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The East Tennessee Secession
Convention
The movement for the division of the State appears to be
formidable in its Eastern Division. The
Convention of East Tennessee, which met at Knoxville
Friday, represented twenty-five counties.
We are indebted to the Knoxville
correspondent of the St. Louis Democrat for particulars. Hon. J. G. McGoughery, of Greenville,
acted as temporary Chairman.
Colonel N. A. Patterson, Judge of the Supreme Court of the
State, permanent Secretary; Mr. Rodgers was Chairman of the Convention at Nashville
which remodeled the State Constitution, and imposed upon the State the article
under which it is now operating. Hon.T.
A. R. Nelson spoke at length in favor of the proposed division. But one member spoke against it. The Convention was to have resumed its
session Saturday, when the project was to be started by the adoption of a
memorial for that purpose. The scheme
seems to contemplate an absorption by the proposed new State of a part of North
Carolina, as a letter received from A. H. Jolin,
member of congress elect from the Seventh Congressional District of North
Carolina, expressed sympathy with the movement.
He said the loyal men of Western North Carolina,
which borders on East Tennessee, regard this movement
and their connection with East Tennessee, as their only
hope of salvation from rebel rule.
The Convention reassembled Saturday, Judge Samuel Rodgers in
the chair:
The preamble and resolutions reported by the committee, of
which Colonel Temple
was Chairman, were then taken up and adopted, with but four dissenting
voices. These resolutions
Petition the Legislature for an act allowing East
Tennessee a separate Government and the vote showed there were but
few delegates present in the whole Convention who doubted the propriety of the
movement. In accordance with these
resolutions the Chairman appointed a Committee of the following gentlemen to
proceed to Nashville and secure the prompt and favorable assent of the Legislature
on the question: Judge L. W. Luckey, of
Washington County; General J. A. Cooper, of Knox County; M. L. Phillips, McMinn
County; P. Owers, Washington County; D. C. Trewitt, Hamilton County; John
Colwell, Sevier County; L. C. Hank, Anderson County.
General J. A. Cooper and colonel Temple
addressed the Convention in favor of its objects. The latter, among other things, said:
I am in favor of a new State, secondly, because we owe it to
our future safety, peace and happiness.
The history, of the last five years show this. Why have we not been paid for our losses in
this war? Why are our representatives
excluded from Congress? Because we
belong to a rebel State. Today we have
no positioning the United States,
because of the people of Middle and West Tennessee
attempting to form a new State. Send
your loyal men to Congress and you will get pay for your $3,000,000 lost by the
war. Secession is dead as far as armies
are concerned, but it still lives in the hearts of those who inaugurated it.
The Colonel concluded by predicting a prosperous future for East
Tennessee and her loyal people.
The Chair appointed the following committee of fifteen to
prepare an address to the people of East Tennessee in
favor of the new State: Colonel
Temple, T. A. R. Nelson, Rev.
Thomas W. Humes, J. Smith, and General J. A. Cooper, of Knox, John Colwell, of Sevier, J. W. Wheeler,
of Campbell, John McGaughey, of Green, L. J. Luckey, of Washington, Rev. Gillen
Waters, of Hawkins, M. L. Phillips, of McMinn, D. C. Smith, of Hamilton, Dr.
Hunt Bradley, Judge Swan, of Jefferson, W. A. Patterson, of Roan, Rev. J. A.
Hyden, of Monroe.
Motions were made to have the proceedings of the Convention
published in East Tennessee papers; the speeches
delivered printed, and thanks given to the Chairman and Secretaries for their
services.
An Executive Committee was appointed for the State and
Corresponding Secretaries for each County.
On Motion the Convention adjourned Sinedle.
We are indebted to the Cincinnati Commercial for these details.
Daily Memphis
Avalanch - Memphis,
Wednesday, May 9, 1866
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