Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-08-29
Ens rs~sr to abolish slavery in the Di'-


Mr. BELL and his candidates for Electors, his
campaign paper and other political journals in Ten
nesse openly proclaim that Congress has the power
to abolish slavery in the Distrie. of Columbia
His campaign paper, published by his State Execu-
tive Committee, says: ac
There are many respectable lawyers IN len !
nessee, many able ones If any such believe that
Congress does not possess this power, let US near
from them. If no respectable lawyer will pleoge
himself to such argument, let Us hear 90 hore
complaint of Mr. Bell for having expressed the
contrary opinion. 1t will be mockery and hYPo-
crisy.2
Here is an open defiance by Mr., BELLS organ for
anv opponent to meet him or his friends upon
this question of power over slavery in the Dis
triet. If we felt that it was necessary to make
an argument against Mr.. BELLS claim of power
for Congress we would refer to the Congress
ional Debates and reproduce one of the many
masterly and unanswerable efforts of great South
ern Statesman now dead who in lite, met the
Abolition leaders in debate upon this subject. We
have another purpose in view now. In 1886, HUGH
L. WHITE and MARTIN VAN buren, were opposing can
didates for the Presidency. Mr.. BELL was justly
garded as second only to Judge WHITE in his party.
The Nashville Republican was the leading organ Of
the WHITE party. Gen. WASHINGTON BARROW, who
is stumping for Mr. BELL then the editor of the
Republican lii his paper of April 18th, 1886, we
find an article from the Columbia Observer then, as
we are informed, edited by Gen. ZoIIIcoFFEB. The
Observer was jealous co-worker of the Republi
cans IN the WHITE cause. We ask the BELL men of
to-day TO read the article from the Observer and see
what change has come over the dreams of JOHN
BELL, Gen. BARROW, and the old WHITE men of Ten
nessee, who now believe that Congress has the
power to abolish slavery in the District of Column
bia Hear the Observer as copied into the Republican
by Gen. BARROW:
'Freemen of the slaveholding States, choose be-
| tween the two men, white and Van Buren;)-cast
your votes for man whose interests are your IN
| terests, Who will prosper when you prosper, and
fall when you fall. cast them for one whe seems
disposed and willing to bring upou you curse eVei
MORE DREADFUL THAN THE PLAQUES OF EGYPT
We once hoped and believed Mr.. Van Buren,
could not so much wish crush the interests OF the
Southern States as to join IN oih the AbotonSts, 6d
his olcn dUolodl has Undecided us; he has come ola
openlu i favor of Me doctrine CONGRESS HAS THE
POWER TO ABOLISH SLAVERY THE DISTRICT OF CoLUM-
BA This is the very matter, it will be recolleeted
about which there has been the most contention
the AbulltioiStS loiSh TO make commencement there
and then they hope to spread their influence
throughout the whole of the siaveholdIng States.
Congress has the power to take mans property
from him in the District of Columbia, has 1t not ht
same pooer 10 lCreSt from the citizens Of all the Sdte
their SldUeS or their property? SURELY IT HAS YES
EVEN FROM YOU, CITIZENS OF MAURY COUNTY! WI
ARE ALL CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES ENTITLEI
TO THE SANE PRIVILEGES, AND IF ONE MANS PROPER
TY CAN BE TAKEN FROM HIM BY CONGRESS, ANoTHERi
CAN Also. If this power should be exercised, ant
the people of the slave States be compelled TO ll0e
rate their slaves the next and greatest evil 49, they
are to remain free amongst u.s. intermlXed and jun
bed together and then may say tdrel1ea TO pedc
{ and hdppipesS-OUR GRAY HEADED FATHERS WILL EVE
LIVE TO SEE THE DAY WHEN NOTHING But CoNTEN
TIoN STRIPES AND BLOoDsHED WILL BE KNOWN IN OF
= LAND ARE THE PEOPLE OF TENNESSEE, WE ASK, PRE
E PARED FOR Such EvENTW
BELL men of Tennessee, read the above which WI
have emphasized for you. See where Mr.. BELL AM
5 his party stood in 1886. See how they accused Nh
VAN buren, of seeming disposed and aoiaing to brln
upon you curse more dreadful THAN THE PLAQUES o
: EGYPT" ave once. hoped and believed Mr. VA
BUREN, would not Join lOih the AbolitoniSts 81
0 his o,un avouql has ndeceUed US; he has come on
openly in fduor of the doctrine that Congress has
poooe- to abolish slavery in the District Of Columbia
Strike out the name of Mr. VAN buren, and insert tn
t name of Mr.. BELL and how would read the articl
from this paper that fought with Mr.. BELL agains
Mr.. VAN BUREN? Was Gel. BARROW and Mr.. BELL i
earnest in 1886, when they denounced Mr.. VAN BI
rem for believing that Congress had power to abo
ish slavery in the District of Columbia!