Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-08-07
FoURTm DISTRICT CONVENTION.

] the NOnNeuLlOll. lie ulu1L IltAlECt OlNCA
was maintained throughout the entire pro-
ceedings, and the utmost good feeling pre-
vailed
At one o'clock P. NJ, the Convention was
called TO order BY the appointment of A. A.
STEELE, of Marshall, President pro tsla, and
c. P. HoUsToS, Secretary pro tenn.
A committee on permanent organization
was appointed, and made the following re-
port:
PERMANENT OFFICERS.
President-HON. c. n. ORDwAY, of Giles.
Wee Presidents-HoN. WM. BARTON, Of
Cannon.
J. NJ. RUssEY, of Franklin.
HoN. J. F. THOMAS, of Coffee.
THOs. G. JONEs of Marshall.
JOHN 7. GORDON, Of Lincoln.
p. G. STEELE, Of Bedford.
w. II. JONES, Of Giles.
Hon. CHARLES READY, of Rutherford.
Secretaries-J. ii. THOMPSON,
c. p. HoUsToN,
+. S. CURRN.
On taking the chair the President stated
the objects Of the Convention in a short
speech pointing out the tyranny the Radi-
cal party are endeayoring to practice on the
| people, and calling on the loyal masses to
rise up as one man in the support Of Presi-
dent JOHNSON, and crush out sectionalism
and disunion before it succeeds in oyerturn-
ing and abOlishing popular government in
this country. His remarks were received
with applause, and especially when he paid
beautiful tribute to the flag which we all
acknowledge.
The committee appointed tOdraw up reso-
lutions expressive Of the sensiinents Of the
| Convention, reported, through their chair
man. Judge HENRY COOPER, the following
/ resolutions which we're unanimously adopted:
/ WHEREAS, Having seen the call of the
! Executive Committee of the National Con-
! sentative Union party" and the address Of
| the Conservative representatives from Ten
nessee, to their constituents calling and APP
| proving of a convention Of the people of the
] United States, to meet in the city of Phila-
delphja, on the 18th day of August and
| fully approaching IS we do the necessity for
! such convention; therefore, that the people
| Of the whole Union may meet together and
announce a platform upon which all pa
triOts may cooperate, we therefore announce
the following resolutions as such platform
1. ReS0iUed, That we are now, as hereto
fore, ardently attached to the Union of the
states under the Constitution Of the United
States that we deny the right Of any State
to secede, and hold that all attempts at Sc
cession are null and void that all the States
are now States of the Union, as before the
rebellion, and we deny the power Of the
General Government, under the Constitution,
to exclude State from the Union or to gov
ern it as a Territory.
2. RESOLVED, That our confidence in the
ability integrity, patriotism, and statesman
ship of President JOHNSON is undiminished,
and pordi oil oy,v,rovro rro,oroI
Of his administration.
3. RESOLVED, That we indorse the resolu-
ton Of Congress of July, 1861, declaring the
object Of the war on our part to be the de-
Tense and maintenance of the supremacy of
tue Constitution and the preservation of the
Union, with the dignity, equality and rights
Of the several States unimpaired
4. Res0lUed, That that in the language of
the Chicago platform Of 1860, and as quoted
by the late President LINCOLN in his
first inaugural address, "The maintenance
inviOlate of the rights of States, and espe-
cially Of the right of each State to order
and control its own domestic institutions ac-
cording to its own Judgment exclusively |
subject only to the Constitution of the United |
States, is essential to that balance of power
on which the perfection and endurance of |
our political fabric depends"
s. BesolUed, That under the Constitution |
of the United States, is reserved to the sew |
eral States the right to prescribe the qualif- |
cations of electors therein; and that it would |
be subyersiye Of the principles of our Gov |
eminent for Congress to force universal suf- |
frage upon any portion Of the country in OPP |
position to the known wishes of the citizens |
thereof
6. Resolced, That this Union must be
and remain one and undivisible forever :" |
that the war for its preservation having been |
brought to a triumphant close, and the SUI
premacy of the Contribution vindicated the |
rights Of the States under the Constitution |
are TO be maintained iRviolate, and that 10y
al citizens within the States and districts
lately overrun by rebellion are entitled TO
all the rights guaranteed to them by the
Constitution.
7. Resolved That all the States of the
Union, are entitled by the Constitution of
the United States to representation in the
councils of the nation, and that all loyal
members duly elected and returned, having
the requisite qualifications as prescribed by
law, should be admitted to their seats in
Congress without unnecessary delay by their
respective Houses, each House being the
judge Of the election returns and qualifica-
lions of its own members
g. Rcs0lUed, That treason is a crime which
should be punished and that we are opposed
to bartering universal amnesty" for uni
versal suffrage"
9. Resoluod, That the payment Of the ma
tional debt is a sacred obligation, never to
be repudiated and that no debt or obliga-
ton incurred in any manner whatever in
aid of treason or rebellion should ever be
assumed or paid.
10. Resolrcd That we cordially endorse
the restoration policy of President JOHNSON,
as wise, patriotic, constitutional, and in
harmony with the loyal sentiment and pur-
pose Of the people in the suppression of the
rebellion; with the platform upon which he
was elected; with the declared policy of the
late President LINCOLN, the action of Con-
gress and the pledges given during the war.
II. ResOlUed That the nation owes a last
ing debt of gratitude to the soldiers and
sailors Of the late war for the suppression of
the rebellion, and that the families Of the
fallen heroes who died that the country
might live, are the wards Of the people, and
should be cared for by the Government.
u. Resolred, That the Hon. EDMUND
COOPER and Hon w. p. HICKERsoN, be
appointed delegates to said Philadelphia
and that Hon. ED. II. EWING
and JOSEPH II. THOMPSON, Esq, be ap-
pointed alternates.
On motion Of JOSEPH II. THOMPSON, Esq,
the following resolution was adopted:
Ras0lpcd, That we cordially endorse the
course pursued by our able and distinguished |
in Congress- whose conduct is
approved by an overwhelming majority Of |
the people in his district,
After the reading Of the resolutions, calls
were made for the Hon. HENRY COOPER,
who addressed the Convention in substance
rs follows:
Ny FELTow-CITIZENs: / am rejoiced to | .
meet to-day, SO large a number of loyal, con- /
scrvative men, who are by their presence,
and BY their labOrs endeavoriug to uphold | |
the arm of the President in his noble efforts
to restore this Union in all its honor and
integrity. We have lately passed through :
four years Of terrible civil war, and its ter
has brought before the American
people great and momentous questions. +
We must ponder well, before we act. 1t is !
no child's play-they are serious and TO the
point for on the decision arrived at depends :
the perpetuation Of free government on the
American continent Il is for us TO say
whether we shall again establish it in all
grandeur, or whether we shall become a {
hiss and by-word 70 all nations. I
Many ofvou differed with me in the con- {