Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-06-03

son, praying that his reprieve might be granted,
who was at that time, as now, Governor of the
State. Notwithstanding the petition contained an
abstract of the Judge relative to the innocence of
VIM. R. Spears, and signed by six or seven hun
dred OF the most respectable citizens of the county
the worthy Governor Of Tennessee refused to grant
ais enlargement from the State prison. on the ground
tnat the original copy of the abstract of His honor
OLD not accompany the petition which was only cop
leu IN the petition. The original copy was at the
state prison. So says Mr.. Bentley.
This mode of proceeding produced no good i'm
preston upon the mind of Mr. Bentley, 10 favor of
the worthy Governor, who had repeatedly enlarged
men, guilty of the most lagitious crime. For in-
stance, this man Leadsirger, of tbie county, who
SWore of plain note given under his hand and
seal, was reprieved, pardonedby the worthy Gov
efnor' whilst poor innocent and idotic Spears was
lett TO the punishment due the guilty only.
"hen Mr.. Bentley was informed of the worthy
Governors refusal to pardon Spears he affirmed
mat johnson should never receive mis- support or
innuence IN any political contest in which he might
De an asplrant. But this solemn affirmation was
soon put to the test. It was not long afterwards
tnat the severely contested race between johnson
ana the noble Gentry opened. During the Guber-
Material canvass the candidates happened to speak
at Pulaski, at which place the worthy Governor was
informed that Mr.. Bentley intended to carry his
support and Influence against him. This startling
intelligence surprised the worthy Governor, who on
learning the reason, sought some channel through
which be communicated the fact 10 Mr. Bentley,
that be would vote and carry his influence for him
(JOhnson) Spears should be repreved as soon as the
election was over. That Gentry was at that time
charging upon him the number OF parjons that he
had already made.
The worthy Governor was true to his word. AZ
ter the election Spears was pardoned. So say the
reports of the State prison. as any man can see who
will have reference to them. Yet w R. Spears is
still prisoner, and doomed to suffer as innocent
men seldom do. This is something that cannot
fathom. Strange and incomprehensible Who can
expound the mystery, or laredo the riddle?" The
reports of the State prison say that Spears was par
doned when the fact is that he is still at his suffer
ing and punishment Is this is not bargain, intrigue
and corruption, know OF none
The next great feature in Mr. Bentley's speech
was bis opposition to the worthy Governors White
Basis measure, which Mr.. Bentley declared in his
remarks to be the most base abolition doctrine ever
advocated by Southern man-the most Injurious
OF all others to Southern Institutions the meanest
and vilest measure ever endorsed and advocated
by man who claims for himself Southern procvi-
ties, also stating that it the unmeasured amount
of abuse and SANDER that the worthy Governor dealt
in, that effected his election as Governor OF so no
bic and chivaric State as Tennessee. That il was
the denunciaions aud basely vile epithets that he
heaped on the American party that caused his cue
cess, which was only an indication of the corrupt
ness and base depravity of the worthy Governor.
That, with Johnson at the head of the party, the
only carried the State by about two thousand votes
but with such man as James Buchanan, they car.
red it by six or seven thousand, was an argument
used to show how great the Democracy dislike the
worthy Governor.
The worthy Governor talked eloquently abou
huge serpents, Murrelltes, and hyenas, skulkins
from the presence of honest men, &c. Had be thu
right to talk thus, when he at the same time wa:
keeping confined in the State prison a man that b.
had once reprieved, and the same was published Il
| the world.
| Mr. Bentley closed bis speech-one of the bright
est he ever made, after which several leading Dem
ocrats of the county expressed their disapprobalo
of the worthy Governors course, declaring that b
was in no wise their choice, as there was many me-
| in the Democratic party in Tennessee, they had
much greater preference for, as their next Senator
provided they could elect any one Of them.
Some considerable amount OF time was consu m
ed 10 trying to determine what to do and they fna
! y succeeded 10 effecting an adjournment until tn
LIST Monday in June, at which time they will per
haps make their nomination. Iam inclined to thnl
that who ever he be, he will come out with Ant
Johnsonian coors flying at his masthead.