Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-06-09
STATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
THURSDAY, JUNE 9. 1883. 2
from the UppOsIuO
SLAVERY AGITATION.
The subject Resumed.

In its emi-weekly issue of March
22d, the f1iciaI organ of the admins
tration resumes the subject of slavery
agitation. In publishing what it calls
"a strong document" on that subject,
the organ takes occasion to reterate
its "reprob0tiOn Of the habit" which it
saws ''the whole circle of our American
politicians have fallen into of making
slavery the chief topic Of debate and
digladiation."
1t further says:
"Certain it is that American politics have
some how got sadly mlIed up Wth sLaUeTy 1t
is in every mans mOuth-On every tongue
and promises to become, in an early future,
quite ca al to the employment of all the
spare intellect of American Representative -
Further IN in the same article, the
official organ takes the broad ground
that slavery "nerer ought TO hare been
the suGj.ct Of poitic0i controversy at 0H''
1t doubts exc edingIy whether the
actual 0tcnerS uf slaves have been fore
most, or are now foremost, in investing
their pro- erty in matiOnaL politics"
Further, continues the organ:
at is beneath the dignity of sovereign
State of this Union to send representatives to
Congress To discuss the character of its do
mestic institutions. The national legislature
should bc the scene of appropriate investiga
ton into subjects over which that body has
at least "A color of jurisdiction. Aud the
question of The extension Of slavery in this or
that direction is one which is equally foreign
to the two representative bodies. Speeches
can no more extend slavery than propagate
slaves. Nobody goes 10 this or that place
with slaves on the advice of members OF Con-
gress Nobody in this wise, practical age of
ours, is foolish enough to invest his property
in a Utopian scheme for cOiOuizing territory
with slaves to feet great political ends
Those srhO talk SUch ,COrttLess 0gltd-
tors without means or responsibility. They
get enlist, "a partisans, they talk as parti-
sans, they make partsans, and they are pure
~ partisan representatives"
Who are "the wor HESS agitators"
here so contemporary derided by
the official organ Of the administration?
They are Southern Democrats. Have
we any such in our midst
Bat hear the organ of the admins
tration further on this subject:
The right is unqu stionable to take slaves
to the common Territories. The question
whether my given Territory can be success
fully colo lied 10y slaves aud their owners is
quite another affair. 1t is not at all legal
problem. Ii is a question of profit and loss.
1t is a question of dollars aud cents; aud
there is 10 necessity or Justification for quar-
relling about it. 1t has not one shade of pol
tiles in it. Congress has within twenty years
imposed tax upon the country, in wTang-
ling on tTis subj CT, IF more than tlre1ty n,Hii-
ons Of doHirs. IL has Largeiy occ,pied ne press.
IL has expressed Tie DWph. II has sH,dered Tong
established religious oTy0HiZattOHs. II has array
Ell one aren't section Of Tie Union against The other
IN deadly strife II has occupied he tine of Con-
gress tie neglect Of the pubic Interests and The
d,shOnor Of TIE gouerHmcat III his has been HE
result Of difference npoR purely abstract 9ges-
ton. There Il not ia a single clement Of prIcii-
cal life Tie ,oorst feature Of the ,choLe rs 10
BE- found u, the Jdct Dth tie country has gained no
SotSdon, by experience"
Such have been the pernicious results
of slavery agitation as summed up by the
official organ OF the present Democratic
administration, and set for Ii in its
columns no longer ago than the 22d of
March last. And was there no man
in the national councils, who from the
beginning of it, had the wisdom TO un
derstand and fully comprehend the ma
ture and character of this policy of ag-
tation-who had the far-reaching saga
city to fOreSee and foreteIl its dangers
to the country, if persisted in-aud
who had the patriotic and selfSacrifc-
ing frmness strenuouSly and manfully
to resist it AZ every stage ofitS progress?
Yes, there was one nun who did this
aud thrt man was
JOHN BELL, OF TENNESSEE.
More than twenty years ago, when
"the cloud was no bigger than mans
hand" Mr. BELL viewed lis appearance
as foretokening evil TO the country In
letter written by him, in 1910, TO the
Hon. George Il. GILNKR, of Georgia,
and published at the time, Mr.. BELL
said:
"What Ought TO be the measure Of indigna-
ton aud punis hment which should be- dealt
out to those hollow aud false glar,lans OF
Southern interests, WIN viii for the sake of "A
thrilling party ady aniage, put everything 10
hazard by perpetual agitation: For ID re is
and always has been quite as much tu b. ar-
prehend On this subject from those who agi-
tate the question on political account ia The
South as from the Abohtlonists thrmselv, =
a have been gInhrr 0t Congress. a. you
know, from the co gmrn cement of the aeita-
ton upon lhls sutI ca. | have witness 4 all
1. that has taken place in Congress Ia relation
To il. | saw. aud think | fully understood.
the game that was playing by some gentle
men; DiI WAS no Inclined b. takep part ia it,
because ! Thought the 81 AXE too high.
Itwas a comnoa impression that The first
movements oil the AbOiitiOnists of the North
were not look sd upon with any deep regret
by porsion OF our fllnw citizens of tile
Sodth. fhe fanatic spirit was rather
&. provoked than deprecated. The North with
,, out distinct Oh Wa freely charged with sci
tied feeling OF Hostility To Southern Interests
aad Institutions; aAd many injurious ri c.
s. tions " ~ eat Hpoa their motives calculated
10 Civ & vas b 60 the cause OF the fanatics.
by n a. Ia tAei0 a more rational aud
e.rslast,-e = OF iils 80 th,r. p-as,ls. Jbe