Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-08-29
THE CONVENTION QUESTION.
Reasons why Consultation Conven-
ton should be HeId-Spirit of the
Press

Reasons why a Constitution COnye
= ton should be HeId-Spirit of Il
q Press.
From the Shelbyville American Rescue, Aug.
r Since the gubernatoriaI election v
: find that some of those claiming to be {
r the Senter side and indorsed the calm
r OF convention, are out in opposition
said convention. The Governor pr
claimed from almost every stump durin
the canvass, that he would recon
mend in his first message
the Legislature, which convene
at the capital next October, tn
calling of a convention Immediately, an
large majority of the members cleo
pledged themselves to the people une
quivocally in favor of the measure. w
think there will be q convention. AL
ready we see the names of several O
the most prominent men of the Stat,
spoken of as delegates to said conven
ton, among the number is that of tn.
Hon. Milton Brown, of jackson, Madi.
son county; a better man than Mr.
Brown could not be found to COM
pose that important assembly. The cues.
ton arises who will be selected to reprer
sent us in that convention. We want,
and must have, tried, true and good men
the simon pure and unterrified In
this connection we have heard of the
name of but one gentleman mentioned,
and that name was waited to our graft
fed ear from our sister county, Marshall.
The name is none other than that of our
talented friend and fellow citizen Col.
5 Il Whitthorne Esq We understand
from reliable authority that he is the
choice of the people of Marshall, and we
think we can safely say in behalf of the
people Of Bedford that their choice is our
first choice as Representative of Bed
ford and Marshall in said convention
should convention be called.
We have not conversed with Col.
Whitthorne On the subject, but presume,
that, Notwithstanding he has never offer
ed himself for any Office within the gift
of the people, he will not feel himself at
liberty to decline this complimentary
prefer from his fellow citizens Of Mar,
shall, and we most earnestly desire his
acceptance. There are other good and
true men, who we doubt not may be
prevailed upon to accept nominations
from Bedford and Rutherford, and from
Bedford proper. Let the people assemble
as soon as the convention shall have been
called, and nominate their best and ablest
men.
From the GAINESVILLE Chronicle. Aug. %.
During the late canvass, it was antic>
ipated, and, we think, conceded by both
parties, that it would be no. only proper,
but necessary, to call a constitutional
to re~adjust the organic law
to our altered circumstances since the
war, and to get rid of the disabilities
fastened upon our people by a conclave
Of INSCRIPTIONS men, who assembled
without authority from the people, and
leaning upon the strong arm of military
power, determined in the frst place that |
the State belonged to the saints of the
Lord; and in the second, that they were
the saints aforesaid.
Since the election, some gentlemen,
too polite to be practical, and too eau
tious to do what the plain dictates of
common sense, as it seems to us, demand
should be done, are urging objections to
q convention at present, fearing that
unwiSe or rash may be done
# such a body should now assemble. |
We do not share in the fears expressed |
BY those opponents of q convention. We
believe that such body, composed Of |
The representative men of Tennessee
Ind no others should compose body |
to remodel the organic law
would be as far from doing things rash
and unWise as those very prudent gem
.lemen who fear to trust them. We
think the delegates to that convention
would be composed of men (and that the |
people would see that it was constituted
Of such men, as wise in their
Jay and generation as those self
children Of light, whose
nerves are put on the rack evs
cry time the wind makes a noise or
dog barks. We are tired OF walking on
eggs and holding our breath, and putting
our fingers to our lips as signal of silS
ence, and shaking our heads in solemn
warning that no one shall say word,
and whispering our fears to each other
through chattering teeth, and playing the
old woman at funeral, or the half
grown boy in passing graveyard after
night. We have passed through terrible
scenes, and have been the victims of
almost intolerabls oppression, but we
have not been emasculated by the one
nor deprived of our reason by the other
Notwithstanding both, the people of
Tennessee to-day are fully capable
of selecting such delegates to a
as will neither imperil
our interests by their rashness |
nor disgrace our State by Incorporating
improper provisions in our organic
law. Let US take up these questions
like men and dispose of them. With the
and destiny Of the State in our
hands, let US demean ourselves in man
ner worthy of the high trust which
recent events have devolVed upon US,
and quit seeing ghosts and turning pale.
Let us rouse ourselves, and summon our
common sense and our manhood to our
relief, and every symptom Of the politi-
cal dyspepsia, with which some of our
people seem afflicted, will disappear, the
blood will leap from the heart to the
extremities in joyful currents, and rosy
hue of health and Vigor suffuse the whole
body polite.
With constitution properly adjusted
to our altered condition-the State
IN the hands of her tax-paying
People, we shall be prepared to enter
upon the great work of rebuilding her
waste places and repairing the damages
at the hands of those who
took advantage of her helpless condition
to seize the reins of power, and after
wards to seize everything else which
their hands could find to take. A con-
vention, called at once, will settle many
questions which, if left open, will be
fruitful source of discussion, and perhaps
of dissension and division among us. 1t
will quiet the fears of the mis-
nority, whose conscience makes towards
of them all, and show to them,
that, although they have richly
merited punishment, we have too much
magnanilnity, selfrespect and regard
fer the principles of Unconstitutional liberty,
to infict it, by following their unworthy
example. 1t will show to the world that
we accept the situation in good faith and
meet the demands of the occasion in
spirit that belongs alone to high minded
men, who are capable of raising thems
selves above the resentments of tbs hour
and obeying the dictates ofan enlightened
judgment. The slanderer's busy tongue
will then be silenced, and the pensioned
ibeler's occupation will be gone.
Of course our best men must be Sc.
lected as delegates to the convention.
The time-serYing demagogue and the