INTRODUCTORY DOCUMENTS. The following papers embrace the Commission of Hon. Andrew Johnson, as Military Governor of Tennessee, from the War Department at Washington; his instructions from President Lincoln, in accordance with the 4th Section of the 4th Article of the Federal Constitution; the call of the Executive Union Committee of the State for a State Convention to meet December 19th, 1864, at the State Capitol; and the call of the same Committee for a postponed meeting of the same Convention, to meet January 8, 1865, said postponement being rendered necessary in consequence of the siege of Nashville by the Rebel army; the Alterations and Amendments to the State Constitution, proposed to the people of Tennessee by that Convention, with the accompanying resolutions of that body; the Proclamation of Governor Johnson authorizing the opening of the polls throughout the State for the ratification or rejection of said Amendments and Alterations to the Constitution; and the final Proclamation of Governor Johnson, declaring said Amendments and alterations to be legally adopted as a part of the Constitution by formal ratification of the loyal voters of the State. APPOINTMENT OF ANDREW JOHNSON AS MILITARY GOVERNOR OF TENN. BY THE PRESIDENT. WAR DEPARTMENT, March 3, 1862. To the Hon. Andrew Johnson: SIR: You are hereby appointed Military Governor of the State of Tennessee, with authority to exercise and perform within the limits of that State, all, and singular the powers, duties and functions, pertaining to the office of Military Governor, including the power to establish all necessary offices, tribunals, etc. EDWIN M. STANTON, EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, D. C., September 19, 1863. } Hon. Andrew Johnson, Military Governor of Tennessee: You are hereby authorized to exercise such powers, as may be necessary and proper, to enable the loyal people of Tennessee to present such a Republican form of State Government as will entitle the State to the guarantee of the United States therefor, and to be protected under such State Government, by the United States, against invasion and domestic violence. All according to the 4th Section of the 4th Article of the Constitution of the United States. ABRAHAM LINCOLN. The following call was published by a Committee of Union men in Middle Tennessee. Similar calls were published by Union Committees in East and West Tennessee. TO THE UNION MEN OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE. The Executive Committee of Middle Tennessee take this opportunity of requesting the Union men of the Middle Division of the State to appoint delegates to the Convention at Nashville, on the 19th of December. The people of East and West Tennessee will be here. It is our duty to meet them. The people meet to take such steps as wisdom may direct to restore the State of Tennessee to its once honored status in the great National Union. The dignity of men descended from a race of freemen and heroes, the maintainance of your rights, and the interests of your children, all call upon you to act as brave and true men. Come forth in your strength to assert your rights and to organize the loyal sentiment of Tennessee. If you cannot meet in your counties, come upon your own personal responsibility. It is the assembling of Union men for the restoration of their own Commonwealth to life and a career of success. LEWIS TILLMAN, WM. SPENCE, M. M. BRIEN, A. V. S. LINDSLEY, JOS. S. FOWLER, Executive Committee Middle Tenn. The presence of the rebel army around Nashville prevented the Convention from assembling, and the following call was made accordingly : To the Union Men of Tennessee : NASHVILLE, Dec. 19, 1864. The Executive Committee of Middle Tennssee have selected the 8th of January, 1865, for the meeting of the State Convention at Nashville. As the Anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans, the 8th day of January, occurs on Sunday, the Convention will not assemble until the 9th. The Committees in East and West Tennessee are requested to make a similar announcement in their respective districts. M. M. BRIEN, WM. SPENCE, Dec. 5, 1864. The Convention met and proposed the following alterations and amendments to the State Constitution: PROPOSED ALTERATIONS AND AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION. WHEREAS, The first Article and the first Section of the Declaration of Rights in the Constitution of the State of Tennessee declares, "That all power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority, and instituted for their peace, safety and happiness; and for the advancement of these ends they have at all times an inalienable and indefeasible right to alter, reform or abolish the government in such manner as they may think proper," We, the people of the State of Tennessee, and of the United States of America, in Convention assembled, do propound the following alterations and amendments to the Constitution, which, when ratified by the sovereign loyal people, shall be, and constitute a part of the permanent Constitution of the State of Tennessee. PROPOSED ALTERATIONS AND AMENDMENTS. ARTICLE I. SECTION 1. That slavery and involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, are herereby forever abolished and prohibited throughout the State. SEC. 2. The Legislature shall make no law recognizing the right of property in man. SCHEDULE. SECTION 1. Section 31 of the second Article of the Constitution, which is as follows, "The General Assembly shall have no power to pass laws for the emancipation of slaves, without the consent of their owner or owners," is hereby abrogated. SEC. 2. "The Declaration of Independence and Ordinance dissolving the Federal relations between the State of Tennessee and the United States of America," passed and promulgated by the Legislature of Tennessee on the 6th day of May, 1861, by which the State was declared separated from the Federal Union, and all laws and ordinances by which Tennessee became a member of the Federal Union, annulled and abrogated, was in like manner an act of treason and usurpation, unconstitutional, null and void. SEC. 3. The Convention, Agreement and Military League, entered into by the Commissioners of the State of Tennessee and the Commissioners of the so-called Confederate States of America, made May 7, 1861, and on the same day ratified and confirmed by the Legislature, was an act of treason and usurpation, unconstitutional, null and void. SEC. 4. No statute of limitations shall be held to operate from and after the 6th day of May, 1861, until such time hereafter as the Legislature may prescribe, nor shall any writ of error be refused, or abated in any cause, or suit decided since the 6th day of May, 1861, and prior to this time, by reason of any lapse of time. And in all actions for torts brought, or which may hereafter be brought in the courts in this State by attachment levied upon the property of the defendant, the court shall have power to proceed to judgment and collection of the same, as upon contracts, without personal service of |