Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-10-30
MR.. SPEAKER BELL.

tains some curious details of fact We are 10th
to believe that the reporter is accurate IN those
parts which relate to the principles OF Mr.. Bell.
MIR. BELL.-On Monday evening, the lrst
day of the Court, the Hon. John Bell addressed
portion of the citizens OF Rutherford IN the
Court house in this place. Having no sketch OF
his speech, we furnish from memory, some OF
its most prominent outlines. we do not design
speaking Of its merits; it was declared 10 De
purely defensive.
The sneaker set out with the declaration that,
when elected partly by the citizens OF Ruther-
ford to a seat in Congress, he determined 10
act always from principle, and that his support
of men had been tributary to that design he
spoke of the late use Of his name in this and
other counties relative to his silence during the
last session OF Congress, and denounced those
who used it, as hypocrltes, who wished 10 drive
him into the Opposition. He said that they
were men, who are now laboring to reap re-
ward hereafter That more conventions than
one had been held in Nashville, and that this
county had been represented in them, TO work
his destruction. That various efforts had been
unsuccessfully made to extract from the Presl-
dent an expression Of opinion against him; and
that an honest old Farmer of this county, had
been dragged upon a pilgrimage, to General
Jackson's to pick up crumb against him.
That no sooner had that poor old man, almost
broken down in the service Of his country,
crossed the Mountain than his, Mr.. BIS enemies,
had beset him. to obtain some grounds for his
condemnation.
Mr. B. did not admit that the President had
expressed preference for any particular can
didate for the chair and declared that those
who attributed such preference to him, were
his enemies. He denied as totally false, come
from what quarter it may, the assertion, that he
had been requested to defend the President; that
it was unnecessary to resent the charges made
| against the President of being a Tyrant, Des-
pot and Usurper because these epithets had
been used until they ceased to have meaning
| That mona answered them in their arguments.
Mr. Bell insisted, that he had rendered an eff
| ficient support to the measures OF the admins
tration; for possessing talents, and influence in
| the Congress of the United States (and he be-
lieved that portion of both had been attribu-
| ted to hm) he could have changed the six or
seven majority at his will, and defeated all the
measures of the Administration. But on the
contrary, he had supported the measures of the
administration, although they miiiiaied against
| his oUn principles. He would not, because he
| did not agree with the measures of the admin
| istration, join with the Opposition who were as
far on the other extreme. He preferred going
with the President and his party Notwithstanding
their measures crossed his o,rn principles.
Mr.. Bell declared, that, although he had been
provoked and godded even pricked to abandon
General Jackson, he had and still would adhere
to his own principles. He could have been
elected to the Speakers Chair more easily be-
fore the Bank and deposit question was settled.
than after. In fact it was his strength that kept
off the election until near the close of the ses-
sion-it the fear of his elevation that kept
the mission to England from being sooner filled,
and that Mr.. Stevenson was retained in the
Chair under the preleXt of avoiding a vacancy
at such a juncture as dangerous to the party.
The Deposit question must be settled before
venturng upon the election, when in fact it was
because Mr.. BIS enemies knew that he was too
strong for them at that time, and they deferred
it, until they they could weaken and break him
down. He did not charge the President with
entering into those Vaccinations against him.
but he was deceived.
Mr.. Bell said. that it was asked why the OPP
position had voted for hm?-he would answer
it, by asking, why should they have voted for
his honorable and distinguished colleague
They had voted for himself (sad Mr.. b. be-
cause he had treated all with courtesy; he had
not wounded the feelings Of any, by an arrow
uselessly sped.
Mr.. B. would vote for no Bank until it was
ascertaned that the experiment Of the Presi-
dent would not answer the purposes of the Go
vernment. And if it did not, the people would
then go with him in support of a Bank. The
General Government did have the constitution
al power ana lne exclusive power, unueT the
provision for regulating the currency, to esta
bsh Bank, but that the States possessed the
right to veto the establishment Of branches with
in their limits He believed that there could
not be successfully established gold and silver
currency; it was the basis only OF other curren-
cy the great clamor about such circulating
medium humbug-a trick by politicians.
But that the gold bills were beneficial to the
country.
Mr.. B. said, he had other competitors for the
Speakers chair, besides his honorable and dis.
tinguished colleague: that Mr.. Wayne and Mr..
Sutherland were likewise prominent, but that
their friends had brought no charges against
him. Mr.. Wayne and Mr.. Sutherland had
treated him like gentlemen. And had he, Mr..
B., been defeated, he would have advised and
insisted that his friends should not have COM
planned. Mr. Bell concluded by saying that
these calumnies against him We're intended to
PROSTATE another individual; that he knew well
the design of the ISLANDERS against himself They
were intended for the injury of another whom
he would leave to defend himself as he best
could"
e--s1-----e------.---s.-
Murderer t1keu-A letter dated Grand Gulf