The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-02-24
The Tennessee CsnTeniion.

LOUISVILLE, Feb 22-The Nashville
Union states that the Con- outi0u 40
sembled in that city today, with Hon
Henry cooper, OF Bedford, as Pres
ident The committee reported resolu.
tions substantially as follows That the
people of Tennessee we're excluded from
the benefits of the Union upon the un-
grounded assumption thot they are not
sufficiently loyal to be admitted to rep
resentation in Congress The delegates
to this convention both sympathizers
and loyal men, place upon record their
united testimony against the trnth OF
this imputation Of disloyalty made
the people of this State Upon the sur.
render of the Southern armies Tennessee
accepted the result as conclusive set
Element of the issue involved In the war,
southern soldiers acknowledged their
defeat by lying down their arms and
pledging themselves not to renew the
conflict and bytreturning to their avoca'
tions, and have been distinguished there
in by their zeal and energy. The dele.
gates to the convention affirm that the
y eople of Tennessee were never more
sincerely anxious for the preservation of
law, nor more earnestly united to sup.
port and preserve the constitution and
the Union against all assaults They
are as ready now as ever in by-gone daye,
or as the people of any other state to
pl edge their lives, fortunes, and sacred
honor in defense Of the constitution and
the Union.
They recognize the late amendment
prohibiting involuntary servitude as
part of the constitution and will give
that clause an honest support They
are prepared to aid in affording to
freed persons of color such protection as
shall secure to them all blessings of free.
dom, and of conceding to them all civil
and political rights compatible with the
| best interests of both races, insisting
however, that the subject hlongs exclu.
sivsly to the people of the states and
that the same has Hot been transferred tC
congress by the amendment providing
that they are satisfied the relations be
tween the two races will be established
upon principles of justice materially
beneficial and satisfactory when ex
traneous influences are withdrawn
That the states declared in rebellion
bv reason of war did not cease TO be
States and are integral parts of the
Union; that citizens thereof have the
right to elect representatives 10 Con
gress and Congress cannot legally ex
clude them, and each House has the
right to decide upon the qualification:
of its members, that the people of the re
spective States have the right to regu.
late their domestic affairs while consis.
tent with the constitution; that any at
Tempt of Congress to force negro suf
frage upon the South tends to widen tbs
breach between the North and South
and Injuries the negro They are opposed
TO interference with the constitution al
this time, it being unwise to endeavor K
change the fundamental law in tht
midst of high excitement, and it is moi
nagnanimous to do so when clever
States have no representation IN Con
gress: that the people should be relieved
OF the presence Of the military authorit;
and disouietude that we heartily ap
prove and endorse the policy of the Pres
dent and especially his recent messag,
relative 10 the Freedmen Bureau bill