The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-04-13


WEDNESDAY, APRIL -, 1864
Wat a Legislature Can Do, and Ehal
1! CahaOt Do.
We have hitherto shown that there
were Irregularities which must be
waived in any event, before law and
order can be restored in Tennessee; and
therefore it was better that the plan be
pursued which would most radically
cure the political rupture As there
are but two methods Of disposing Of the
guestion-by The election Of legisla
ture, or Of a convention--we shall now
consider the merits and dement's. the
advantages and disadvantages OF both.
And first, Of a legislative. Can il
cure the Ills By which we are surround
ed, and which are inevitable Incl
dents Of the war? The first act Of the
members of legislature body, viii be
10 swear to support the State constitu-
ton, and abide 10y all its provisions
to DO what it enjoins, and to forbear
doing what it forbids; and this must
be done before an organization Of either
house can be effected
We all know that the social system
Of tho State has received a wound
which viii require healing; and the ap
plicafion must be one Of two kinds; the
master must be reinstated in al his old
control over his negroes, or the latter
must be made free. The former Of these
alternatives is neither possible nor de
sirabl0 The slaves are discontinued;
they can fly to the army, and escape
their master, either by enlisting in the
service Of, or hiring with, the govern
ment They demand pay FOR their scr
vices, and being able 10 obtain it, they
viii not labor without remuneration.
We have conyersed with old slave
holders on this subject, and they all
concur with as in the opinion that ne
groes, as slaves, are not valuable now,
and never again can be made so, Yet
slavery cannot be legally abolished by
a legislature unless By the following
process: One year and three months
from this time, the members viii be
elected, and three months after that,
both houses Will organize; and then, by
a majority vote, an amendment can be
proposed to the constitution, which shall
then lie over for two years, when, if X
receive the sanction OF second legis-
iature, it shall be submitted to the peo-
pie. Thus four years, at least, will be
required; before the question can be
disposed of; and in the meantime the
industry of the State viii languish; the
negroes viii not work without pay;
the masters will not pay them any
thing, and non -slaveholding far
mers viii not employ them, from fear
that they viii have TO remunerate both
master and negro; a constant turmoil
will ensue; immigration to the State
will be impeded, and perhaps prevent
ed and the blow which the industry of
the State will receive, will be one from
which Yeas will be required for it to
recover. The crops which might be
raised, but viii not during that time,
would twice pay for every slave in the
State, at the old prices before the war.
But it may be said that legislature
can call convention Il cannot II has
no such poloer. That right is reserved to
the people themselves; and they can
employ any instrument they may choose
in arranging the preliminaries.
But suppose the legislature were en-
powered to provide for the assembling
Of convention; what would be gained
by the delay incident to that proceed
ing? by delay Of two years? Why
not have the convention at once; have
the vexed question settled place the
State, without further delay, upon a
basis of prosperity
What objection can any one who
fsvOrs emancipation at all, have TO the
selection of a convention noisg Only
those who wish to see slavery perpetu-
ated eternally, and who believe it can
be so perpetuated, need fear conven-
zion; only such should desire the elec.
ton Of legislature to carry out the
provisions OF the old cofstitution
Those who object to doing anything,
may with reason oppose q convention
which will do something but such as
favor change can scarcely, with rsa-
son, assume a position antagonistic to
the assembling of the only body of men
who can inaugurate It, within reason
able period of time, and without over
reaching its pc Eers.