Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1864-03-12
The Trne conslIlullonal Theorr.

Tie True Constitutional Theory.
The celebrated Greenoyille Convention,
which assembled on the 18th June, 1861,
afser the people had voted for separation
from the Federal Government among other
resolutions adopted the following one
eTha. The artina 81 onS st4,a Legislature IN
passing tha speaiiea b eldration 81 lb5e;en.-
snse and in forming the Military LEgne' wlth
toe CONFEDERATE Stste-, ami IN osrtins dthr ats
loal,tng 80 ssTaration If the Ssste ~ TcnpeaeS~
from the CloVsFam Mt Of The United ssstsa l. ss-
eeHstifsfssll AMI Illegal AMI therefore, lind
ing apua Is NJ l1yal e!IizeR,.T
The legal people of Fast Tennessee hsl,i'
:, that day. as they do at this, that seres-
sion was Illegal and unconstitutional. and
that no state, as State, eozId Isg1ly with
draw from tho Union Theyyadmiited the
right Of revolutions, for a sufficient eausc.
bat denied thats thcre was The slightest
caa.e for the prcseut. one. Tue rebels, ou
the otlrr hand. insisted that, secession Was
. constitutional right, which, they could ex.
orcisc whenever q majority Of the people
of a sovereign State willcd it. The friends
of the Union we're nearly everywhere
s,:tcca in favor of tie fnt stated doctrine,
while the traitors were unanimous as {"
the latter The resolution we have cited
adopted by tie Greencyille Convention, ex
rr.psed the viows of the Enion men OF
East Tennessee They it'll adhere to those
views They are. and ever have been, trEe
a IL. Il IL l.
aRt;i.Acs las never been changed, and Ro
power ear change it, The State has never
been cut Of the Union. Certain traitors
, rebeiied against the government Of the
United States, and passed what they called
Declaration of Independence" and pre-
. lSil9sd 10 vote themselves and the State oul
Of the Union. Bat the legality OF these rev.
clutiohary ac,s was, at the time. denied by
al sound thinkers. Any other po~itien
places th6 reheis in tho right and the Union
! teen la ths wrsng Adopt thai theory, and
thca the Unian men Of Fast Tcnness,e
! were rfb,..f sga;ss; the ri...Ifrlly ccnstitu-
led sat'aesits cytr thcm. We deserve no
credit, for4Ry aFeps tTiteysz.a Tire govern
f,oft 10 sfies we cvs,, eur allegiance
] We wera sanf 10 fe'i,,n ,he destiny Of
thS secrs4gns St.tC. Such we're not orr
Views t'ica be-. afe li,sy gar yi,Ss how -
Truo, hY ,.i.e asnrRag acts # II traitor
t,egirasr, and On 1hedivat l.osissalure, the
fsaihasitics and powers Of ths State were
arfa5ed in hostility q IRE general govern
ment Finally tAose authorities iel from
ITO Seats aud thereby caused the ssnc,iohs
af civil s0yernmcnttu become Suspended -
Bat the State was not DESTROYED Tlso ma
ehiiipry cs government was simply sus.
pcnied Ail The iuaetighs, powers and.
aaehaery NJ tbs State remain The Coa-
stitution OF the State remains animpaire,l,
and with all les vitality That vitality IL,
now dormant Int Il requires ont5 Ahe
breath Of popular cleciicn 10 make Il
start mp ia fsll lie and viaser. It,HrVsas no
Plcsidepte Proclamation. no ACT or Con
grcss, no Governors Proclamation. bot
even q uo.. .entioR, 10 reksese tbs State &c
the Union. Ii was ns.tr ea n Tie tisiSa..
and how then can /, require the act 81.
any man. or set Of men, or any tely, to put
IL back
On msre question Of Constitutional in
depreciation we shall nercF consent ,e
change the above views On their corrset,
ness depends. Ia the light Of history. our
yindieatioB, and thai OF ali tho loysil men
OF East Tennessee II wo are Hsw wrang
in our theory. then all who participated In
the Greeneville Convention. aud an the
Union mon in East Tennessee who have
taken up arms, are tFditags 10 Their rssafye,
Rad deserve the rsprpachea ef bistaFy.
We viii never consent 10 bear that sappro.
blum, We will never confess siant the
rebols were right aud NO wrong Washer
the. Chipa men Of tho state shoala insist
on being recognized, nneeaditianalls. ~
heing IA the Uaioh. with al their gneient
rights, or whether they should lssips seals
OF them. In deleeeneo 60 tie psllslie eeati.
meat OF the slsy,aF from any other esasa.
ara qaestlons thai sie pntiresy aslasds e
the foregoing eoslAl.leraliaGs. and whish xe
do net now propose "a aieeilea Ne nserslf !
wish q prosesYe q e0uslste1s, epasfIsnls,l.al
rcceal 10 be made ap II history, The idea
Of the illegnlity aud nuilite a secessies. -, /
the one side, and Is uonsifl NJ 6aalltg - /
. means Of redreeA en- tlse osheF. = tia
gredt dsspRfed Psfat betwees sfI6 ksrth ana !
the South. PFam The aFsnh a asaus.aea1
Ihe gasesen Ass iaassa = 4ha nehitsHaeae