Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-07-01
WELLESLEY. July ! 1857

eEr. nsu sppes4h - Disrrfbusss,s-s
Under shs above caption, the Dsst0ss and
american of yesterday, makes a quotation
from a speech made by Hon. John Bell in
1s4s, in which he said "Distribution had
ceased to be a question:" and, connecting it
with vote in 1850, in the Senate, against
proposition to renew the distribution act of
164I, attempts to create the impression that
the distribution bill introduced by him into
the Senate last winter, was a mere decoy to
divert the attention of the people in the pres
ent canvass in Tennessee from other issues.
Let us look into this matter. In 1913, Mr..
Bell might have been justified in the declara-
ton that distribution has ceased to be
question" Other questions of greater impor-
tauce, growing ont of the acquisition of terri
tory from Mexico, were looming up before the
people, portending bitter sectional strife. At
such time as that, it was the part of wis
dom and sound policy to permit such ques
tons as that of distribution, which could be
revived again at more favorable moment, to
be laid aside. 1t was impolitic to continue to
divide the people upon that issue, when the
question of the rights of the South in the
newly organized territories, was about to be
presented; and the settlement of which babe
fair to involve the Union itself. In 1850,
when Mr.. Bell voted against the proposition
referred to, there was probability that it
would become law. There was majority
in Congress opposed to it. Besides Mr.. Bell
had proposed to amend the bill to which it
was sought to attach the distribution feature,
Ohe bill granting lands to Illinois to construct
the Central Railroad,) with a view to secure
portion of the lands for the construction of
the Mobile and Ohio Railroad through the
State Of Tennessee 1t is true, as stated by
the Union and american, that this proposition
of Mr.. Bell failed. But it is probable our
neighbor does not know the reason why 1t
failed. Tire reason was this: Mr.. Douglas
and other friends of the bill privately APP
preached Mr.. Bell and requested him not to
push his proposition, urging as reason that
the bill as construed by them, and as it was
intended to be construed, already provided
for what he desired and that if it passed,
portion of the grant would be assigned to the
construction of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad
through Tennessee. Thus assured by the
author of the bill, Mr.. Douglas, and by others,
Mr.. King, of AlabNha, amongst them, Mr..
Bell did not press his amendment as he would
have done. To secure the passage of the bill,
and aid in the construction of an important
road through his own State, he deemed it
proper also to vote against the proposition of
Mr.. Dayton to attach an amendment re-enact-
lug the distribution act of 1871. III doing
this Mr.. Bell did not oppose distribution.
Had distribution come up as a separate, dis
tinct proposition, who can doubt that he
would have supported it warmly although as
sured of its defeat2
The charge that Mr.. Bells bill of last winter
was conceived in a spirit of deception, is IN
warranted by truth. II may be that Mr.. Bell
did not expect it to become law-that he did
not have confidence enough in the sense of JUS
tice of the democratic majority in the Senate
to believe that they would support it, and thus
manifest desire to place all the States upon
fair and equal footing. That was not Mr.. Bells
fault. Neither should the certainty of defeat
have deferred him from doing his duty. The
States should be placed upon an equality in the
enjoyment of the benefits of land grants. If
obstacles are in the way, that is no reason why
measures having this object in view should not
be proposed and pressed. If such spirit had
COVE rned the American people, the world
would never have seen the glorious spectacle
of a great republic on this continent. We
should have still remained slaves to the tyr
amy of Great Britain. If the democracy
stand in the way of the success of the great
measure ofjustice, now supported by the Amer
can party, let the contest go on until the O6sta-
Gle is remoUed. Let no one falter W no desires
its success, but labor, and continue to labor
until the end is attained. This is the spirit
which should govern freemen. 1t is the spirit
which never fails when pursued vigorously,
with fortitude and courage.