Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-04-05
.ssration wasin-

- u the rights and interests
-of. every section and every class of our peo-
pie were made the object of the care and le-
gislatfoa of the government-that when the
theoretical and impracticable distractions Of
closet statesmen about free trade should be
abandoned, and legislation protective Of the
interests Of our people substituted-that when
the party which has used delicate and en-
| barrassing question for selfish and unpatriotic
purposes, and deliberately and wickedly
| jeopardized the Union shall be deposed from
| power--indeed, when a wise and patriotic
| Administration shall assume the control Of
| these free institutions there will be less ques-
ton abroad about the practicability off gov
eminent which extends equal rights TO all
citizens, and more hope of its perpetuity at
hone-that when corruption and incapacity
among those whom the people appoint to adj
minister the functions of their government
shall be less rare, there will be no reason TO
distrust the capacity of the people them
| selves. .r
Indeed. Mr. Bells speech was not a reaf-
,irmation Of the odious AMI mOnarchical te-
nets of the Federal faith, but mastery de-
monstration of the ruinous effects of the
principles of the Democratic party upon the
| integrity of our institutions, and of the re-
proach which had fallen upon free institu-
tions in consequence, and an unanswerable
appeal TO the integrity and honesty of the
people to come to the rescue in time, and
| vindicate the wisdom of free institutions, and
expcl from power the loathsome crew who
are making US shame before the eyes of the
| world.
Proceeding in its review, the Union and
American reports Mr.. BELL. as saying that
"there is no party in the country sufficiently
united or sufficiently patriotic to administer
the government" and absurdly argues, that
he has thus, in advance, pronounced his own
political friends who now cohering to-
gether into a great party organization, in
capable of becoming either harmonious or
honest"-that he is attempting to forestall
public opinion prcjudicially as to the relia-
bility and strength Of the party which it has
been charging for months past that he has
been laboring to furm,-a party in opposition
to Democracy sufficient to compass its over
throw. This inference, if true, certainly
should impair Mr.. BELLS character for saga
city, and at least disprove one charge which
the Union and american is particularly fond of
preferring against him, viz: that he is con-
summate political trickster. For it has even
alleged that Mr. BELL had personal ambi-
ton to crafty in the success of this party
that by means of it he hoped to attain the
Presidency. What a mastery tactician it
represents him TO be, when in. inaugurating
the initial struggle of this party it attempts
to prove that he has pronounced it incompe-
tent on the score of a lack of unity, and unfit
because it is dishonest. Oh what "a lame
and impotent conclusion"
In this essay of logic, oar contemporary has
either stultified himself, or proven that Mr.
BELL has stultified himself, and il is not diff
cult to infer which is the more probable. No
sane man, who has confidence in Mr.. BELL
sanity can be made to believe that he intend
ed to express doubts as to the patriotism OF
that vast majority of the people of this coun-
try who believe that the true interests of the
country would be subserved by the overthrow
of the democratic party, or to pronounce that
it was Impossible that they should unite for
the accomplishment of that object. The por-
ton of his speech from which this deduction
is drawn had to our mind quite different
direction. He had referred to the irrecon-
cilable divisions in the democratic party, and
proven it's utter want of principle or patri-
otism-from the purely sectional character OF
the Republican party he had no warrant OF
confidence in its ability to guarantee an up
right and faithful administration of public af-
fairs, and he was proceeding to indicate the
high responsibilities which devOlved upon the
party then in session in its first Convention
in Tennessee, and his whole speech was "A
powerful vindication of the necessity of such
a party and of the purity of its objects. 1t
was such a speech gave every member OF
that party who heard it high confidence in
the correctness of his position and high hope
in its success We do not think that justice
has been done to Mr. BELL in the construc-
ton which our neghbor has put upon this
portion of his remarks.
Not less unjust either is the view which he
takes Of his position in regard to public ex-
penditures. We think he will find it difficult
to prove that because Mr.. Bell said, as he al
leges, that Zone hundred millions of dollars
might be expended economically in the adj
ministration of the government" that there
fore, Mr.. Bells party would annually expend
that sum; or that it is in principle, in favor
of a lavish and wasteful expenditure of the
public money. Certainly this is very VIC
lent and forced conclusion from the premises
As we remember the course of Mr.. Bells ar
gument, the remarks referred 10 occurred
thus: He had depicted the outrageous ex-
travagance of the present Administration in
times which had required no unusual outlay
he had shown that in many instances it was
wasteful, and in others corrupt, and was
dwelling with great force upon the character
and objects Of expenditure as illegltimate
and highly improper. To give intensity to
this view of the subject, the idea was pre-
scented that the amount which the depreda-
tors upon the public treasury had squander-
ed, was matter comparatively insignificant
in contrast with the corrupt and demoralizing
tendencies of the uses to which 1t was devo-
ted-that to expend even one hundred mil
lions in providing tor the national defence
by the erection of forts and arsenals,
the building of lighthouses, the fitting out
Of additions to our naval strength, in de-
veloping the resources Of the country by
iudicious, aid TO the construction OF a rail
road to the Pacific. by clearing out obstruc-
lions in our navigable rivers, and improving
harbors, &c, &C., might be considered econo-
my; but 10 connive at the plumber OF the public
treasury for the enrichment of favored parts
IL. IL