The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1859-09-09
From the Memphis Bulletin, 2sth,1
Hon. John Bell Speech at Odd
Follows, Hall.

handsome compliment to Mr.. Ethertlge
and his speech of the day before. He said
that he world not discuss the currency
question, which had been so ably handled
by his friend. He concurred with him
in the opinions he had expressed, and
thought sound currency of special i'm
portance to the people of the West, but
there were other matters more immeai.
ately demanding his attention. So, also
of river and harbor improvements. an.
nexation of Cuba, &c. However interest.
ing discussion of these topics might
prove, he should be compelled to con-
tent himself with occasional allusions to
them during the progress of his remarks.
MIR. Bell said that he had been educa-
ted in school in which the blessings of
this Union were taught and appreciated,
and he had been accustomed to regard it
as perpetual bond which no dissensions,
no civil .flisoords could, sever. but, in
looking around him now, he could not
shut his eyes to the fact that great dam
ger to its integrity existed. Preserva-
tive measures might yet invent some
means to avert the threatening danger,
but unless something was elected from
enlightened consultations among those
who earnestly desired its continuance,
there was reason to apprehend the worst.
The Democracy charged all this upon the
Black Republicans, and reviled the Op-
position terminating that the democrat
lc party are not themselves guiltless of
fostering these sectional troubles. Now"
said Mr.. Bell 81 charge distinctly, and |
mean to demonstrate, that it is to the
Democratic party we owe whatever of
evil has flowed from the slavery question
in the past, and whatever OF danger we
may be required to face in the future. -
Preliminary to that, however, he went
on to inquire, what is Democracy, and
what is its distinctive principles? As
early as 1886, Mr.. Calhoun had declared
that it had no common principles-no
fixed and ascertained policy-no bond of
union but the cohesive power of public
plunder." True at that day. the remorl,
was still more strikingly lust at the pres
ent time. The party was made nm of
discordant elements, among which II was
impossible to preserve harmony. or even
the appearance of it. save upon the spo;Ls
principle. There were among tlem dr.
unionists per sc-thosc who believed in
the right of secession. and those who de-
MED it-those who favored the acouis,.
ton of Cuba, and those who oppose' if
those who contended for the re.opening
of the African slave trade, and those who
denounced it-tlibusters and anti-filjbus-
ters-internal improvement men and anti
internal improvement men-taritf and
anti-tariff-in short, there was no one
question of public policy upon which
they now agreed. Even here, in Tennes-
see, they were divided into lizards" and
'Softs," besides other distinctions which
it was unnecessary to enumerate, Mr..
Bell said that when all this was charged
upon them-when they were reminded
moreover, of the wasteful cxtrayagance
which had distinguished this Administra.
ton above all others, and when told that
Mr.. Buchanan, in his Wheatland letter,
had asserted that $40, 600, 900 was an un.
warrantable expenditure of the public
money, and yet in the face of that decla-
ration had run up the expenditures to
SSl 100000, the invariably answer was,
this is not the time to discuss questions of
money-there is great issue before the
country-the South is in danger, and not
until her rights are secured can we af-
ford to give attention to questions involv-
ing mere money expenditures.
Mr.. Bell here took occasion to correct
n Misrepresentation of his remarks at the
Nashville Convention in March last. He
had been charged with saying that $780,
OO0,OO might be economically expended.
What he did say was that he supposed Me
country could JeW an expenditure of $780,
10000 in case it was needed for the ma
tional defense, or the preservation of the
national honor This expression had
been seized upon to bolster the fortunes
of James Buchanan, and in reply to
Il, nx.F L..
had been told that Mr.. Bell considered
the expenditure of 100000, 900 as not
necessarily involving extravaganza in the
Administration. The falsehood had been
propagated by all the Democratic organs
in Tennessee, and all the Democratic
candidates stood by it to the last.
Passing from this discussion, he con-
tinued that never in the history of the
country had we been so disgraced by
open corruption in high places. The
President himself had recommended to
the consideration of the Secretary of the
Navy degrading proposition to buy up
the support of PHILADELPHIA firm. His
secretaries had in a like manner been
guilty of gross abuses and corruptions. as
appeared from testimony which had not
been controverted, and could not be sue
cessfully.
Mr.. Bell here referred to number of
eases, all of which he said had been
charged upon the Democracy during the
past canvass, and to all of them the re-
ply had been, that they were minor mat
ters-that the slavery question was the
great and overshadowing issue, and that
il was the duty of the Southern people to
sustain the Democratic party, notwith-
standing its proven iniauities. because
that party was the only one which had
the power to protect our rights. He said
further, that they had SPARED no pains to
lessen the confidence of the people in