Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-09-16
Hon. John Bells Letter to the Knox
willie Meeting.

Genfleb1en:--You letter of the 29th utimo, in
wiling me to attend and deliver an address, at
Grand Mass Meeting, TO be held at Knoxville, on
the 4th of September, reached me In due course of
mail. / bave delayed an answer until the present
time, ia the hope that circumstances might occur
enabling me to accept the invitation; but am dis
appointed, and must. therefore, decline it. trust,
however, that il will not be unacceptable to you,
if | avail myself of the occasion OF this reply to
your letter, to express some views on the impor-
tant subject which will probably engross the at
tention of the large assembly of the citizens OF
East Tennessee, expected at Knoxville on the 4lh
OF the ensuing month.
The political condition and circumstances Of the
country have reached point of extreme peril
Never, in our past history, have the elements of
civil dscord and commotion been so widely dis
seminated, assumed so fearful an aspect. If
civil war does not exist at the present moment, we
can feel no assurance that it viii not soon be upon
US. Our destiny a nation-as peoples now
suspended in doubtful poise, and how It shall in-
cline, he is blind indeed who does not see that the
result of the pending contest for the Executive
power of the Government, may decide. No wons
der, then, that the judgments of many good men
should be perple1ed in deciding upon their course.
All true patriots at such crisis, will feel less con.
Germ for the particular party 10 which they may be
attached, than for the safety of the country.
It may be asked: in what does the safety of the
country consist Ianswer: in the preservation Of
the Union In every aspect 10 which l am able to
view the subject, / regard the dissolution OF the
Union as the direst calamity which can befall the
people-the people of the South as well as of the
North. 1t is fashionable to state some exceptions
to this general truth. am prepared to state none,
within the range of probable events. / admit the
possible occurrence of state OF things, in the
operation of the Federal Government, which would
be greater evil than the destruction of the Union.
glsring tyranny-an oppressive and persistent
violation of the plain and unquestonabe constitu>
tiona obligations or a similar disregard of const1
tutiona limitations in the practice of the majority.
OIL subjects Of vital interest to the minority, would
be virtual abrogation of the bonds Of union and
justify resort to revolutionary remedies. | use
the terms revolutionary remedies in reference to
the possible expressions of majority, in welding
the Legislative and Executive powers Of the Gov
eminent, because have no faith in the political
metaphysics of those, who seek to establish a
peaceful mode of breaking up the Union, by deduc-
ing from the Constitution a right of secession in
the States. l regard such a doctrine equally un.
sound, deusivc and mischevous. DelusiVe, be-
cause it can have no efficacy in preventing civil
war; and mischievous, because it tends to mislead,
and seduce the people of State into revolutions
airy measure for insufficient cause, under the false
idea of immunity from the ordinary hazard of q
revolt against an established Government
But the practical question still remains to be an.
swered What course should the patriotic citizen
adopt in the pending contest for the Presidency, as
best calculated to preserve the Union aud thereby
save the country?
The prime cause of the presentunhappy juncture
of affairs was the repeal of the Missouri Comprc-
MISE The irritations created by that measure at
the North, and the conflict Of sentiment which has
always existed between the North and the South,
on the subject of slavery, nhamed and exasperated
by the unfortunate state of things in Kansas and
upon its borders, have led to great party issues,
which, for the time being, threaten to swallow up
all others. The issue is in its nature sectional and
tends thoroughly to the formation of two great
sectional parties. 1t has already given rise to the
organization of purely sectional party in the free
states, formidable from its numbers and the zeal
with which it is supported. Under these circum -
stances some sterling old Wings, have advised that
the South should unite in the support of the Demos
cratic nominee for the Presidency the susest re-
lance to elect a national and to defeat sectional
candidate. | make no question of the patriotic
motives of those gentlemen; but il may be made
question, whether they have not mistaken the true
policy-or miscalcuated the effect of the course
they advise, should it be adopted. They assume
that the sectional candidate, (Col. Fremon) may be
defeated by uniting the vote the South upon Mr..
Buchanan. The South alone cannot elect Mr.. Bu-
chanan; and is there no DANGER that the dropping
of Mr.. Fillmore in all the Southern States, may so
strengthen the prospects of Col. Fremont in the
North, to enable him to carry those States which
the Democratic party now reckon as certain for Mr..
Buchanan, and without some of which, he cannot
be elected, even though the whole South should
unite upon him? large proportion of the adher-
ents of Mr. Fillmore at the North, whether Ameri4
or old line Wings, have stood all their lives in
determined opposition to the Democratic party, and
should his friends in the South in the support
of his cause, and thus cut off all hope of bis sucr
cess many of his Northern friends may be driven to
give their support to Col Fremont, the only course
left them, affording any prospect of defeating the
Democratic candidate. 1t may also be well to con-
sder whether, if the friends of Mr.. Fillmore in the
South should indicate purpose to unite with the
Democratic party and array all she slave States in
favor of Mr.. Buchanan, it would not supply new
and powerful argument to the Republican party, in
making their appeals to the people OF the North
to unite in support of the free state candidate.
But upon that ground, can it be confidently as.
sumed, from any thing that now appears, that Mr..
Buchanan is a more available candidate that Mr..
Filmores-The American ticket is supported by
deep, and earnest sentiment, in every State of the
Union, the strength of which will only be fully de-
veloped at the ballot box. A large body of old
Wings have sgnifed their preference for this ticket
and their determination to sustain it.-These ele-
ments Of Mr.. FIlImores strength eminently con-
servatve and NATIONAL in all that conserves the pre-
servation ofthe Union. At time when this great
security for all rights-this great prop OF Anne
rcan liberty, power and glory, is menaced with des
truction, thousands of patriotic citizens, every
where, and to whatever party they now belong,
brief as is the interval allowed for elaboration, will
pause before they take their final stand in the pre-
sent contest and like the bewdered traveller, eau
tiously seek the right direction. Even while write
tidngs of fresh outbreaks in Kansas salute my ear
and armed bands of men, from different sections,
are known TO be on the march, TO minge in the in
testine strife. This has been the unhappy condi-
ton of Kansas for the last six eight months. 1t
cannot last smother half year without involving the
people Of the neighboring States, in direct and
hostile conflict; and upon whom-upon what party,
then, can the country most safely depend, to
duench the flame of civil war; when thus lighted up?
Two great parties, the Republican, and the Demo-
cratic-committed to opposite and extreme lines Of
policy in relation to the affairs Of Kansas, equally,
obstinate and incorporating, neither Of them dis
posed to concede anything, come OF il what may
contend before the people for the possession and
control Of the Executive power OF the Government
Each claim to be the safest depository OF this power
at the present crisis. Il seems to me. that no
tonal hope can be INDUCED, that either Of these
parties, would be able to compose the present
strife, and restore the country 10 harmony. Where
then, / repeat, we 10 look, with any assurance
of safety | answer. to party which stands un-
committed, unpledged, to any desperate extremes,
on either side.
II conclusion, after giving this grave subject, ell
the consideration which It's importance demands,
my advice to my old Wing friends OF Tennessee,
is to stand fast, by Fillmore and Donelson, and to
spare no effort, to insure their election.
am, gentleman, respectfully,
Your fellow, citizen, JOHN BILL
Messrs. Rolfe s. Saunders, John NJ Fleming, r
R. Bearden, A. NJ. Piper, George Stackhouse,
X. R. Armstrong, w. B. Reese Jr., Commit.
tee &c.
The Maine Elections.
Thu N.ioo alae,iops In wh;.b the oDnns;tion IN