The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-07-06
The Constitutional Union" Doctrine

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| John Bull. Of Tonnessoe. has boon po,nina
ted for the Presidency BY the Constitution
Uuion Party. for tho ostensbIe reason that
ho is a moderate and conservative man, and
not tinctured with tho dangerous beresies
of tho extremists of either section of the
country. As tho slandard-benrer of his
parry, he is presumed by credulous Union.
Savers to have no platform but tho Con.
stitutioD, the Union and tho enforcement.
Of tho laws. But it turns out, just as wo
expected, that John Bell. like other public
men, has his peculiar views in regard to
Slavery. and that they do not d'ffer mate.
rally from tho views of the Southern Prom.
uganda. or tboso views he himself must bc
the best exponent. The Richmond Whje
makes tho following extract from a specct
of John Bell, in the United States Senate,
in 1880:
"Sr, making all due allowances for
American enterprise aud the energies ot
Tree labor under such a system OF free
government as we enjoy, doubt whether
The power and resources Of the country
! would have attained more than half iheir
pre>en. extraordinary proportions but Tor
Mis- so much reviled institution OF Slavery.
Sir, your rich and varied commerce, .x.
ternal and internal; your navigation;
your commercial marine; our ample rev.
enues; the public credit; your rich, popu,
lous and splendid clies--all, all may
trace 10 this institution, as TO their well.
spring, their present gigantic proportions
--nutsed and built up 10 their present
amazing height and grandeur by the
great staples Of the South-ihe products
of Slave labor.
Slavery and all its beneficent results
are pronounced against the will of God
by those who claim superior iIlumina.
lion upon the subject. This may be So:
out L must say that this conclusion, so
confidently announced, il not arrived at
IN accordance with the Baconian method
OF reasoning, by which we are taught
that from great many particular and
well established facts in the physical econ.
omy, we may safely deduce a general law
OF physical nature, and so Of morals and
government. 1t seems to my weak fac.
ultles that ii is rather an arrogant and
prcsumptuous arraignment of the ways of
Providence, mysterious as we know them
10 De, Tor feeble man 10 declare, that that
which has been permitted to exist and
prosper from the beginning among men
and nations is contrary to his will"
The Whig. with prido and pleasure. points
Virginlans and Southerners" to these re-
corded opinions Of John Boil, as n proof of
Ills soundness on the question of Slavery.
Aud what bottor proof could bo desirod !:
We doubt that MIR. Yancey himself takes
stronger ground in favor of the divine right
OF Slavery and yot this is the man who is
said to have no principles, no policy. no
mo'to no platform, but tho Constitution
tho Union aud the enforcement Of th.
Inws
what an insult is tho platform Of the
Constitutional Union Party to the commo
sense OF tho nation ! 1t Mr. Boil had no
~eil.defned and settled viows upon the
question of Slavcry--n question which, much
as We may rogret 1t, must be of paramount
importance until il is decided as it should
be-ho would. for that very reason, If no
other, DO unfit for tho Presidency. But,
when it becomes apparent that under the
sprcious guise of devotion to tho Constitu-
tion. the Union and tho laws, is concealed
in his bosom the monster of Slave Propa.
eandism, who that has one drop of Anti.
Slavery blood in his veins. ear support him :
Mr.. Bells doctrine of tho divine rich, Of
Slavery. by which, if no we're elected. we
have every reason 10 believe his Admins.
tra'ion would be governed. seems wo,so. If
possible. when IL is sought to DO enforced
in tho namo of the Constitution.