Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-08-21
THE CONVENTION.
The Propriety and Necessity for n Con-
sfitutiOnRl Convention Discussed.
From the franklin ReYieW Ang %

| Ihe Pr0prtety ana Necessity t0r n Con
sfitutional Convention Discussed.
From the Franklin Review. Aug. 20.
|; It is conceded on all hands that con.
vention will be called by the Legislature
as soon as it assemblies. That such a body
should be convened no reasoning man il
the State doubts. 1t is feared by the
Banner and Press and Times that that
wise and dignifed gathering of Tennes.
sees ablest citizens will be guilty oi
some rash and precipitate acts. TIE enter
tain such fears seems to US to be doubts
ing the intelligence and capacity of our
people for sell. government. There have
been conventions called before, in the
history of our State, and the historian has
failed to record one revolutionary or ms
discreet act committed by the mem
bers thereof.
Have we degenerated so far from the
high standard of our predecessors, that
we cannot be trusted in this important
matter? We think not. Our convention
will be composed of the wisest, most
discreet and talented men in the State.
When assembled it will compare favor
ably with any body of legislators known
in the history of this country. There are
many salutary reforms to be made in the
organic structure of CIR State govern~
| ment, and We regard this as the most
favorable time for their accomplishment.
The wisdom and spirit of moderation
which will be displayed by that body,
will reflect undying honor upon the esS
cutcheon of our noble State. 1t will not
be revolutionary or welded by passion
or prejudice. 1t will place the rights of
all our citizens, white or black, far be-
yond the each of wicked and wild legis-
lation. We have full faith in the wisdom
and discretion of our people, and conseN
quently hail the approaching convention
with unfeighed delight.
From the Murfreesboro News, Aug. 20.
Now that the election is over, and
few have secured the franchise privilege,
they oppose the calling of convention
regarding the franchise law as mere
legislative enactment, and the assem-
bling of constitutional convention IN
necessary. However good the reasoning
may be in regard to the franchise law,
we think there are some other evils
which can only be remedied by the as>
sembling of constitutional body, and in
these the people are as much interested
as in restoring them to the franchise
which under existing circumstances, we
fear, may be as much fraught with
danger, as the old disfranchisement
clause.
We favor the calling Of constitutions
al convention by the legislature, after res
pealing the franchise law and the test
oath for office. Let this body be COM
posed of the best men of the State; men
who have the financial, commercial and
industrial interests Of the State more at
heart than the mere interest of party or
individuals; men of sound judgment, ex
perience and patriotism; men who will
commit no oversact to receive the ap-
plause merely of extreme parties; men
who know their rights and will contend
for them, irrespective of threats and cares
less of censure; who will enact such re-
forms in our constitution as in their judy
ment may be deemed necessary and
which will stand the test of time-then
the people can and will sanction their
proceedings as constitutional body.
Whenever the Legislature authorizes
the calling Of such q convention, let the
people call primary meetings, select their
ableSt men to represent them irrespective
of past political opinions; men of stand~
ing, who know their rights and knowing
will contend for them; demanding no
moro and being content with nothing less.
Not men who have gained nOtoriety
merely through the chances of the war,
1t men of discretion and sound judg-
ment-who have an idea above the PLAN
ming Of q cavalry raid-and we fear not
the result of their deliberations or the
interposition of the general government
in annuling by force of arms their enact
ments.
Let US then have a convention, not of
toadies and shoddies, but Of men, and all
will end well.
From the Athens Post. Aug. 20.
Daring the canvass just closed almost
everybody got impressed with the belief
| that one of the first acts of the ensuing
Legislature would be to take steps to
| call State convention. To the best of
our recollection, both candidates for Gov
ernor favored and contemplated such
movement. One of the elements we
most had to contend against here was
the proposition that Stokes was just as
good suffrage man as Senter, and that
in the event of his election he would
recommend the immediate calling
of convention-and so forth.
But it now seems there is a
little nervousness on the subject in some
di ections, and an apprehension that a
body Of that sort, composed Of delegates
fresh from the people, might rather
overdo the matter and possibly provoke
the interference Of the government at
Washington. While the contest was
progressing, the people were continually
menaced with government interference
if they presumed to vote against the
high-reaching and invincible Stokes, and
now this same dread phantom is being
evoked to frighthen them from their
propriety and from the rightful fruits OF
victory. Government interference"
indeed! Has tbs Empire" really
commenced. X
In the meantime, we hope the "uncondi'
| tlOnal Union men, OF the Otate, VINO Will
soon be clothed with legislative power
won't scare worth cent" but will take
the convention business into sober ye1
earnest considerations, and Vindicate
their moral manhood by such action as
rigid and wise sense of duty and the ext
gencies Of the occasion seem to demand
| They were elected for such purpose
!, and the people and the press vii
readily endorse and sustain an!
: policy they may adopt calculated to i'm
prove the present condition and secure
the future peace, prosperity and well
being of the commonwealth. Furthe
$ than this, "our broad>browed SOlons,
I soon to assemble in the State Capitol
i needn't now stop to inquire.
Convention--er, no convention? That
e the question of the hour-and not S
Q much who shall succeed the Hon. JOSEF
A. Fowler in the United States Senat
= FOREIGN
d LONDON, Aug. 20.-The Star has an a
"a ticle on the acquisition of Cuba by Il
United States, in which it says a naval I