Year: 1868

tee on Resolution, reported the 1ol-
lowing:


WHEREAS, The people of Tennes-
see, irrespective of formerparty afiili-
ations, or differences of opinion aris-
ing out of the recent civil war, in con-
assembled, for the purpose of
delegates to represent
them in the National Democratic
Convention, to meet in the city of
New York on the 4th of July next,
are profoundly sensible ofthe troubled
of public affairs, and regard
The approaching election of Chief
Magistrate as the most important
ever held since the establishment of
the Government. In its result to the
nation at large, they conceive is in
volved the preservation of the Con-
stitution, and its guarantees of equal
and exact justice, individual liberty,
the general welfare and domestic
tranquility. To themselves, in great
part laboring under disfranchisement
and unjust dispossession of the pri-
mary and essential rights of citizens
of the republic, they esteem it to be
a crisis on which depends their per-
sOnal freedom and future prosperity
as a community. Thus deeply i'm
pressed, they have convened in a
spirit oblivous of past misunderstand-
ing, and resolved among themselves
to exclude from their deliberation for
the common good all questions deci-
dSd by the war, and to Danish from
their breasts all unlind feeling they
may have excited; and to take coun-
sci only how best they may re-estab-
lish political intercourse and associa-
ton with that portion of their fellow
citizens of other States who coincide
in opinion with them, and desire to
assist in the administration of the
Federal Government principles and
measures which will restore it to
its integrity. In tlhs step they deem
it proper to adopt the name and des-
ignation borne by the only political
organization with which they can
associate, and in thus formally unit
ing themselves with the Democratic
party as ii nO,o erists, they herewith
declare the principles they maintain,
and the measures they hold necessary
for wise and safe administration of
the public interests:


Resolved, That, in the course of
events, the question whether State
of the American Union could, under
the compact, secede, was submitted
to contest of arms, and decided in
the negative; and as it is wise that
theories in Government should be
abandoned when found impracticable,
therefore, the American people, North
and South, should accept such decis-
ion as final and conclusive; neverthe-
less, we assert and maintain that the
Constitution created the Federal Gov
ernment supreme under well defined
limitations and restrictions leaving the
States large mass of residuary rights
and power over their domestic con-
Germs, and making the States coequal
in respect of such rights, and that the
result of the war has not, and should
not in any manner be construed to inn
pair these rights, or aggrandise the
power of the General Government to
the enlargement ofpublic liberty.


Resolved, That we recognize the
system of African slavery formerly
existing In portion of this country
as extinguished by the result of the
war, and that fact is ratified by a
binding constitutional amendment,
but that we regard the measures OF
the Federal Congress bestowing the
elective franchise on the black race
in ten States, and Withholding it from
large numbers of the white race-the
owners ofthe soil ndpayers ofthe gov
ernment-taxes as n gross usurpation
of power and that such subsection OF
these States to the political and social
control OF negroes, is a policy unjust,
unwise and oppressive, and tending
to excite war of races; and that any
measure which seeks to deprive the
white men of America of their right
full position of superiority and supre-
macy in the administration of the
governments, both Federal and State,
or to divide or impair it, is fraught
with great danger to THE perpetuity OF
free republican institutions.


ReSOtrcd, That Notwithstanding
the enormous frauds in the creation
of the public debt, and the corrupt
and ruinous extravaganza by which
it is being increased, the faith of the
nation Is pledged to it's payment,
pricipal and interest, in the terms OF
the acts of Congress issuing the bonds
which represent il but not otherwise;
and we are opposed to extending the
time of payment, and the consequent
increase of the amount of gold inter
est to more than the pricipal; and
also to the view that the principal of
u large portion of these bonds Is pay
able in gold; and, that while we hold
gold and silver 10 be the true consti-
tutional currency, we declare that the
hve-twcnty bonds should be paid i'm
the same currency received by the
withdrawal of the money granted to
the national banks, we hold this re-
suit can be accomplished without an
undue increase of paper money, now
the only circulating medium; and
that by this means the people can
soonest bc relieved Of u burden Of d
public debt cOrrupting and enslaving
in its character; and that in this there
Is no infraction of the public faith nor
violation of contract with the holders
of bonds,


Resotred, That every species of pro-
perty in the country, including the
Government bonds, which receive the
equal protection of the Government,
should bear am equal share of the bur,
uens of taxation; and that as justice
Is the true foundation ofall good gov
eminent, there should not exist a ia.


vored class paid in gold, while the


Government discharges its debts to
the mass Of the people, in a currency


which Is kept deprecated in value
by this iniquitous system.


Resolved, That the doctrines and
practices of the radical Republican


party now I'm possession of the Iiegls-
lative department of the General


Government, and ondeavoring by en-.


croachment on the powers of the Ex.


ecutive and Judicial branches To alb
sOrb 10 itSelfall mower. will ipayitabl,