Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1854-08-16
The Knoxville Register--Mr. Bell.

We have observed with regret that recently
this old, and once influential and popular whig
journal, betrays. unmistakablo evidences Of
having fallen into the hands of a clique whose
manifest determination is to endeavor to hunt
down Mr., BELL. Two articles have recently
appeared in it, so replete with the rancour of
political and personal enmity, SO stuffed with
misrepresentation of facts in the shape of
forced inferences from mere fragments of the
truth, that, but for the same names being still
at its head, we would have supposed its editor
ship had passed into the hands of the vilest To-
cofoco in the land. These articles are based,
not on anything Mr.. BELL has now done-not
for any special act of infdelty to his whig
princples-but are conceived in snarling and
snappish faultfnding with him generally"
through series Of years past. In the blind
ness of his venom, the writer forgets that even
were his gross perversions of Mr.. BELLS politi-
cal history true, the faults alledged have been
washed out in the absolution granted by the
people of tennessee, in reelection of him by
their representatives to the Senate,in obedience
to the general universal wish of the State.
That journal known and recognized for so
many years as staunch whig Journal, should,
at this particular juncture, lend itself to such
an object as is evident cabal about Knoxville
have in view, is most lamentabe. There is
trouble enough in our ranks, growing out of the
division in sentiment of our delegation on the
Nebraska bill, without having added to it the
excitation of ignobe private, personal motives.
We are free to say that on that measure Mr.
BELL voted differently from what we could wish
he had voted, if he could have honestly done
50 with his convictions. We are fully persuad-
ed that DOUGLAS, in introducing the question,
had in view chiefly his own aggrandizement as
an aspirant for the Presidency; but, once inevi-
tably in Congress on its merits, we would have
voted for it. But we do not question for
moment the motives of those who voted against
it, and we are not stupid enough to let that one
difference of opinion weigh against past his
tory of accordance in sentiment and principle,
and preeminent capability of valuable pub
lie service.
A squabble among wings on account of this
Nebraska bill, is precisely what our political
adversaries are painting and thirsting for. Our
good Administration supporting neighbors OF
the "Appea" have been trying small expert
ment in the line of getting up such squabbie,
by repubIishing Gov. JoNEs' speech, and speak
ing of him as fatteringly as their party pre-
dilections ever allows them to speak of any
,okiq We know that Gov. JONES understands
that game '1ike a book "and is not to be caught
with any such chaff. But the "Register" out
Herods the "Appeal." 1t is oferingto do the
Appeals dirty work of fomenting a family quar-
rel in the bosom of the whig party in Tennes-
see; so much better than it could itself, that we
shalllose all faith in our neighbor's tact and
good taste, if he does not yield the field to his
Knoxville ally. 1t is burglarious sort of bu-
siness, which is not congenial to our neighbors,
bad democrats as they are; and we expect moth
ing else but to see him hold up, until the "Reg.
ister" clique shall have exhausted their small
stock of transparent malevolence.
They who may expect 10 get up tremen-
dous hubbub in Tennessee over these Nabraska
votes, through which they may put down old
and faithful workers in the whig ranks, and
foist themselve in their places, will find them
selves deceived. Having confidence in the
honesty of motive and patriotism of Judgment
of their Senators and Representatives, the peo'
pie will not be disposed to prescribe any of
them, on either side. More especially will they
not do so, since the passage of the bill has re-
moved this disturbing and agitatiug question
from the general political discussion of the
country, and placed it where it ought to be;
oith the people Of the Territories The "Regis-
ter" may become ful[blooded locofoco jour
nal or the mere mouth-piece of a clique of small
potato politicians, 1T can never destroy or
damage the high estimation in which JOHN
BELL is held by the genuine and true wings of
Tennessee end of the Nation Memphis Ea-
gle and Enquirer.