KNOXVILLE, TENN., June 20, 1861.

To the GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

The undersigned memorialists, in behalf of the people of East Tennessee, beg leave respectfully to show that at a convention of delegates holden at Greeneville on the 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th days of June instant, in which was represented every county of East Tennessee, except the county of Rhea, it was.

Resolved, First. "That we do earnestly desire the restoration of peace to our whole country, and most especially that our own section of the State of Tennessee shall not be involved in civil war."

Second. "That the action of the State Legislature in passing the socalled 'declaration of independence' and in forming the 'military league' with the Confederate States and in adopting other acts looking to a separation of Tennessee from the Government of the United States, is unconstitutional and illegal, and therefore not binding upon us as loyal citizens."

Third. And it was further resolved, "That in order to avert a conflict with our brethen in other parts of the State and desiring that every constitutional means shall be resorted to for the preservation of peace, we do therefore constitute and appoint O. P. Temple, of Knox; John Netherland, of Hawkins, and James P. McDowell, of Greene, commissioners, whose duty it shall be to prepare a memorial and cause the same to be presented to the General Assembly of Tennessee, now in session, asking its consent that the counties composing East Tennessee and such other counties in Middle Tennessee as desire to co-operate with them, may form and erect a separate State."

The idea of a separate political existence is not a recent one, but it is not deemed necessary here to re-state the geographical, social, economical, and industrial reasons which have often been urged in support of it. The reason which operated upon the convention and seemed to them conclusive was the action of the two sections respectively at the election held on the 8th instant to determine the furture national ralations of the State. In that election the people of East Tennessee, by a majority of nearly 20,000 votes, decided to adhere to the Federal Union, established prior to the American Revolution, and to which Tennessee was admitted in the year 1796; while the rest of the State is reported to have decided by a majority approaching even more nearly to unanimity to leave the Federal Union and to join the body politic recently formed under name of the Confederate States of America. The same diversity of sentiment was exhibited, but less distinctly, at the election on the 9th of February last, when the people of East Tennessee decided by a heavy majority against holding a convention to discuss and determine our Federal relations, overcoming by nearly 14,000 the majority in the rest of the State in favor of such a convention. This hopelessand irreconcilable difference of opinion and purpose leaves no alternative but a separation of the two sections of the State, for it is not to be presumed that either would for a moment think of subjugating the other, or of coercing it into a political condition repugnant alike to its interest and to its honor. Certainly the people of East Tennessee entertain no such purpose toward the rest of the State; and the avowals of their western brethren in connection with their recent political action have been too numerous and explicit to leave us in any doubt as to their views. It remains, therefore, that measures be adopted to effect a separation amicably, honorably, and magnanimously, by a settlement of boundaries so as to divide East Tennessee and any contiguous counties or districts which