Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-07-29

meetings we're held at Knoxville and Mem
phis, to declare the political position of tn,
people Of these divisions of the State, and t,
appoint delegates to the Philadelphia Ma
tional Union Convention-the first for tn,
2nd Congressional district and the latte
for the 9TH and 8th districts. Yesterday
there were also primary meetings held il
this city and Gallatin, and the other coun
ties Of Middle Tennessee, for the same gen.
eral purpose. We group below such details
of this great popular movement as we can
find room for
THE KNOXVILLE MEETING.
Hon. THOMAS A. r. NELSON presided and
delivered a powerful speech against the
Radicals, and in defence Of the Presidents
policy. Senator FRAZIER also spoke, giving
a mastery review of the course of the Lee
gislature at its late session. Hon. JOHN
WILLIAMS was made Chairman of the Com
mittee on Resolutions. Hon. T. A. R.
NELSON, of Knox, and Hon A. BLIZZARD,
Of McMinn, were appointed delegates to
Philadelphia, with J. II. GAUT, Esq, and
The following is an extract from the pre-
amble and the resolutions in full, which
were unanimously adopted:
The objects Of the factioHwho claim to be
the Congress of the United States are too
transparent to admit of cavil. They are de-
termined to hold the Southern States, with
out any discrimination between Union men
and rebels in state Of absolute subsection
and dependence. They desire to make the
negroes masters where they were so lately
held as slaves. They wish to give them
political power, and by means of the fran
chise bureau, to obtain absolute control and
dominion over that power, so as to perpetu-
ate their own party ascendency and TO pre-
vent the Southern States from having any
agency in the Government of the country.
They wish to deny us the right Of free
Government when the right is secured by
the Constitution. They are determined to
impose taxes upon us and yet to deny the
right of representation.
To these ends, more than thirty, perhaps
more than one hundred amendments to the
Constitution, have been proposed in Con-
gress, and that sacred instrument which has
secured the veneration of the world and for
the preservation of which our soldiers have
poured out their blood like water, is given
up to the tinkering of party tricksters.-
Southern Representatives were excluded, and
a Senator from New Jersey, banished from
the Senate, so as to assure the adoption Of
any amendment they see fit to propose, by
the two Houses, according to the forms of
Constitution, while the Senate and House Of
Representatives, as now constituted, are not
Houses within the meaning of that instru-
ment. Against these and other acts of usur-
patton we enter our most solemn protest. and
we earnestly appeal to all patriotic citizens
Of the North to aid in applying every con-
stitutional remedy against such wanton and
reckless tyranny.
Animated with the same love of the Con-
stitution which has ever inspired our con-
duct, we have beheld with admiration the
heroic courage Of the President, in resisting
the encroachments Of power, and in his
speeches to the Montana, Virginia and Ne
gro delegations who have recently waited
upon him; in his vetoes of the Freedmen's
Bureau bill in his great speech to twenty
thousand citizens at the White House; in
his veto of the Civil Rights bill; in his mes
sage to Congress as to the improperly Of
constitutional amendments when
States are unrepresented in Congress, as
well as in our knowledge of his earnest and
determined character, we have the most
ample assurances that.he will use evey patri-
otto exertion to check the growth of despot-
ism and maintain the supremacy of the
Constitution and laws. Waving all past diff
ferences of opinion, we deem it our duty, so
far as tmay be in our power, to uphold and
sustain him in this great struggle, and we
have the fullest confidence that he will be
sustained by the patriotism OF the American
people
The efforts of Congress to cripple the pow
ers of the President in appointments to, and
removals from office; the abuse and denun-
citation heaped upon him in the caucus meet
ings of the Radical members; the obscure
threats of impeachment the limitations
that the present Congress, if defeated in the
fall elections, will hold possession ofthe Gov
eminent by force of arms, and the distribu-
ton of arms among the Northern States,
alone are facts well calculated TO arouse the
most serious apprehensions of patriots and
in connection with the unsettled condition
of public affairs, and the necessity for ma
tional organization for the preservation of
the public liberty, are amply sufficient to
Justify the call for a National Convention,
and to demand the greatest deliberation Of
patriots and statesmen. COncurring as we
DO in the general principles announced by
those who called said Convention, in their
card 29th June, 1866, it is, therefore
ResOlued, That we regard the objects indi-
Gated in the call for a National Convention
at Philadelphia, on the l4th of August next,
as of the highest importance towards the
presentations of our free institutions
RcSolred, That we hereby renew our at
tachment and fidelity to the Union of the
States as it was formed by our forefathers,
and any attempt on the part of sectional fac
tions TO accomplish Its overthrow incurs our
censure and opposition.
2. That our confidence in the integrity,
ability and patriotism of President JOIN
son 10 secure q reconstruction of the Union
upon constitutional principles is undimin-
ished, and we pledge him our undivided
support for the accomplishment of the
same.
3. That the resolution of Congress of July
1861, is fit exponent Of our views, in which
it declared the object of the war on our part
10 have beeu the maintenance and suprema-
cy Of the Constitution, with the rights and
dignity Of the several States unimpaired.
4. That according to the Constitution,
each State has the undisputed right to pre-
scribe the qualifications of its own electors,
and any attempt on the part of Congress to
force universal suffrage upon the country,
contrary to the known wishes of its citizens,
is palpable violation Of the Constitution,
and subvsrsiye Of every principle Of Re /
publican form Of government.
5. That the result Of the late war has
clearly manifested the infeasibility on the
part Of traitors to break up the Government;
and the supremacy of the Constitution hav-
ing been vindicated, the rights of the loyal
citizens within the States and districts lately
oyerrun 10y rebellion should be guaranteed,
while any efforts TO exclude them from re-
in the National Legislature
should be promptly and signally resented.
6. That the vetOes Of the " Freedmen's
Bureau, and Civil Rights Bills" receive our
cordial appreciation, believing them to have
been unwise and injudicious measures which
would have forever destroyed the liberties of
the people.
Z. That We regard it the duty of ali per-
sons, no matter to which political party
they formerly adhered, to unite in support
Of the President and his policy, and in all
having for their object the resto-
ration Of the Union and the preservation Of
our institutions.
S. That we cordially endorse the re-
construction policy Of President JOHN
son as wise, patriotic, constitutional and in
harmony with the loyal sentiment and pur.
pose Of the people in the suppression Of the
rebellion, and with the platform upon which
he was elected