Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1860-08-23
JOHN BELL'SSLAVERY RECORD.
From the Mobile Advertiser, August 81

life and record of Mr. Bell, did not need
this letter TO satisfy them of his entire
sOundness on all questions involving the
Constitutional rights of the South. No
public man ever made record more dis
tinct or emphatic; purer or sounder. or
more eminently conservative. But there
were some who were not familiar with his
public lie, and there were others who, ad-
hitting his soundness heretofore, desired
his opinion now. To all such, the letter
which we this day publish cannot fail 10
prove entirely satisfactory, and We shall
expect 10 hear Of an immediate access
sion 10 our ranks Of hundreds who cave
hitherto h Id back until their doubts could
be removed, There can now be no excuse
for any true Southern man, who desires the
Constitutional protection of all our rights.
and at the same time preserve The Union,
Withholding his support from John Bell
Those whe openly advocate disunion, as
well as those who are working insidiously
to "precipitate the cotton States into rev.
sutton" will, Of course vote for Breokin-
ridge, To them We have no appeal to make:
MONTGOMERY, Ala, July Both, 1860.
Editor .ddUsrtiSer:: On The 7th Inst, |
addressed 10 the Hen. john Bell the follow.
ing interrcgatories:
First, Does a Territorial Legislature
possess the power to innibit or establish
slavery?
Second, Does Congress possess such
power?
Third, l. the owner Of slave property in
tire Territories entitled to the same protec.
tioh by The Federal Government in the
peaceful enjoyment of his slave property
that the owner of any property is? To
which he has responded as fellows:
NASHVILLE, July %, 1860.
DEAR SiR:-Your letter Of the 7th inst.
cams duly TO hand, but inasmueh as the
only answer | could make TO the inquiries
contained in your letter, consistently with
the obligation am under to respect the
views Of those who placed me in the posi-
tion now occupy before the public, would
be 10 refer you, and those whom you rep
resent, 10 my past course, and 10 the views
and principles heretofore expressed and
Evoxed by me upon the questions in any
manner connected with the subject of your
inquiries, concluded that il woud be more
respectful and satisfactory to postpone nv
answer until l could accompany it with q
collection of such OF my speeches, &C., or
Of extracts from them as would sufficiently
illustrate my past course and show What
were the views and principles heretofore
expressed and avowed by me. II required
more time than supposed would be neces-
saryto prepare the collection or compilia-
ton desired, and hence, my answer to
your letter has been delayed beyond my ex-
pectatiou. Ii is now, however, completed
and published in the National Union" Of
the 2lst inst, a copy of ,rhich I transmit
kcreuita. 81
desire to be understood that on deelin.
ing 10 make any further or different an
swer to your letter, than simply TO refer
you TO my past political course, l am not
controlled exclusively by the authority and
views ofthe Convention which nominated
me as their candidate for the Presidency.-
concur fully and most heartily in the con-
clusion 10 which they came, that it yves in.
expedient and unwise TO adopt any platform
of principles beyond the simple declaration
Of their purpose 10 maintain the Constitu-
lion, the Union and the Laws. Permit
me 10 express the hope that you will find
IN this declaration of purpose BY tie Con-
veniIOn, and in the authentic exposition of
my past political course, sufficient and sat-
isiactory assurances that in the event of my
election to the Presidency. all the Constitu-
tional rights. whether Of the States or of the
people Of the States, will be upheld to the
full extent of The power and influence of
the Executive Department of The Govern
ment.
i am, with great respect, your fellow cit
izen. JNO. BELL.
Andrew H. H. Dawson, Esq, Chair
man, Sc.
In this compilation of his speeches and
votes which he enclosed 10 me and, by q
special reference TO the same, made part
Of his answer 70 my letter. l find that in
speech made by him on the Oath and 25th
of May, 1854, AMI which is published in
the 29th vol Cong Globe, pages 947-959,
he uttered the following language, to-wit:
As TO the principles Of "squatter sover-
eighty" | wish further to say, that in the
late contest between General Taylor and
The honorable and distinguished Sesator
from Michigan, Gen. Cas-. it was dis l
tinctly brought forward as an issue before
The people Of Tennessee. In
that contest, in common with the South gen.
orally, they Ethe people Of Tennessee re-
pudisted the idea that handful, or any
number Of inhabitants, in a Territory Of
the United States, should have tho power
granted to them by Congress of regulating
their domestic institutions at their disere.
ton, TO DENY TO THE CITIZEN OF osE SEC
TIoN OF THE USIss THE PowHR TO KsJoY
HIS RIGHT OF PROPERTY IN SLAVES. We
were not prepared to reverse and set aside
the previously established practice and
doctrines Of the Government from 1889 tel