Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1860-12-20
Letter FROM JOHN BELL.

Hon. John Bell having been invited to address.
the citizens Of vicksburs, Mississippi, on ..the
present position OF affairs, declined ATTENDING
and in lieu of a speech submitted his views in
letter. He sets out BY stating the grounds tn,
South has 10 the electionof a sectional President
and presents them forcibIy, but in considerin.
what Is the duty of tie South, while he admits
they Shave Alright to complain" their grievan
ces are not such as TO ';justify the surrender BY
"the Southern States of their interest IN the rich
sand glorious heritage OF the Onion, and to such
safety and the undisturbed enjoyment Of then
"rights in Southern confederacy,n and iustife:
the conclusion, by the following consideration
Isl. Mr.. Lincoln, it is well known
does not hold extreme opinions on the sub.
ject Of slavery. II is certain that. he has
expressed decided opinion that the South
has constitutional right to demand She
faithful execution Of the Fugitive Slave law
and that under certain circumstances he
would feel j. his duty not 10 oppose the ad
mission of a new slave State into the u
Mon. HIS declaration on this point is lit.
tie satisfactory TO the South; but neither
that declaration, nor the opinion expressed
by him on the subject Of the Fugitive
Slave Law is at all satisfactory to the ex
tremists of his own party. .' q. p
Upon the whole, if Mr.. Lincoln's public
declarations on the subject of slavery are
10 be considered as the true exponents of
his future policy, and if he possesses the
moral coxrage TO adhere 10 them in opposi.
tion TO the counsels Of the extreme men Of
his party, (and il is just and fair 10 pre-
sumo that he does possess that virtue, ! no
serious mischief need be apprehended du-
ring his administration, excep, the usual
evils attending the perpetual agitation Of
the slavery issue.
z. But il is assumed by some tina, Mr..
Lincoln has disguised his true sentiments;
that his true character has not been under
stood; and that he will be under the control
of the worst men of his party. | do not
think so. | have every confidence that bis
future policy will be found TO be in strict
conformity with his past declarations. But
apart from this, it is n ow generally knewn
that he will be powerlsss for mischief, ex.
cept TO very limited extent, during the
first two years Of his administration, unless
The Southern Senators and Representatives
elected 10 the next Congress should rashly,
and as think, iDexeusably resign their
seats or retire from Congress, and thus vol
UNFAIRLY surrender the control in both houses
1" the Republican party, which surely they
will not do. With both Houses opposed
10 him, Mr.. Lincoln cannot appoint his
Cabinet Ministers or fill any Offices of high
grade, without the assent of the Senate, or
indeed Of any inferior grade above that Of
clerk or petty deputy postmaster. He
will be able TO carry no measure connected
with The subject of slavery which dees net
commend itself 10 the South and the censer-
vstive members OF the North.
3. As to any apprehension that the Re-
publican party, encouraged and stimulated
TO further efforts by their late success, may
be Sc strengthened in the result of the cleo.
tlon'of Senators and Representatives, in
The meantime, as to obtain q majority in
both Houses of the 18th Congress, that is
during the last two years Of Mr.. Lincoln's
Administration; while it may be we'll to re-
gard such an event as possible, the siren.
gest reasons exist fer the confident belief
that NJ such unfortunate result will attend
the elections in the North, which are To de-
eide the complexion OF the 3Sth Congress.
OF the whole number of votes cast for
hr. Lincoln IN the recent election, from nv
own personal knowledge, and from inform.
alton received from other sources. of the
sentiments Of The South, and especially of
those Of the Middle States, and The States
north Of the Ohio, / am sure | bszzard
nothing in stating that large number
a! least one-third-are devoted TO the u
Mon, and although opposed to slavery in
the abstract, have but little sympathy with
the Republican, party, and would be SINGER
ny glad TO see the slavery controversy be.
tween the two great sections OF the coun-
Try speedily Terminated. They supported
the Republican candidate in the election.
mainly influenced by their strong and in.
veterate feelings Of opposition 10 the Dem.
aoratic party believing that Mr.. Lincoln
was The only available candidate in the field
10 defeat that party.
l am also, well satisfied that not more
than one-third part of Mr.. Lincoln's sup.
poriers are SO extreme in their anti-slayery
sentiments, and are animated by 90 intense
q hatred OF the South, as TO be either Who'll.
ly indifferent to the effect upon the Union
OF the policy of the Republican party, or
actually DESTROYS of separation Of the free
State from the slave States. |,
or the remaining third Of Mr.. Linosln's
supporters, l think ana warranted in say
ing thatthey are attached to the Union,
though snti-slsvsry in their sentiments.-
They joined the Republican party as
retaliatory measure, adopted in resent
ment Of The repeal Of the Missouri Compro.
mise, which they regarded as little less So
cred aud binding than the Constitution, and
IN further resentment, of the attempt to 4
force the LecomptOn Constitution, upon the
people of Kansas. But now that they have
so signally triumphed in the late election,
and in view of the evils already inflicted
upon the country end the still greater e.
wills to bs aPprehended, they will be content
to cease the war upon Southern interests
and feelings. Il
For the fcFeoaino reasane fall ,.ae ,