Bedford County Petition to the Tennessee Constitutional Convention
This petition, submitted to the Tennessee Constitutional Convention by a group of citizens from Bedford County, asks that body to "insert a clause in the revized or amended Constitution of this State, affecting the gradual emancipation of Slaves, so that it shall be a free state against the year 1866."
Dates
- circa 1834
Language of Materials
English.
Conditions Governing Access
Collections are stored offsite, and a minimum of 2 business days are needed to retrieve these items for use. Researchers interested in consulting any of the collections are advised to contact Special Collections.
Conditions Governing Use
The copyright interests in this collection remain with the creator. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library.
Extent
0.1 Linear Feet (1 folder)
Abstract
This petition, submitted to the Tennessee Constitutional Convention by a group of citizens from Bedford County, asks that body to "insert a clause in the revized or amended Constitution of this State, affecting the gradual emancipation of Slaves, so that it shall be a free state against the year 1866."
Biographical/Historical Note
Tennessee's first Constitution was written in 1796 when the state was located on the frontier and most of its residents lived in rural areas. By 1834, Tennessee's population had grown enormously, urban areas had become more common, and a number of problems with the original constitution had emerged. In November of 1833, the Tennessee General Assembly passed an act calling for a convention to update the constitution. The convention met in early 1834 and made a number of changes to the 1796 document, including dividing the state's government into Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches, eliminating land ownership from the suffrage requirements, and (after more than thirty petitions on the subject arrived) declaring that the General Assembly should have no power to pass laws for the emancipation of slaves. The new constitution was ratified in March of 1835 with only four counties (Davidson, Smith, Williamson, and Robertson) voting against it.
Arrangement
This collection consists of a single folder.
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository