The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-01-13
UsIOy STATE CONVENTION.
thursdays Proceedings.

terday) as substitute for the majority
and minority reports.
Mr.. J. r. Hood was opposed to act
ing too hastily. lie wanted q regular
constitutional convention. Such body
would be responsible. The present
convention did not come here to make
constitutions. If this convention were
TO propose constitution, some other
body might propose another.
There were many good Union men,
who would not turn out and vote, in
obedience 10 the demands Of this con
veution, who would gladly aid in the
work Of abolishing slavery, in regr
lsrway, and through an elected conven-
ton. Theloyal people would not sane
ton such a proceeding, as was proposed
by the majority of the business commits
tee.
The moral effect Of a regular con-
vention would add ter thousand votes
at the election; this would be important
% backing the work by pOwerfsl
party.
Col Bird, Of Roane, differed from Dir.
Hood on the subject The people Of
East Tennessee, and Of the whole
State, wanted law and order, and that
ia the shortest possible way. tly'
hundred good loyal men we're here, and
these were as competent to recommend
amendments, as a hundred men. All
that was done was merely advisory tn
people could ratify or reject as they
mightsee proper
If we had a regular convention, i
would cost 81 $1,000; by the proposed
proceeding that would all be saved, and
as we had no money, that vas impor>
tart By adopting the majority report
We could have Legislature and mem
bers Of Congress within a few weeks
Nearly every loyal man in the State
had claims against the government
and to secure payment we should have
representatives in Congress As soon as
possible Thousands of widows and or
phans were entitled TO pensions, and
these could only be obtained through
the intercession of Congreesmen; there
fore the sooner we have a delegation
the better We were wheeled out Of
the Union and he was for wheeling
into the Union by the shortest possible
route
The majority report had been tho
roughly discussed and though all
might not fully agree with itin every
particular, yet it was the best that could
be had. Let US have union and harmo-
nv, and the report was a fair compro
mise Of interests and views.
Judge Brien said he had been for
emancipation from the beginning He
had matured his opinions upon that
subject long since. lie had carefully
examined the situation and he was
Of the number who believed that the
State had never been outof the Union;
all we had 10 do was TO reorganize the
State government by the beat possible
means; What are they
He was opposed to the majority re
port. lie agreed with the main princi-
pies, bat objected to the means TO be
employed. He believed, going oat as
it did. il would be voted down Il re-
coganized secession
Mr.. Bingham asked the speaker to
point out the particular sentence recog
nizing secession.
Judge Brien said it recognized it, by
being as revolutionary as secession itself
He was opposed to take the oath pre-
sented. Why put such an oath to a
good Union mans If rebel asked TO
vote he should be rejected; and not al
,lowed.to take any oath, for he would
take one as well as another lie was in
favor Of recommending Governor john
son to cali q constitutional convention
Colonel Buffers resolution suited him, {
it covered the whole ground. 1t
Colonel Butler aid that this eonven' 5
ton was sent here to nominate candi- {
dates for delegates to the constitutional .
convention. Do more thah this, and [
there is an uuwonted assumption Of !
power. Here were 500 delegates, some
with, and some without authority, ana a
they propose to change the fundsmen-
tai law Of the State!
Colonel Bingham; VIC propose TO re- f
fer it back 70 thepeople.
Colonel Butler-Refer it back to the
people, That was the cry when the p
ordnance Of secession passed. How p
many people can vote, unmolested by h
guerrillas, on the subject, if submitted G.
within the next two months2 Why so f,
much haste9 Our Congressman cannot T.
take their seats until next December. a
Take short cut Arkansas and Lou q
isiana took short cuts, and they have Ii
not vet come in. Let US work with de "
liberation, and we viii have q hundred "
thousand bonaf6e votes, and there viii
beno trouble in getting in. That num r
Der will command respect from rebels, o
from the North and the Nation
Talk about the cost Of a convention g
The whole expense would be less than I
g25.OoO. That would not be one cent on a
the numbered dollars worth Of proper r.
ty. Restoration Of law and order viii "
be cheap 9; milton of dollars cheap
CT, at least, than the loss of ten or n
twenty horses, every now snd then g
from the hands Of guerrillag.
He was opposed to the qualifications a
proposed for voters Any man, whom v
the legislature might make g witness in II
s court Of justice, wss to be a legal vo~ 81
ter; and if an act were to be passed al
lowing al negros TO be witnesses, they n,
would likewise be voters lie was for =
freeing the negroe, but not for giving G,
them the right Of suffrage (Cheers) a,