Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1852-10-27
From the Nashville Wing.
MR.. BELLS SPEECH.

lX FROM the NaSnYlle wing.
q MR.. BELLS SPEECH.
i Mr.. Bell, in reply, briefly returned his thank
in touching and eloquent terms, for the homo
! thus voluntarily, and spontaneously as it were
aconierred upon him, in community in whcl
q he had been so long and so intimately known
Sfand proceeded to speak at some length, an,
with characteristic force and perspicurity, of tn
. Presidential canvass, and the vitality importan
issues involved in it. We wish it were in GU
4 power to present this morning, more com
plete and accurate report of his excellent ant
s effective speech. We can only attempt to pre-
sent, briefly, from our imperfect notes, sletcl
cot some of its more essential points.
y Adverting to the nomination of Gen. Scot
Z by the Baltimore Convention, he said it Nigh
he well, injustice to himself, for him to give tht
sreasons, why he made up his mind at very ear
ly day, that if Winfield Scott should be the whie
candidate for President, he would give him hi
hearty support. He spoke in terms Of higl
compliment of Webster and Fillmore-he re
Z garded them both as sound men, and eminently
woFthy-he believed the former Mr.. W. would
yet emerge from the clouds of distrust which tC
some extent surround him. But he had, him
!. self as early as April, 1851, warned others not
to asSail Gen. Scott-that he was a sound man.
and might be the chosen candidate of the great
sWhig party for President OF the United States
s-and if he should, that he would be worthy Of
our support.
Z He differed with some of his dearest and best
political friends, who refused to support Gener-
al Scott, because, whatever might be thought OF
said of his own sOurdness, they regarded his
nomination and election as giving nutriment to
factious sectional feeling at the north. He
.oe1,
terests of the south would be promoted more by
the rejection of such man, with such high
claims upon the confidence of the whole coun-
try, of UNREASONABLE soundness as a national
man. or by his cordial and earnest support
z He believed the latter to be true policy, tho
in this, he differed with the gentlemen in whose
.sagacity and Judgment he was accustomed to
repose much confidence ard whose motives he
did not for moment doubt or question. But
he believed the rejection of General Scott, upon
.grounds like these, would tend greatly to
the free-soil sentiment throughout
the nOrth-for many of our friends there, would
then regard us as impracticable and unreasona-
bic, and would too probably despair of cooper
ting harmoniously and efficiently with us, in
party organization.
! He contrasted the position of Scott and Pierce
their public services and claims upon the
1country-and said with much pith and force,
they would not bear comparison.
Upon the compromise, he conceded General
Pierce to be sOund-but not whit more relia-
BILE than Gen. Scott-hardly so much so; be-
cause, Gen. Scott was every inch a man, and
had given to the country, in his character and
career, stronger guatanty for his power to
govern men for good, or at least to act indepen-
IDENTITY for himself upon the convictions of his
Judgment upon all great questions OF public in
terest.
But he said there were other issues, of vital
and permanent interest involved in this canvass.
He referred especially to Internal Improvements
and the protection of Home Industry. And it
was remarkable, he, said how great an interest
England manifested in this canvass She thought
Ivy all means Franklin Pierce ought to receive
the suffrages of the American people And
why? Because he was identified with the free
trade policy, the essential nutriment of her pau
pered strength, but which tended to impOyerish
our own laboring and patriotic Masses.
He spoke in touching and eloquent terms Of
the old whig standard-of the trying scenes
through which the older members of the whig
party in Tennessee, himself among them, had
passed together-when they rallied, like the
Spartan band of Leonidas, against overwhel
ming odds, and, more fortunate than they, car
ried the State for HUGH l.. WHITE, in 1886, and
in every subsequent Presidential contest, though
Henry Clay, the great Chieftain and candidate
of the party, had received but 65 electoral votes
for President, in 1892. 1t would require strOn-
ger arguments than any he had heard presented,
to induce him to abandon that old whig stand
ard in Tennessee, whenever it is elevated by the
authority Of the great wing party of the Union.
He would stand by ii to the end
He adverted in conclusion, to the late State
elections in Pennsylvania and Ohio. He warn
ed his democratic friends that they might be
growing too soon. He said, as he came home
through those States, he was told by our whig
friends not to be discouraged at any reports that
ght be received as to the result of the State
elections there-they were aiming at higher
game. His best judgment was, that Gen. Scott
would be elected President of the United States,
if he lived. That FraElin Pierce should be
elected over him, he could never believe, until
it actually occurred.
Mr.. Bell, who is still in feeble health, though
much improved was considerably fatigued by
his animated effort, and closed amidst ardent
demonstrations of applause.