Year: 1866




matter of admitting the Southern relre-
sentation, "abdicated that high position,
and handed it over to joint committee of
fifteen; a committee which sits with closed
doors, which deliberates in secret, which
shuts itself out from the knowledge and OBJ
servation of Congress, and which does not
even desire to give the information it was
appointed to collect, but which sends its
receipts into the two houses and demands
it's ratification, without reasons and without
facts, before the going down of the SUM-


Awaiting themselves of their usurped
power, the majority in Congress do not
hesitate to declare their purpose of exclud-
ing the Southern States from the Union,
until they shall have effeetuated such
amendments of the Constitution, as will
render the Southern States utterly power
less in ali future time, as will insure politi-
cal, civil and social equality between the
white and colored races, as will concentrate
all political power in dominant majority
of Congress, as will absorb and annihilate
all the rights reserved to the States, and as
will perpetuate the power and dominion of
the political party which now holds the
reins of government. In these efforts to
undermine and revolutionize the Federal
Government, and to build upon its ruins
fanatical despotisn, the Congressional con-
spirators have the jealous sympathies and
active encouragement of a lean minority of
our own State, who are knowingly defYIng
the will of an overwh Ginning majority of the
people, and persistently depriving them of
their Just rights in the government.


In this fearful conflict between patriatic
devotion to the Constitution and the Union,
on one side, and sectional fanaticism, seek
ing to perpetuate its political power, on the
other, President johnson has borne him
self with unshrinking frmness, with an
amount of far-seeing wisdom, disinterested
love of justice, mingled with liberal Glenn
ency, and untiriug perseverance, in the d
grand work of restoring the Union of the
States, which have secured for him the par
ty approval, and the unbounded confidence,
of all true friends of the Constitution and
of the Union. Upon his continued firm
ness and wisdom they now rely for the
final overthrow of the enemies of the Union;
and with the prompt co operation of the
people whose confidence be enjoys, he is
destined to crown his administratio with
the glory of having saved the Constitution
and the Union against the most dangerous
assaults ever made upon1then. But against
the powerful combination now arraigned
against him, he cannot stand single-haRded.
He is ready to do his full duty in thisfear-
full Ierisis- now, as always heretofore,
his trust for success is in the people. To
them he looks for encouragement, for sup
port, and upon them he relies for final
success.


The delegates to this convention, for the
purpose of branding as Misrepresentation,
all statements; Ehomsoever made, which
impute sentiments - sasal'Enases Of disloYal-
ty to the Constitution and


great body of the people of Tennessee; and
also for the purpose of proclaiming the
readiness of the people of Tennessee to stand
by and sustain President Johnson in his
efforts to carry out his restoration policy,
do hereby adopt the foregoing preamble,
and announce their resolution to sustain
him in the policy by him Indicated.


The principles of that policy, simple but
complete, are


1. The integrity of the Union in the
whole and all its parts.


2. That the States declared in insurrec-
ton and rebellion, by reason of the war. did
not cease to be States, and are therefore
integral parts of the United States.


3. That, as such States, the citizens
thereof who, by the laws of each. are en-
titled to the elective franchise, have right
to elect Representatives to Congress ac-
cording to the ratio of representation as
fixed by law, and that Congress cannot le-
gally exclude them because they claim to
be representatives of State lately in re-
beIlion. Congress has right, each house
acting for itself, under the Constitution, to
decide upon the election and qualifca ton
of its members. ..z.~r


4. That the people of the respective
States have the right to regulate their own
domestic affairs as long as they act con-
sistently with the Constitution; hence his
opposition to any attempt on the part of
Congress to force negro suffrage upon the
people, as snch policy is calculated to wi
den rather than to heal the breach between
the North and South, and to impare rather
than benefit the negro.


5. Opposition to any Interference at this
time with the Constitution of the United
States, it being unwise craftsmanship to
endeavOr to change the fundamental law of
the land in the midst Of high excitement,