Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1870-09-30

ed all the counties of the district be-
ing represented.
At ii o'clock. A. NJ, President Cald-
well TOOK the chair and called the Com
vention to order. The Secretaries of
the previous meeting being absent,
John Slack, of Sullivan, and VIM. 5.
Kyle, of Hawkins, wcro requested 10
act in that capacity.
Jno. Slack stated that the Rcsolu-
tions reported to and adopted by the
previous meeting had been mislaid,
and moved the appointment, by the
President, of another Committee on
Resolutions. Carried.
The President appointed Maj. Jas.
Britton, Thomas Thomalson G.. w.
Tcllord, DIR. j. G. Cawot d, and Gilbert
Fowler, said Committee.
The committee on Resolutions,
through their chairman, reported and
read the following Preamble and Reso-
buttons, to wit:
WHEREAS, The disastrous civil war
which recently divided the people and
the States of the Federal Union is now
over, and we earnestly hope is forever
at an end, and the angry causes which
produced ii, with all the untoward
events that characterized it, have, we
trust, passed into impartial history /;
we must there leave the whole matter
to be dealt with in the future by the
just and enlightened judgement of
mankind.
And, whereas, we, a portion of the
peoplco of the State of Tennessee, With
out reference to the late unhappy differ
enccs, growing out of the rebellion,
have met in convention for the pur-
pose of recurring to the fundamental
principles of the government, and the
time-honored doctrines as taught and
practiced by the sages of the revolu-
tlon, who founded the republic, do
solemnly announce and declare to all
who favor n representative lemocrn-
cy," as Established by the constitution
of the United States, contradistin-
guished from moneyed aristocracy of
central despotism, the creed of our
political faith, is laid down in the fol-
lowing resolutions;
RcSO'Utd, That the Union of the Uni
ted States of America was intended bv
its authors to last rs tho States them
selves last, 'IHc Union shat be DejUcf-
Udl, are Il G words of the confedcra-
ton. no form more perfect Union,
by an ordinance of the people of the
United States, Is the declared purpose
of the constitution. The hand of Di-
vine Providence was nevermore plain
~ visible i'm the affairs of men than i'm
the framing and adopting of that
instrument. 1t Is beyond comparison.-
the greatest event in American history
and is not, of all events i'm modern
times, the most pregnant with conse-
gucnccs for every people of the earth 4?
The membersof the convention which
prepared it, brought to their work the
experience of the confederation. of
their several States and of other Re-
publican Governments, old and new !:
but they needed and they obtained
wisdom superior to experience and
when for its validity it required the
approval of-the people that occupied a
II large part of of Il continentand acted
separately in many is;rictconventions
what is more wonderful than that.
after earnest contention and long dis
cussion, all feelings and all opinions
were ultimately drawn in one way TO
its support? The constitution TO
which life was thus impaired contains
within itself ample resources for its
own preservation. It has power to
enforce the laws, punish treason, and
insure domestic tranquility. In case
of the usurpation of the Government
of Il State by one man, or an olgarchy.
1t becomes Il duty of the United States
to make good the guarantee TO that
State of IA republican form of Govern
mcnt, and 80 maintain the homoge-
nousncss Of all. As the lapse of time
may reveal defects, Il simple mode of
amendment Is provided in the Consti-
tuition itself, 50 that its con Iitions can
always be made to conform to the ne
cessities of the people and advancing
civilization.
Resolved, That no room il allowed
even for the thought of possibility
of its coming TO an end, and these
powers of self-prcservatiOn have al
ways been asserted in their complete
integrity hy every patriotic Chief
Magistrate-by Jefferson and Jackson.
not less than 10y Washington and Madi-
son. The parting advice of the Father
of his Country, while yet President, TO
the people of the United States, was
that the free constitution, which was
the work of their hands, might be sa-
credly maintained > and the inaugural
words of President Jefferson held up
the preservation of the General Gov
eminent, in its constitutional vigor, as
the sheet anchor of our peace Mt home
and safety abroad The constitution
is the work of the people of the sew.
eraL States, and it should he as indies
tructlble ~ the people themselves.
ResOiueG, That the maintenance Of
the Union brings with it the support
of the State government in all their
rights, but it is not one of the rights
of any State government to rcnounce
its own place in the Union or TO null
fy the laws of the Union.
The largest liberty is to be maintain
ed i'm the acts CT the Federal Govern
ment; but there is no appeal from its
laws, except to the various branches of
the government itself. or 10 the peo-
pie who grant to the members of the
legislative and executive departments
no tenure but Il limited one, and in
that manner always retain the powers
of redress.
ResOipcd, That the sovereignty of
the State Is the language of the articles
of confederation, and not the language
OF the Constitution. The latter con-
tainS the emphatic words, "the Con-
Stituliou, and the laws VI the United
States which shall be made in pursu-
ance thereof, and all treaties made or
which shall be made under the au-
thority of the United States, shall be
the supreme law of the land; and the
Judges in every State shall be bound
thereby, anything in the Constitution
or laws OF any State to the contrary
Notwithstanding
Res ipcd, That the Government of
the United States Is limited Govern
mcnt; and so also is every State Gov
eminent limited government. With
us this idea of limitation spreads
through every form of administration,
general, state, aud municipal, and rests
III the great distinguishing principle
Cf the recognition of the rights of
man.
The ancient republics absorbed tho
Individual In the State, prescribed his
religion, aud controlled. his activity. 80
The American system rests on the as
scrtion of the equal rights of every
man 10 life, liberty and The pursuit Of
Ia. "a. 4