Tennessee was unwilling to depart from her wise sisters in the Union and join the others in committing what one of her adopted sons,--a General of the Confederate army,--said to his friend after the war had ended, “was one of the greatest blunders in history.” The Legislature of the State proposed a convention to decide what the State should do concerning its national relations. Governor Isham G. Harris and his sympathizers, no doubt considered the secession of Tennessee could be most conveniently accomplished through that instrumentality: and it was ordered that the question of holding such a convention should be determined by the people at the ballot-box, February 9, 1861. [Illustration: HON. T. A. R. NELSON.] Love for the Union had not yet weakened in many persons throughout the State, who at later points of time could not withstand the accumulated force of motives to give it up,--some of whom in finally surrendering it, hushed their lingering objections with the plea of necessity. The majority of people were used to think of the Union as a precious heritage from their ancestors, and they were unable to see that they ought to throw that inheritance away, because the Republican candidate for Chief Magistrate of the Nation had been elected. Even at the city of Memphis an enlightened public sentiment in favor of maintaining the Union widely existed in the fall of 1860, and found expression at a large public meeting, called and participated in by more than a few of the best citizens. Before the February election the question of secession was often discussed, not only by politicians before assemblies, but by citizens in conversation. While enthusiastic disputants threw arguments thick and fast without convincing one another, they still parted in friendship, that was sometimes abated by the controversy. The time had not then come for the wrathfulness of the political atmosphere and excitement of men’s passions, to prevent colloquial and peaceful interchange of opinions. As a general rule, secessionists and the disaffected towards the newly-chosen Government at Washington, were more numerous in East Tennessee among the rich and persons of best social position, and were greatly out-numbered among the middle and poorer classes.