Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-03-06
SENATOR BELL

The Richmond South, referring to the speech Of
Senator Bell and to his declaration that d" at no
time since the repeal of the Missouri Compromise
has there been any settled indication Of the opinion
Of the South on that question" says that since the
day when the gallant Nelson olspPed the telescope
to his blind eye and said he could not see the signal
there hasnot been refusal to acknowledge that
which palpable to all others, as is contained
in this declaration Of Senator Bell Why, what does
the Senator consider conclusive evidence Of popular
Will. Every department Of the Federal Government
has endorsed the repeal The Legislatures of nearly
al the Southern States have approved it, There is
but one Southern member of Congress Of the Scna-
tors own party who occupies his position upon this
subject and no Southern Senator who will hold his
longer than the expiration Of his constitutional
fern. But, If there were any doubt Of the public
sentiment Of Tennessee upon the subject it would
be disspated by the admission of Senator Bell him
self He sayB that Mr.. Fillmore, who said that
iadLe been a member Of Congress he would have
voted against the Nebraska bill, received g. 600
votes ia Tennessee" Now, if, as Mr. Bell, says,
this election turned upon "Americsnism," may It
net well be that Mr.. Fillmore received at least as
many votes because he also declared at the last,
That be would not disturb the repeal as because Of
his declaration against it. But assuming Mr. Bells
view 90 be c0rrecl-that Mr.. Fillmore was opposed
T. the Missouri rspeal-was not Mr.. Buchanan in
favor of Jg and did he not receive the vote Of Ten
urssee over Mr.. Fillmore
Mr. Bell excerpts TO theresolutions iDstructing him
t. resign, as containing garbed extracts from his
speech; and thus having shown that 1.-The kettle
hala hole in it when he borrowed it." he proceeds
TO deny that he can ever be made responsible for
his pledges because he denies the right Of the Leg
islature to instruct him. and claims the same right
90 disregard such instructions as certain " Demo
cratic Senators, who he alleges, are in the same
prejicameut. How far the failure Of another to do
his duty viii ezonsrats the Senator from similar
ObI lgstio1, rests with him.
The South supposes that Mr. Bells constituents
only wish to Jog his memory little, upon the same
principle that a wag, having heard sceptcal old
f0gy declare that be would eat the first locomotive
that should ever run between Liverpool and London,
sent him a few bits Of an iron brace snd screw
tap OF two with polite iutimation that when he
had dgested these the rest of the engine his
service"
We have wash 20 see The waning sands Of the
Senator's term shaken too rudely, and the bitter
little tina, remains OF his political life rendered more
drastic by the ingredients Of violated pledges and
public contempt but we regret that one who has
been hou5rsd by Southern constituency with so
long snd so exalted a service, should have 6rst
eaieavored to bstray, and then to misrepresent
them. However, the Senator viii soon sleep the
political sleep "that knows no waking" and his
powers of Misrepresentation viii be 81 an end
KANSAS AND THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
The Washington C7igu of the 18th February, in
replying TO Whist il calls temperate protest Of the
Richmond E. gsarsr against the admission Of Kansas
As party issue, says Il is ne part of our purpose to
discuss The Proprety OF imprOprey Of holding those
Democrats who oppose the admission to account,
and to euf0re against them eIcrs Of excommunca-
liou. We hold no iictatorial Office Of the kind. We
are entrusted with no such power We claim simply
the r-bt 10 discuss matters 70 weigh all the facts
Of the case. and state the conclusions Of fair and
candid ruIguel. upon them. The position Of the
President. and the strong array ofDemocrauc Seua-
tors and members Of Congress on his side for admis
rion are which 60 out to the people for precisely
what they ar.. worth. They are not conclusive;
they DO nos ...t the party though we insist they
are suu..sJ .a great weight with every Democrat
who is called u...n 90 form Judgment upon the
question wbesae- The admission OF Kansas is or not
. party measure. Iae Union then argues upon the
record. aud the merits of the case 10 finds ample
testimony by a.. To- claim party allegiance to the
measure for admission The .ra say the Eyecu-
tive has done bus whole iu'y.