TENNESSEE. 



679 





by the people, so that they may have the op- 

 portunity to approve the former and reject the 

 latter, or adopt both, as in their wisdom may 

 seem most consistent with the future welfare 

 of the State. However fully satisfied the Exec- 

 utive and Legislature may be as to the urgent 

 necessity for the speedy adoption of both these 

 propositions, it is our duty to furnish the am- 

 plest means for fair and full expression of the 

 popular will." 



The Governor next proceeded to argue that, 

 at the opening of a revolution so imminent, he 

 could see no propriety for encumbering the 

 people of the State with the election of dele- 

 gates to do that which it is in the power of the 

 Legislature to enable them to do directly for 

 themselves. Since it is only the voice of the 

 people that is to be heard, there was no reason, 

 he thought, why they might not as readily and 

 effectively express themselves upon an ordi- 

 nance framed and submitted to them by the 

 Legislature as if submitted to them by a con- 

 vention. In case, however, it should be deemed 

 advisable that a convention " representing the 

 sovereignty of the people " should be called by 

 the Legislature, he admitted that a greater 

 degree of harmony and unanimity might be 

 thereby effected. 



On the 30th of April, Henry W. Billiard, com- 

 missioner from the Confederate States, ap- 

 peared before the Legislature and made an ad- 

 dress. He said his object was to establish a 

 temporary alliance between Tennessee and the 

 Confederate States, to continue until Tennessee 

 should decide for or against adopting the Con- 

 stitution of that Government, and becoming 

 one of the Confederate States. He regarded 

 the issue now pending between the North and 

 the South something more than a mere right to 

 hold slaves. It was a question of constitutional 

 liberty, involving the right of the people of the 

 South to govern themselves. " We have said 

 that we will not be governed by the abolition 

 North, the abolition North says we shall," and 

 he would not hesitate to say there was not a 

 true-hearted man in the South but would 

 rather die than submit. He repudiated the 

 idea of settling the pending questions between 

 the North and South by reconstruction "by 

 going back to our enemies." He regarded the 

 Southern system of government established at 

 Montgomery, and based upon slavery, as the 

 only permanent form which could be estab- 

 lished in this country. 



A letter from Neil S. Brown, formerly Gov- 

 ernor of the State, appeared at this time, in 

 which he said : 



" I have hoped obstinately against such an 

 alternative, but the conviction is forced upon 

 my mind that it is the settled policy of the Ad- 

 ministration, and, so far as I can see, of the 

 whole North, to wage a war of extermination 

 against the South. 



" The clouds are gathering in every direc- 

 tion, and the signs now are, that the Border 

 States are to be the battle-ground. In this 



view, the first duty is to arm at once ; and to 

 talk of keeping out of such a contest, if it 

 comes, is simply idle." 



Another, from Gen. Zollicoffer, afterwards & 

 commander in the Confederate army, saving : 



" We are involved in war and no mistake, 

 waged for the purpose of humbling the South- 

 ern States. It cannot be done. But we must 

 have unity, energy, and action, to save our- 

 selves. Let us drop party and party names. 

 Let us emulate the glorious example of our 

 fathers in arms. We must not, cannot stand 

 neutral, and see our Southern brothers butch- 

 ered." 



On the 29th of April Governor Harris had 

 ordered to be seized sixty-six thousand dollars' 

 worth of Tennessee bonds and five thousand 

 dollars in cash, belonging to the United States, 

 which were in possession of the collector at 

 Nashville. He said : 



" This seizure was conditional ; the property 

 was to be held in trust until the Government 

 restored the property of the State and its citi- 

 zens involved in the seizure of the steamer 

 Hillman by troops of the Federal Govern- 

 ment." 



The steamer Hillman was seized at Cairo by 

 the Illinois troops, because she was laden with 

 munitions and other articles contraband of war. 

 The boat, and property not contraband, was 

 subsequently surrendered to the owners. 



The Legislature in secret session, immediately 

 on the 1st of May, passed a joint resolution di- 

 recting the Governor to enter into a military 

 league with the Confederate States, subjecting 

 " the whole military force of the State " to the 

 control of the Confederate States. Acting upon 

 this authority, the Governor immediately ap- 

 pointed Gustavus A. Henry, Archibald O. W. 

 Totten, and Washington Barrow, as commis- 

 sioners for that purpose. On the 7th of May 

 he sent a Message to the Legislature, stating 

 that he had appointed the said commissioners 

 on the part of Tennessee, &c., as follows: 



To enter into a military league with the authorities 

 of the Confederate States, and with the authorities of 

 such other slaveholding States as may wish to enter 

 into it; having in view the protection "and defence of 

 the entire South against the war that is now being 

 carried on against it. 



The said commissioners met the Hon. Henry W. 

 Hilliard, the accredited representative of the Confeder- 

 ate States, at Nashville ou this day, and have agreed 

 upon and executed a military league between theState 

 or Tennessee and the Confederate States of America, 

 subject, however, to the ratification of the two Govern- 

 ments, one of the duplicate originals of which I here- 

 with transmit for your ratification or rejection. For 

 many cogent and obvious reasons, unnecessary to be 

 rehearsecf to you, I respectfully recommend the ratifica- 

 tion of this league at the earliest practicable moment. 



The convention was as follows : 



Convention between the State of Tennessee and the 



Confederate States of America. 

 The State of Tennessee, looking to a speedy admis- 

 sion into the Confederacy, established by the Confed- 

 erate States of America, in accordance with the con- 

 stitution for the provisional government of said States, 

 enters into the following temporary convention, agree- 



