Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-05-29
HoN. John BELL

legitimate subjects Of scrutiny and comment. Sec
Ondlyi he has, we honestly cone Give, pursued
line Of policy which was injurious to the interests
and honor Of the State, and to the well-being of
that section TO which, by similarity Of domestic
institutions, BY geographical position and by the
bonds Of a common brotherhood, we sre ihdissolu-
bly, connected. And thirdly. we regard him not on
as the master spirit of the opposition in Tennes-
as the only bond Of union between the in
congruOus elements Of that party. Differing upon
every material issue. or rather having no issue to
tenderthe Democratic party, they agree absolutely
upon but one thing, and that is to surrender into
hehsnsa Of Che Honorable Senator full authority to
afsange m0diy adopt, reject, and remodel all the
Political lap.sl e which that party can lay claim,
e. be used y MIN at his discretion, in whateverman-
nsr o him may seem best.
As an illustration Of this overriding influence
upon the one side and unressting acquisscence upon
the other, we need but glance at one or two strk-
ing points in the political history Of the last two or
three years. When the Kansas Nebraska bill was
first introduced and its glorious features discussed
by the people it win be well remembered that in the
Southern States there was almost an universal ex-
hibition of unmixed appreciation The whole South.
without reference to previous party divisions, with
only few individual exceptions, gave tokens Ofsat-
isfaetiOn at the approaching dawn of that day. when
OdiOus restriction upon her rights would be re-
moved, and when her sovereign States might claim
that equality with her sister States of the North
upon the Statute Books to which, by the c0nstitu-
ton of the Union, she was entitled. When an obi
Gus and unjust discrimination should be removed,
and when the citizen Of Tennessee might say, " I
viii remove to a Territory of the Government, and
if a majority Of my fellow-citizens agree with me,
will there plant the constitution Of the State IN
der which have been born and reared, untrcmmel-
ed by the dctation Of any other authority than cur
own free viii"
Northern abolitionism arrayed itselfagainst this
act of emancipation. Every artifoe which ingenuity
could devise, was called into requisitOn to secure
its defeat and to perpeLuate upon the statute books
the record and the recognition Of the inferiOrity of
the South. The people of the South we're equally
united upon the other SIDE and their honor be it
said, their Representatives in Congress, with but
few exceptions, disregardng all other party ties,
/ took bold and uncompromising stand in favor Of
removing the odious discrimination against US.
There were a few exceptions. There we're those
who occupied the position Of Representatives OF
Southern constituencies whom this trying emergecy
deserted the land Of their birth, and united their
influence with that of the Northern AbOlitiOnists to
accomplish the defeat of this act of tardy justice
Among the most notable of this small band of de-
| serters to the enemy, was the HON. JOHN BELL!
This party in Tennessee had taken common ground
with the Democracy in support of the measure.
Did they adhere to that position No. The magi-
II.
heads, andlo the measure which few months be-
| fore, they had appauded and sanctioned, was de4
clared to be 'Pandoras box" out of which evils
innumerable had issued to afiict the land! The
FESTIVE spirits among them were soon awed into sub
mission, and upon the surface, at least, scarcely
ripple appeared to disturb their harmony.
Again In the last contest for the Presidency the
party of which Mr. Bell is the head staked its pO-
ltioal fortunes upon new issues, which it then ten
dered to the Democracy. Intense love of American
ISM and intense hatred of Foreigners and Catholics
constituted the larger portion ofther political CAPT
tai To give efficiency to their party organization
they bound themselves together in secret associa-
TONS By Oaths, by grips, by signs, by passwords
and other parphernalia they eadeavOred to consoli
date their power and secure the success of their
their principles and if need be- to die in their de-
fence but come veal or wO success or defeat, they
would defend, and urge them upon the people until
they should be triumphantly adopted. Have they
adhered to these positions! No! The wand
of the magician was again waved above their
heads and the password pronounced" Distribu-
ton Distri5uhonN and aOthuRg Bat DishriJutiOH!"
And 10 his obedient followers echoed the response,
Distribution! and nothing bit Distribution, is the
issue between the parties :! 1t mattered not that
they had proclaimed ouly brief time before that
this a dead issue of by-gOne day, between two
old and corrupt parties-It mattered not that they
had recently proclaimed through every press, and
upon the stump, in every county and district in the
State that the only VITAL living questions to be de-
oided upon, were those which they presented and
the only measure worthy of adoption, those which
they enunciated as the peculiar doctrines of Know
Nothingism. The mandate of the Hon. Senator had
been issued,-the curtain has been dropped before
the close Of the second act announcing the end of
the performance, and judging from what can now
be heard from the actors no stranger to the facts
would suppose that the performance Of the pOliti
cal drama of Know NOthingism had ever been at
tempted in Tennessee.
such being the position occupied by the Hon. |
John Bell in reference to the adversares OF the |
Democratic party in Tennessee we cannot do other
wise than TO consider him as the responsible repre-
sentative Of that opposition. In assigning to him
this position, while We disapprove his political |
course and distrust the wisdom Of his measures and
his councils, we pay incidental compliment to his
sagacty party taetician, and his influence as a
man and politician, which we have no disposition
to withhold Diferingas we do with the honorable
gentleman radically and irrecOncieably upon the /
great questions which agitate the public mind, we
may and do feel called upon to note his short COM
ings, and expose the unsoundness of his doctrines
but we do not wish to be understood as intending
any personal disrespeot to whose character as
gentleman is above reproach
NATIONAL HOTEL SICKNESS.
WASHINGTON, D. c. May Z, 1857.
The undersigned have been appointed commit
tee by the Board of Health of Washington to com
rprfnicota residents of tbis cit,- /