The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1916-01-28
CONSTITUTION
Of TENNESSEE
ARTICLE OF II crest IN HIS
T0RICAL IAGAZINE
Last Convention ] 1870 Met as Re-
suit of Poi lal Coup
Grandfatl Of Chief
Justic aihite.

ne 06IEHA 1CA lNEt VI t4lc lCll-
nessee Historical yazine has made
its appearance f the press and
though somewhat ated, is one of
the best of the Sc Tie magazine
contains the living articles:
aThe Anti-Slavei sectm of Ten
nessee," by Ag Earl Martin of
PennsylvaQia Sssnss College; "Dr.
James White, a. beer, Politician,
Lawyer" by An " Godpasture;
''The Developmenk Of the Tennessee
Constitution ty Wallace Mcclure,
and two valuable ialker documents,
with Walker j Nicaragua" and
The Walker Hs Papers," both
having introduet and notes by
Prof w. O. Scrp In addition
there are the U.S. notes Of the va
rious historical AniEations.
The article Of most timely in
terest in the iss' : that regarding
the history of CO stitution of
Tennessee. The iect is treated
in four section North Crolina
constitution of ), tho Tennessee
constitution of ie6, tie constitu-
tion of 1894 ant l.he constitution of
1870. Of the de irabiitr of holding
constitutional Fsonyent on at this
time the author, Mr, NJ Clure, says:
Clearly the state is 9th econom-
ically and polite Ily ripe for further
constitutional n sion
Of the constt1tion OF 1870, that
under which IN state s. at present
operating, the luthor says: "The
convention OF 1870 met IS the result
of successful Bap, made possible
by the dissensioaIan the ranks of the
party which had opposed secession,
and was an exefdlent whereby the
Democrats soughk u realize perma-
nently again thea ante bellum con-
troll of the stated Beyond this, the
convention as Mhole, lid not care
to proceed, and evidently thought
that more settt4d times were at
hand when askteeding convention
could more effectively renovate the
the constitution.
This article should be of real val
ue to those who are interested in the
proposal now to schange the consti-
tuition.
DIR. James Wn1e, of whom Mr..
Goodpasture hasAgItten, was the
grandfather Of YOU ,0gesent chief
rjustirguf tll wide VS. tts 5upr-,rsr
Court, and, aecoi5llg to the writer,
the victim of mudh imperfect biogra-
ply. The, Biograbhfcai Congression-
al Directory, for instance, in giving
a sketch of his life as a delegate
from the territory south of the Ohio
river in the third congress, has con-
founded him with Gen. James White,
founder of Knoxville, and father of
Hugh Lawson White, and embodied
a part of Gen. Whites career in that
of DR.. White.
The Walker documents include the
diary of Mrs. Elleanore Callaghan
Ratterman of Nashville and the pa
pers of Maj. John p Heiss, long a
resident of Nashville and at one
time Nicaragua's charge d. affairs at
Washington. For the use of the in
teresting diary Of Mrs. Ratterman
the magazine is indebted to members
of the Ratterman family, especially
Mrs. Thomas ]. Tyne and Mrs. W.
B. Ratterman. The Heiss- Walker
papers are the property of Maj.
Heiss' relative, Mr.. Robt. Lusk.
Many students Of Tennessee his
tory will be interested in knowing
that the formation of the anti-slav-
cry organizations in the state began
before Gen. Jackson won his victory
at New Orleans. This first meeting
was held in Jefferson county in De-
cembsr, 1874.
"As late as 1927" says the writer,
Mr.. Martin, east Tennessee alone
contained nearly one-fifth of all the
anti-slavery societies Of the United
States and nearly one-sixth of the
total membership.