Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1860-12-20
Onglnia frct 4lrrss.
c III y II l. T. : L . w y.
Thursday Morning, Dee. 2O, 1860.
LETTER FRoMmoN. JOHN BELL
Secession no ltCmcdy for South
cTn Wrongs.
BY GALLAHER & co.


- d
D-Tr StT Gould l have battered myallf
that any argumcu, / could addrr.. b the Mass
Meeting appointed tor tie 1Sth alt al NickN-
burg would contribute "a any important degree
tp aId You snd souI ouiupatrlots IN STAYING thc
progress Dt the sentiment winch thUntcns 60
puecipitate your state into political vortex
which va ulg IiligturBt would bc no less fatal
% her own interests than ruinDus t. those ot
her nvighbOrs would at any personal sacTi-
fUs have ubcyct th. summons Of nav friends :
but feeling no such conhdcnc. l.. my ability 90
serve thrtn n you asrTibc 10 me ia your letter
/ have Ni-ld,-i 10 tHo force of circumstances
which cia'uied my attention at lone.
30 tar a. uIs views and opinions may have
sny weight or inhuvucc IA dcicrwirigs '!.r
course ot any portion OF the - oi Missis,ip.
~ m thr present critical IiueturU thew nay be
stated un paper. and suppose would lc ~ Il
iectIs. sos tiie purpusc mt,udcd they would
te 10 communicated IN q spcych
lhv question nf Shisi importance % bc consid
7 cred, aud answered, -, whether the election of
NJ. Lincoln u tie Pp,-Idcncy considered ia al
- s'gnihcasce And bcaTing- together wi,h all
precedent and existing grievances, would iust
Is MI--issIppi. or auy otisr state or stats u.
~ilhdfaS.hg from tuc 1 MON In form. the
election WAS IE strict accordance with the rcg-t
lailDus prescribed by tb. Constitution nnl laws
llc objection 10 it - that At was effected by
purely sectional party, organized upon tlc prin-
Cpic oi hostility 90 slavery, and having for it,
PRIME ubJrCt the repression Il slavery. A. Q per.
uian-ut administrative policy. with a yfcu TO
j. ultimate extinction. ~ cannot - doubt a
that ah administration Of the GOycrnm,nt bnsri
upon this policy could operate far more eifsctu-
ally in bringing about the extinction of slavery
in the south. through oftcial influence and pa
trpuagc. than by any more direct mode OF 40,
tack.
But it s. e..ar that thc Federal Government
vas established tor no such purpose ~ ol.js-t,
for however strongly many ~ tlir trainers -
fLf Constitution wtfr oppo-rt o. -lzyery. d is
notorious tiat % was owing 90 their iorhearance
e. iusfst up0n their objections 60 ihr clause iu
she Instrumrnt proydlnZ iDr the rrLdition Ut
i8EIuT, slaves o. their owners. that sr have ANS
eirrhi MON IL was upon tit,s question thai
tig touvtutlun was. 90 one time. upon the point
I'D breaking up ih confusion b. pOifcy Of mak
lng uIs sptrnuteut au fundamentally ioF M,
urprts.Ig. ~ eAuu,tuu ot siasUry. % ~ now az
tsmpt,d bs tlle party which j, -oon o. bc ,r
power was never contemplated hy tbs irsnsyF.
go tbf Constitution
have oi.cu expressed ihr opinion dat tb.
slcetss oi purely sectional party. orgasis-t
pom uut ruu,IIte sentiment or policy in rtrpu.
htfa.rf.i-lH A. tuo intrrvst4 and sfniitaruts 81
Dbl. opposing aui detect tr.' section would decri,
imf-li fIr oiu8 udr d.d believe uuui ii.
r.-llt nI n.e October elections beeaIns knYyru
Hsf "a mal lsrtB Of fhr Nmthsm people ~Iolt
ever -u Iaf disregard far ea1HseIs s11 warning
9i N ssh.uEinu ts tn riIIt tte SOL FlHIH af s.
rsItg ta u.r fr,a.i.Hrf lir -iettfDn ~ So
iaH.air hs % -r.t.1a party aa.f.1 ard sos
tlI1ei arpn f'r dIstu.ufr Frrrlr' uf 9IIss
t.aH tl slavery as t r2l.Is Dbl U.. -aaftlar
-iatrs cod ttoviug Dol raicy ~ bee trI.rrss. .a
atI ansl ettn.usu ~ prahhlung ils ekttr
sian i1t1 fhr lrfutlrss was 1u.i rHyrn
m.1f ulaH ute ts,Hper sni forlraranrr eI fh
~a5ft ari Irrn fbe strength n ths.r l.y sify q
tsl lr.na lh.t rsplfinirut u nHt .anctIsa
inas s.f.,t of disunlJn. sas mads ~ .fh ~ rel g.
dl.rtatafI af o1usslttsaasets \ % ErfsuE sffai
atln ft. laau.lfs ek.rh bad Co., tao er,a
fatfirus ni il.e epnutFY together fsHId r. b.
eI laH GEL ait-mpf i1 ,riahl'sl HI rsafl flIifsf
f.r .rl.tH...l EH.rrI.ll,Ht 81. Id ll..u tu- D HIt
afir- Ite iale Harrsou l'fny tits of l',lsUa
a.o 5f ths aesf Distinguished ani atir 1f Nr
fnf and sts.e.Hls1 e-slfn raiisai sIs.sa. ia u.
o. rie- f. sta.ff .i b. asHis aHi iaf .r.s
eI.rfirE ia. f.llsfF pfoEfcss 1f s rsiri lilH
. ila spiff tHn I.lian.ng is 1.ilsf rsr.t He.
Hr.saltr-. fls .r.l aaisr States af a. fa.f mi
Nslfh. iH a sr,ttt etiiFsr,l in lnurau iia
dd n8t lltlfstt f1 sEpless uu srinIan iasf q
pIana ani dte ai o. At.l.tau eael.tfs ,
Al u.-r rtfs fllen CALLED. Ants siaFrfy AseH.
af.Hae Clnte.unIlfs.i $3.50 ~ iHteri. .saef ID
fhs d1a ss.r s- rY sHd lns. flt lrs cf ~ -lu
81 e-rlf 81 : ~r-l .rl- H-ft NJ ~ .farf 1.