Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-04-01
sTr. ReIl,s speech,

FIR. Bells Speech,
The gYesi feature Of the Convention on Tuesday
was the speech of Mr.. BELL. This address was not
only interesting from the ability and ingenuity
which it displayed, but highly important as
position Of the principles of his party. Mr.. BELL
Is regarded as the great embodiment of the 0ppo>
sitiOn. He is the acknowledged leader Of the par
ty, and the recognised organ of its opiailns. His
political orthodoxy has been attesled BY the pri-
mary meetings of his psrty throughout the State
and ne has been cordially recommended as their
FIRST choice for the Presidency. His name now ap-
pears at the head Of many of the Opposition organs
as their candidate for the highest hOnOrs Of the
public and his course is endorsed by the nearly ua-
snimous voice of his party press in Tennessee.
We must look to him, then, as the authorised ex>
ponsnt Of the views and sentiments of the party.
sis the oracle Of the Opposition. He is the High
Priest Of the temple and all his utterances re-
eeived as inspiration.
Mr.. BELL commenced his speech by expressing
great disrust Of the permanence of Institutions
he thought the experiment Of a republican govern
msnt was not yet Ompetedthe great problem yet
solved It waseft for the future to determine Wheth
er the people Of this country capable of self
government He inclined to the opinion that the
government Was failure, and drew gloomy omens
Of disaster from the experience Of the last few
years. Mr. BELL evidently adheres to the old Feds
eral theory, which has always been the creed of his
party, that universal suffrage is incompatible with
good government. He said that the statesmen
of Europe were already P Uniting to our experience
Is argument against extending the elective fran
chise 10 the poor and uneduoaed classes. He stat
ed that JOHN BRIGHT radical as he is does not
tend that all the citizens Of Great Britain should
be permitted 10 vote and that his arguments in fA-
Of extending this privilege beyond the present
limits, met by warnings drawn from the failure
Unpopular institutions in this country.
The logical consequences of Mr. BEL.'s argument
Weuld be speedy return to the doctrines announced
and advocated by The founders Of the federal faith
He despairs of the continuance of free institu
tons and must consequently desire the establishment
Of stronger government which might check and
restrain the radical tendencies of the age. Believ-
ing that the experiment of extending equal rights
to all our citizens, is a failure he favor the
restriction of those rigats DISTRESSING the capac-
ity OF the people to govern themselves, he would
Of course put rulers over the people who are wise
and honest enough to govern them. These have
always been the doctrines Of the federal party and
its leaders from the days of the Hartford COnven
ton to the time of the Opposition CONVENTION which
assembled in this city Tuesday. This is the first
article Of their creed
Mr.. BILL turned from this melancholy view Of
our institutions to contemplate the condition Of par
ties in this country. He derived no consolation
from the prospect He found nothing in any
organization now existing TO allay his sppre-
tensions or excite his hoIes. His prophetic
eye bAheld ruin and destruction on every side
Corruption infected every department of State, and
faction reigned supreme. " There is no party" he
said, /" in the country, sufficiently united safh
GENTLY patriotic TO administer the government"
He acknowledged in effect that the Opposition are
neither harmonious nor honest.
The admission is an important one, coming
from the recognized leader of the Opposition He
is authorized to speak for his own party and though
his hatred Of Democracy blind him to It's merits,
no such feeling could influence his judgment with
regard to his political friends. He knows them to
be corrupt. lie has learned from long association
that they are not to be trusted. He has acted with
them, voted with them, and plotted with Them for
place and power, and yet he owns that they not
worthy of the confidence of the nation, nor capable
of conducting its affairs. He would hurl the De,
mocracy from power then, that plunderers ana place
hunters may usurp the reins of government. He
seeks to overthrow party which he has pursued
with relentless maligniy for twenty-five years, to
EAke room for his own allies whom he admits to be
destitute of patriotism diseordant and divided. Mr.
BKLL's evidence cannot be taken against the Demo-
cratic party, for he is its enemy. He hurled in
digusnt denuncistOns against the administration of
General JACKSON as he does against the present ad
minislratiOn; yet the country prOspered under his
government. He sssailed the public and private
character of the old Hero fercey as he does that
Of Mr.. BUCHANANi yet his memory is enshrined in
the hearts Of his cOuntrymen, We must guard
against the blindness of his malice when he de-
nOunces the Democratic party; but We may profit
by his candor when he confesses the sins of his own
followers, allies and associates.
Yemay well doubt whether Mr.. BELL is not in
huenced by other than patriotic motives, when he
urges the people to confde their interests to this
corrupt opposition with all their admitted guilt upen
their heads According to his own statement he
would only drive away one swarm of vermin that |
another and hungrer swarm may come and drain
the life blood Of the State. We suggest as an ex~
PLANTATION OF the inconsistency that the Ex-senator
might be found among the thirsty expectants. We
sincerely believe, however, that if Mr.. BELL and
his friends would set themselves TO reforming the
acknowledged Corruptions Of their own party the
country would be sufficiently secure. If such re-
forms had been enforced in time, the State of Ten
nessee would have saved over thirty thousand dol
lars that has gone into the pockets of KnOw-Noth-
ing office holders and tie general government might
have been protected against the GARDNER and GALS
PHIE frauds, as well the cOrruptiOus of MATTE
SON and his confederates in crime. The history of
Democratic administrations and the conduct of Dem
Oeratie Congressman, furnishes such instances of
corruption and fraud Let Mr.. BELL then reform
the habits Of his own political household and all
will be well.
We shall notice other portions Of the speech at
future time.