DECLARATION OF GRIEVANCES.

the success of secession, and no provision is made by law for an examination of the vote by disinterested persons, or even for contesting the election.

297

ment of the United States we have enjoyed, as a nation, more of civil and religious freedom than any other people under the whole heaven. We believe "For these and other causes," the there is no cause for rebellion or secesDeclaration continued, "we do not re-sion on the part of the people of Tennesgard the result of the election as ex- see. None was assigned by the Legislature pressive of the will of a majority of in their miscalled Declaration of Indethe freemen of Tennessee. Had the elec-pendence. No adequate cause can be astion everywhere been conducted as it signed. The Select Committee of that was in East Tennessee we would enter- body asserted a gross and inexcusable tain a different opinion. Here no effort falsehood in their address to the people was made to suppress secession papers, of Tennessee, when they declared that the or prevent secession speeches or votes, Government of the United States had although an overwhelming majority of made war upon them. The secession the people were against secession. Here cause has thus far been sustained by deno effort has been made to prevent the ception and falsehood; by falsehoods as formation of military companies, or ob- to the action of Congress; by false destruct the transportation of armies, or spatches as to the battles that were never to prosecute those who violated the laws fought, and victories that were never of the United States and of Tennessee won; by false accounts as to the puragainst treason. The Union men of poses of the President; by false repreEast Tennessee, anxious to be neutral sentations as to the views of Union men ; in the contest, were content to enjoy and by false pretences as to the facility their own opinions, and allow the utmost with which the secession troops would latitude of opinion and action to those take possession of the capital and capture who differed from them. Had the same the highest officers of the Government. toleration prevailed in other parts of the The cause of secession or rebellion has State, we have no doubt that a majority no charms for us, and its progress has of our people would have voted to remain been marked by the most alarming and in the Union. But, if this view is errone- dangerous attacks upon the public liberous, we have the same (and, as we think, ty. In other States as well as our own, a much better) right to remain in the its whole course threatens to annihilate Government of the United States than the last vestige of freedom." the other divisions of Tennessee have to secede from it.

:

The enumeration of the results of the rebellion, which had even then followed in the infancy of its career, is sufficiently striking :-"While peace and prosperity have blessed us in the Government of the United States, the following may be enumerated as some of the fruits of secession: It was urged forward by members of Congress, who were sworn to support

"We prefer to remain attached to the Government of our fathers. The Constitution of the United States has done us no wrong. The Congress of the United States has passed no law to oppress us. The President of the United States has made no threat against the law-abiding people of Tennessee. Under the Govern- the Constitution of the United States, and

were themselves supported by the Gov-right of suffrage. It has called upon the ernment. It was effected without con- people in the State of Georgia, and may sultation with all the States interested in soon require the people of Tennessee, to the Slavery question, and without ex- contribute all their surplus cotton, corn, hausting peaceable remedies. It has wheat, bacon, beef, etc., to the support plunged the country into civil war, par- of pretended Governments, alike destialyzed our commerce, interfered with the tute of money and credit. It has atwhole trade and business of our country, tempted to destroy the accountability of lessened the value of our property, de- public servants to the people by secret stroyed many of the pursuits of life, and legislation, and has set the obligation of bids fair to involve the whole nation in an oath at defiance. It has passed laws irretrievable bankruptcy and ruin. It declaring it treason to say or do any has changed the entire relations of States, thing in the favor of the Government of and adopted constitutions without sub- the United States, and such a law is now mitting them to a vote of the people, and before, and we apprehend will soon be where such a vote has been authorized, passed by, the Legislature of Tennessee. it has been upon the condition prescribed It has attempted to destroy, and we fear by Senator Mason of Virginia, that those soon utterly prostrate, the freedom of who voted the Union ticket 'must leave speech and of the press. It has involved the State.' It has advocated a constitu- the Southern States in a war whose suctional monarchy, a king and a dictator, cess is hopeless, and which must ultimateand is, through The Richmond Press, ly lead to the ruin of the people. Its at this moment, recommending to the bigoted, overbearing, and intolerant spirit Convention in Virginia a restriction of has already subjected the people of East the right of suffrage, and 'in severing Tennessee to many petty grievances; our connection with the Yankees to abolish people have been insulted; our flags have every vestige of resemblance to the in- been fired upon and torn down; our houses stitutions of that detested race.' It has have been rudely entered; our families formed military leagues, passed military subjected to insult; our peaceable meetbills, and opened the door for oppressive ings interrupted; our women and children taxation, without consulting the people, shot at by a merciless soldiery; our towns and then, in mockery of a free election, pillaged; our citizens robbed, and some has required them, by their votes, to of them assassinated and murdered. No sanction its usurpations under the penal- effort has been spared to deter the Union ties of moral proscription, or at the point men of East Tennessee from the expresof the bayonet. It has offered a pre- sion of their free thoughts. The penalties mium for crime, in directing the discharge of treason have been threatened against of volunteers from criminal prosecutions, them, and murder and assassination have and in recommending the Judges not to been openly encouraged by leading sehold their courts. It has stained our cession journals. As secession has been statute-book with the repudiation of thus overbearing and intolerant, while in Northern debts, and has greatly violated the minority in East Tennessee, nothing the Constitution by attempting, through better can be expected of the pretended its unlawful extension, to destroy the majority than wild, unconstitutional and

ANDREW JOHNSON.

session, and the acts of the President in the work of arresting the rebellion, were passed in review, by no one were they more warmly upheld than by Senator Johnson, whose speech of the 27th of July, in the Senate, is one of the enduring records of the season. Whatever doubts there might be of others-for it was not always easy to define the opin

"It

much was said in its relation to the rebellion. Born in North Carolina about 1812, the son of poor parents, he had in early life been denied the opportunities of education, and without even knowing how to read, had been apprenticed to a tailor. His wife, it is said, first taught him his letters. Pursuing the trade which he had acquired, he crossed the mountains to Tennessee, where he estab-ions of border State Democrats there lished himself in his home at Greenville, could be no mistaking his position, as he where, having secured a competency by dwelt upon the elements of the rebellion his industry, he was led by his natural and the means necessary to be taken for vigor and strength of mind, to take part its suppression. The key-note of his in public affairs as a politician and speech was the assertion of the right of speaker. He was elected to the State the people to the enjoyment of the govLegislature, then to Congress, was chosen ernment which they had founded. Governor of Tennessee, and, in 1857, is a contest," said he, "for the existence became Senator of the United States. of the Government against internal foes His patriotic course in that body, in the and traitors. It is a contest whether a midst of the seceding members, in the people are capable of governing themlast session of Mr. Buchanan's adminis- selves or not. We have reached that tration, is not likely soon to be forgotten. crisis in our country's history, and the To him and to Judge Holt of Kentucky, time has arrived when, if the Governthe cause of the Union certainly owed ment has the power, if the people are much in those dark days of faithlessness capable of self-government, and can and defection. He was the expounder establish this great truth, that it should of a sound nationality to the people, who be done." In pursuance of this train of recognized in his straightforward, manly thought, he reviewed the indications utterance and home-felt arguments the which had made their appearance in the true interpretation of their sympathies South, in the progress of the rebellion, and interests. So lively an impression of a desire or intention to change the did his course make upon the people of form of that Republican government the border States, that, on his passage to which the Constitution had guaranteed Tennessee after the adjournment of Con- to all the States. He cited the declaragress, he was mobbed and insulted by a tions of Southern editors-of Toombs band of secession sympathizers, at a rail- of Georgia, of the social circles of way station, on his way through Virginia. Charleston, as reported by the Times' The sagacity of these men went some correspondent, Mr. Russell, of an arway to relieve their brutality. They dent admiration or decided preference knew the danger to their infamous cause for monarchical institutions in compariof the words and ir.fluence of the patriot- son with the simple democracy of the ic man whom they assaulted. United States. Coming, in the course of When Congress again met in extra these citations, upon a passage of the

UNHALLOWED AMBITION.