God? Permit us to say, that we strongly incline to the opinion, that Philemon did not so understand Paul. Although the undersigned do not, any more than the Committee, understand the precepts of the gospel as authorizing a man to take his neighbor by the throat and compel him by physical force to obey them; yet they do understand these precepts to make it the duty of every human being, both by example and precept in a prudent manner, to oppose and discountenance vice in every shape and form and so we find Eli was blamed for not restraining his sons although they were officiating priests at the altar; and this accords with the example of that supereminent man, Paul of Tarsus. He himself informs us, that he himself withstood Peter to the face, because he was to be blamed. Follow this great man to Athens. It is written, his spirit was stirred in him when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry, and it is even said that he disputed with some of the people, and when he was brought before the court of Areopagus, he stood boldly in the midst of Mar's Hill, although charged with crimes similar to those for which the unoffending Socrates was doomed to drink the fatal hemlock; and said, "ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are two superstiticus:" Again, behold this great man standing in chains before Felix, the Roman governor, reasoning of righteousness, temperance and judgment to come, until Felix trembled. Whether he brought to notice in vivid and glowing colors, the vices of the times, and amongst others, the crimes of oppression and tyranny, the sacred historian has not detailed; be that as it may, Felix had not the hardihood to say, even to his prisoner in chains, "Paul, practice these precepts yourself, but you have no right to take me by the throat and enjoin them on me. Therefore, Mr Paul, look to yourself, and let me alone." No, this strength of nerve seems to have been reserved for more modern times. To say, (as is virtually said in the report) that those persons who have ventured in their memorials or otherwise to say any thing about a limitation of the time for the existence of slavery in this State, or to propose colonization, were either not in their sober senses or had not taken time to reflect, is a declaration we think, in its character rather too sweeping and illiberal. In order to show the disingenuous manner in which the report has noticed the proceedings of the Convention, we will contrast the report with the journal. The report says: "the member from Washington moved to have them (the inemorials) referred to a select committee of thirteen (one from each Congressional District) with instructions to that committee to devise a plan of emancipation in conformity with the prayer of the memorialists." Hear the journal of May 30th, 1834. "Mr Stephenson submitted the following: Resolved, That a committee of thirteen (one from each Congressional district) be appointed to take into consideration the propriety of desiguating some period from which slavery shall not be tolerated in this State; and that all memorials on that subject that have been or may be presented to the Convention, be referred to this committee to consider and report thereon." Now, is there in this resolution one word about devising a

plan of emancipation, or to conform to the prayer of the memorialists, or any thing like instructions?

It is said in the suplimental report, that the signers of the protest do not show that the principles assumed in the report are subversive of the principles of republicanism; but only assert them to be so. Whether it is or is not shown in the protest, we are free to leave to the judgment of others; and will pass on to show, that, in our opinion, some of the language used in the supplemental report, also tends to the subversion of the principles of republicanism; for example, in the report we read the following; to wit: "To the memorialists who represent themselves as non slaveholders, they (the committee) might have said, you need not knock at the door of the Convention, asking its aid in a matter in which you are so little interested. If slavery is an evil, you are not oppressed with it," &c. Clearly assuming the right of saying to the people, because you do not belong to a certain class, you have no right to complain of any evil or meddle in matters which, we judge, do not affect you, therefore leave that business to those whom it may concern, and do not assume rights that belongs to others, thus denying even to the freemen of the State, the right of complaining or asking relief from the operation of evils they believe to exist, and in which we aver they have a deep and vital interest. And is it so, that such language is to be found in the report of a committee of a body representing the sovereignty of the State of Tennessee; that for the people to seek redress from real or imaginary evils by respectful memorials, in such a degree of impertinence as to merit from the committee a modest rebuke. Has not this a little squinting towards gagging? Tell it not in London, publish it not in the streets of Madrid, lest the monster Tyranny draw his arid muscles into a malicious smile.

But although the undersigned, in defence of their country's rights, feel it their duty thus to raise their testimony against such principles, they would nevertheless say, in the spirit of that charity that "hopeth all things," that they trust and believe that this language has been inadvertantly used and without duly reflecting on its consequences, which have been overlooked under the influence of a heated zeal, to support as we believe, a bad cause. Self-respect, respect for this Convention and the people we have the honor to represent, forbid the undersigned to imitate the harsh and uncourteous language the committee have thought proper to use in part of their report; the cause we advocate needs no such aid. We would, however, remark, if such inuendoes and insinuations as "proud Pharasee," "noisy denunciations," &c., were intended for the protestors or the protest, they do not fit: we, therefore, hand them back, to be used as occasion may require; for ourselves, we have reason to lament our want of sanctity, nor do we claim the right of censorship so as to impugn the conduct or motives of our fellow-men: yet we do claim, and hope we will be permitted to exercise the right and privilege of giving a reason for our belief, and to plead for and defend the rights of man: this we desire to do fearless

ly, yet in the spirit of meekness. Believing that we, with all mankind, are bound at all times and in all places to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before God."

MATTHEW STEPHENSON,
RICHARD BRADSHAW,
JOHN M'GAUGHEY.

On motion of Mr ROADMAN, the Convention again resolved itself into Committee of the Whole, Mr Cannon in the Chair, on the existing Constitution and the several amendments thereto proposed, and after some time spent in consideration thereof, the committee rose reported progress, asked and obtained leave to sit again.

And thereupon the Convention adjourned.

TUESDAY, JULY 22, 1834.

The Convention met according to adjournment, and was opened with prayer, by the Rev. Mr. HESS of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

The morning business being through, the Convention, on motion of Mr SENTER, again resolved itself into Committee of the Whole,, Mr Cannon in the Chair, on the existing Constitution and the several amendments proposed thereto; and after some time spent in the consideration thereof, the committee rose, reported progress, asked and obtained leave to sit again.

Mr M'GAUGHEY submitted the following resolutions.

1st Resolved, That a committee of members be appointed, to whom shall be referred so much of the report of the Committee of the Whole as relates to the legislative branch of the Constitution; for the purpose of embodying and putting the same in proper form..

2nd. Resolved, That a committee of be appointed, to take in... to consideration so much of the report of the Committee of the Whole as relates to the Executive branch of the Constitution; for the purpose of embodying and putting the same in proper form. 3rd. Resolved, That a committee of be appointed, to whom shall be referred so much of the report of the Committee of the Whole, as relates to the Judicial branch of the Constitution; for the purpose of embodying and putting the same into proper form.

4th. Resolved, That a committee of be appointed, to whom shall be referred so much of the report of the Committee of the Whole, as relates to all other subjects embraced in the report; for the purpose. of embodying and putting the same in proper form; which committee shall report to the Convention as soon as practicable..

And thereupon the Convention adjourned.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 1834.

The Convention met according to adjournment, and was opened

with prayer, by the Rev. Mr Hess of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

The morning business being through, Mr BLOUNT submitted the following preamble and resolutions:

Whereas, the geographical position of Tennessee, in reference to the other States of the Union, she being central, and whereby she is every where, separated at a great distance from the national frontier; a situation affording a peculiarly favorable position for usefulness; a position which gives her population and her citizen-soldiers the enviable characteristic of disposable force-with the glorious privilege of being permitted, in a state of war, to fly to the succour of whatever part of the national frontier may become the theatre of war, and to co-operate in the national defence with whatever sister State or Territory may be assailed by an invading foe-thereby demonstrating to the world the hitherto doubtful political problem, that freemen know how to appreciate equally the kindred privileges and duties of "self government and self (or national) defence"-privileges and duties equally essential to the efficient maintenance of our republican institutions, and our national independence; privileges and duties, in the vigorous exercise and discharge of which, we may contribute to prove to a hitherto doubting, and a future admiring world, that the freest and happiest of republics may be, in war, the most powerful and invulnerable of nations. And whereas, steam power, applicable to ships and other vessels of war, as well as to every species of military carriage or vehicle of transportation that moves on land, cannot but tend to produce a revolution in military operations and military science, whereby nations will in future be attacked with the aid of steam, and consequently with a celerity of movement which must subject the assailed nation to inevitable destruction, unless she also employs steam power, and in her measures is, in all vital and vulnerable points, prepared to oppose to the enemy's rapid approach, disposable force and supplies thrown, with increased rapidity, from the central States and districts to the maritime and inland frontier-and whereas, for these. objects it is essential to the purposes of the national defence, that the States, in their separate and sovereign capacity, should co-operate with each other in carrying into effect a principle consecrated by the wisdom of Washington, and embraced in the parental admonition found in the rich legacy which he has left us, "in peace, prepare for war;"-and whereas, a system of rail-roads, extending through this State, and from thence to such parts of the national frontier as our sister States may deem proper, would not only provide mainly for the national defence, by enabling us to send, in the space of four days time, any part of our disposable force, and abundant supplies, to any part of the maritime frontier, between the Chesapeake Bay and the river Sabine; but, by these rail-roads, we should contribute to relieve the agriculture and commerce of our State of a large portion of their expense of transportation-give to every citizen of the State, our invaluable, beloved and patriotic State,the advantage of a choice of the best and

all desirable markets, at a trifling expense, for whatever redundant produce his ingenuity, enterprize, means, or industry may enable him to furnish for market; and moreover, afford to the State, whenever disposed to take an interest in these improvements, a clear revenue sufficient to fill her treasury and support her civil list, as well as to provide extensively for the education of her youth; and all these, without taxes on her people-therefore,

Resolved, That State and county internal improvement shall forever be encouraged by the government of this State; and that it shall be the duty of the legislature, as soon as may be, and from time to time, to make provision, by law, for ascertaining the most proper objects of improvement, in relation both to roads and our navigable waters, pointing out the particular description of either, most practicable to be effected at the most reasonable expense; and that it shall also be their duty to provide by law, for a systematic and economical application of any funds, at any time appropriated to these objects; all to be under a due course of accountability, at fixed and short periods; and to these ends, that the same be placed under the superintendence and direction of a board of public works, the commissioners of which shall, from time to time, be appointed by the legislature; the president of which shall, from time to time, at fixed periods, report the amount application and other particulars of and relative to said funds and pro ceedings of the board, to the legislature; who shall order publications thereof to be made and distributed for the information of the people, at the close of each stated session of the legislature, together with a statement of the situation and progress of each description of such improvements; to be filed and recorded in the office of the Secretary of State, subject to the call and inspection of the legislature, either branch thereof, and to that of the governor, for the information of the legislative and executive departments of the government.

And be it further resolved, That the legislature shall have power and authority to grant charters of incorporation to such companies as may form themselves into associations for the purpose of undertaking and carrying on internal improvement, either on land or by water, in any part of the State, with their own capital in hand, or such as they obtain by opening books of subscription, for the purpose of raising or increasing their capital; and that the legislature be authorized to provide, that the State may, at its discretion, subscribe for some definite number of shares with said company or companies; and that said companies, as to the application of funds, be subject to such regulations as shall, from time to time, be prescribed by law; and that full and regular reports of the proceedings of such company or companies, shall, at stated periods, be made to the legislature of this State, to be filed and recorded in the Secretary of State's office, for the inspection of the legislative and executive departments of the government; and that they be published, from time to time, for the information of the people of the State at large; and that all due accountability of such company or companies be enjoined by law, at stated periods to be performed, and in such manner as shall be prescribed by law.