Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-27


A franklin County correspondent writes |
us 4 suggestion, that the mass meeting called |
to meet in this city on the I'D February, be |
changed to i Convention of the people, the |
business Of which shall be to 50 alter the |
Constitution Of the State Gas TO overthrow
the reigning oligarchy Of radical red repab-
licans." We have no power to change the
character Of the proposed meeting-snd
could not concur in the suggestion, If we had.
The'oonstitution itself provides the mode and
manner Of altering and amending il. II the
people desire to make a aeu one, the regular
and most usual form Of proceeding, is
through Convention composed Of delegates
elected BY the people Of the several counties,
and thus representing the sober Judgment
and deliberate viii Of the people. Under
ordinary circumstances there is no other just
and legitimate mode of remodeling the fun
damental law of the State. 1t is very true
that il has been done otherwise. AT the time
our State separated from the. United States,
or adopted that line of action which was
called and considered by the great majority
of her people separation, some verbal
changes were made by direct vote of the
people on a recommendation by the Legis-
lature The vote on these minor changes
| expressed the will and wish Of the vast ma
jority Of the people of the State at the time.
1t was simply irregular. Again, when the
amendments were made uponwhich the pres
ent oligarchicStateg Observation-Disclosures
rity, mode was pursued similar to that s'ig-
gested by our correspondent. A self-consti-
tuted assemblage of men came together
without authority from the people, agreed
upon certain changes, and submitted them to
the people. This was not only irregular,
but revolutionary in its character, and
based on the plea Of necessity. Under the
circumstances, nothing else could be done.
Doubtless if such steps were now taken, a
greater number of votes would be cast to
sustain its action than were given in that
which placed the present authorities in
power, but it would still be revolutionary.
But constitution-making is a more serious
and important and enduring act than mere
expressions Of opinion, notwithstanding
or Iegislating. If the course suggested
should be now adopted, il would stand on no
better ground than that occupied by the
{" reigning oligarchy." 1t would have no
betterright, than that which our correspondent
denounces, to possession of the State Gov
eminent A conflict of authority would
necessarily ensue, without compromising
| good. Besides, how long would it take an
other selfconstituted body to assemble and
set up another claim to authority? and at
what point would the process end?
| We have some of the fruits of these irreg-
ular, arbitrary and revolutionary settirg-up
of constitutional authority in the present
deS2icable management Of our State affairs.
| History is full of the evils attending them.
The only remedy is to be found in sound
and wholesome public opinion, expressed on
| all proper occasions and lawfully carried
into effect at the proper time and in proper
manner. So
| Some State government is better than
none; and the mal-administration of gov
eminent is not always attributable to its or
ganic laws. If bad men, either by accident
or design, are selected as administrative
agents they must be displaced at the proper
time and in the proper manner-and in the
meantime the people must put up with the
evil and take warning for the future. We
20 still further Whilst we contemn as
thoroughly as airy man in the State the un-
wise, erroneous, false and short-sighted views
which actuate and control the existing +" red
republican oligarchy," we would sustain its
"brief authority" by all lawful means in
our power. We are interested to do so in
two ways First, We want peace, and the
development of wholesome patriotic pub
lie sentiment, on the basis of oblivion to the
past and secondly, we want a monument
set Up, such as cannot be overlooked or for
gotten, as perpetual warning to future gen.
erations of the mischief the Aagitious out
RACES, the violent assaults and the atrocious
expressions that may be inflicted in the name
of liberty upon free people, by men whose
hearts are full of the fiercest passions and
whose heads are destitute of brains