through German cul-
ture, will be black with the grape; and
land viii double and treble in value
We can't too often urge the fact we
will have no prosperity till slavery is
disposed Of forever The negro will
not work without pay; farmers viii not
migrate here, and employ tIenG while
there is danger that they may be com
PEELED to remunerate both the master
and the negro. The master, contend
ing that he has @ legal right TO the Ia
Dor Of his servant, viii not pay him
wages and the result viii be, that Ton
nessee will not raise its own bread this
year.
What would have been the result,
however, had convention met q month
since, and determined upon some sys-
tenn Of emancipation Every field |
would have been put under cultivation;
and we could have exported millions Of |
bushels of grain. and thousands OF bales
of cotton, which would have command |
ed remunerative prices
The army is now supplied ut the
North, and the provisions are trans
ported to Tennessee at great expense; |
tho farmers Of his STATE ouyii 10 hare sup |
ported the army and thus secured jor them
sflpes both tie price oas cost Of transportation.
Its, however, too late TO do this, now;
but not too late to put things in order
for the largest wheat crop Tennessee
ever produced
There are few features OF our existing
State Constitution which need change:
only such alterations should be made a.
Will adapt it to the present state Of az
fairs, and which changes were the ne
cessary result Of protracted hostiliGes,
for which the rebels are responsible. |
The convention need not sit forty-eight /
hours. No experimenting Is needed; |
there are examples enough, in the con-
stitutions Of other States, from which
the necessary amendments can be
d -awn.
If we attempt 30 reorganizc without
amending the constitution, as pre-
liminary, We must expect to see this
State outstripped by numerous rivals,
in the race for wealth, prosperity, and
moral influence. Is it desirable that
such should be the case Do Tonnes
scans wish 70 see the people of Arkan-
sas, but a new State, carry OF laure!s
which are within their grasp? We trust
not
We cannot change the present deplor-
able state Of the country, except by re
moving the causes which brought us to
the brink Of ruin The Union people
are not responsible for the present con
dition of the relations between master
and slave; the rebels are the ones who
are to blame; then let Us arouse, and
starm erect; let AS accept the circum-
stances which surround rs; rid ourselves
Of slavery, and stand beside Ohio, Indi-
ana, and Illinois, and vie with them in
wealth, industry, schools, and colleges
The way can alone be prepared imme-
diately, and eifectually 10y a convention,
the sovereign people of the