Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-08-10

the charge of Maj. Polk true in its full extent
not it iseyident that the Abolionists were pleas
ed with Mr.. BELL, and were profuse in their ae-
acknowledgements Of the obligation the5 owed him for
the services be had done them. He was compli-
mented BY SEWARD before an abolition audience IN
Detroit Michigan, as viii be found in his speech as
published IN the New York Tribune. He was com
plmensed by GREELEr in his speeches before the out
laws Of Kansas during his pilgrimage to that Terri
tory. He was complimented by BuRlSeAME and
others IN their abolition philpcs both in and out of
congress. The New York Tribune in declar-
ing its policy for the future, sad .sittE
1t seems to us the plain duty of the Republican
Is 20 regard and treat as brothers all who stand with
us IN opposition TO the Lecompton fraud-to invite
| them to our councils ard to orr confidence while
cheerfuliy asserting to their prosecution of their
| snare IN the common enterprise under their own
banner In their own fasion-to act freely and faith
iuily IN accordance with our own convictions, and
accord to them the utmost liberty in doing likewise
10 as the path of duty is plain. Henceforth to
tse END OF this struggle we know all who resist the
imposition OF the Lecompton fraud on Kansas
| OretlTee, while we regard those who uphold that
fraud as deadly enemies, not merely to Kansas and
the republican party, but TO the principles of Amer
lcan independence, the inalienabe rights of man.
POLITICALLY the champions OF that fraud are enc
mics; its opponents far as they willing to be-
Democratic or American member of Congress who
reslsts the Lecompton fraud 10 the bitter end and
then declares himself the determined and persistent
adversary of its authors and abettors, as demanded
alike by fidelity to principle and to the interests Of
freedom"
Senator SEWARD in his speech in the Senate against
the admission of Kansas under the Lecompton Con-
stitution as Slave State, having declared that agi
taton of the slavery question is to go until the
Supreme Court of the United States is reorganized
or shall reeede from its doctrines contained in the
bred Scott Decision, Mr. BELL undertook to counsel
moderation after the following order:
Whatever may be the decision of the Supreme
Court on the power of Congress to interfere with
the question of slavery in the Territories and how
ever clear and well founded in principle and au-
thority its decisions may be, have supposed that
inasmuch as it is question of constitutional con-
strucon Interpretation, and relates to the juris
diction and power of special department of the
governments department always more or less I'M
der the influence of political considerations, the
question would not be regarded permanently set
tied and that whenever in future, as heretofore
Congress shall be called upon to legisate concerning
territory, the question will again become the sub
ject OF decision, and such decision the majority
| shall think pFopeftO declare Congress was never
| swayed by the opinion CT the Supreme Court on the
question of its powers to establish National Bank
nor will it be controlled by any of its opinions on
questions involving political considerations"
Such was the policy which Mr.. BELL would sug-
gest as the Means of avoiding the decision of the
Supreme Court IN the of bred Scott, settling
the rights of the Southern States in relation to the
Territories. What matters it that that tribunal
have determined that the citizen of a slave State
ha the constitutional right 10 emigrate to the
common Territory. and be there protected by the
strong arm Of the Government in the enjoyment of
his property upon equal footing with the citizen
of free State, the question would not be regard
ed as permanently settled Congress was never
swayed by the decision of the Supreme Court on
the question of its power to establish National
Bank nor will it be controlled by any of its opinions
on questions involving political considerations"
This was a more adroit, but certainly not more
manly way than that of Mr. SEWARD for avoiding
the difficulties presented to the purposes of anti
slavery by the action of the Court. And yet with
the more polite Black Republicans we might well
suppose the plan of Mr.. BELL would be more ac-
ccptable. TO understand more fully the scope and
effect of Mr.. BELLS position in this connection it
was only necessary for Mr. SEWARD and his friends
to refer to previous speech delivered by that gen.
teman in the Senate the 18th of September. 1850
in which he said:
with regard to the constitutional power of Con-
Bf6bS, WOut0 say, JuS only QOuDL nave OF the
istence of such power either to suppress the slave
trade abolish slavery in the District of Columbia
is inspired by the respect have for the opinions of
so many distinguished and eminent men, both in and
out of Congress- who hold that Congress has not the
power.
Reading the Constitution for myself l believe
that Congress has all the power over the subject
which the States have within their Jurisdiction
1t must also be borne in mind that when Mr.. BELL
had concluded his services In aiding the Black Re-
pubcans and Mr.. DOUGLAS in preventing the admIs
sion of Kansas under pro-slavery Constitution the
admiration which he had excited at the North was
properly acknowledged by the tender of pub
lie dinner in New York the invitation to which wcs
| communicated to him by such men as HORACE GREE
LEY, TRUMAN SMITH, RAYMOND, BROOK and Others in
the following complimentary terms
| "The undersigned have observed through years
with profound and increasing admiration, your en-
inenty patriotic ,statesmanlike and truly national
course in the councils of our common country sig
nalized by devotion TO the institutions not of sec
ton merely, but of our whole Union, and especially
in late critical and dangerous emergency in which
perous agitation has been Gained. and probable
ity of civil war arrested in good part through
your wisdom justice and moderation
To these iatterng testimonials of esteem. Mr.
BELL replied in terms equally fiattering He said:
among the names subjoined to the invitation |
recognize many familiar to the whole country, as
eminent in the various walks of public life, some
who have been distinguished IN the public service
others who have given direction and tore to Opin-
ion, and others still who have but recently stood
in comparative political antagonism.
"When these various shades of opinion are thus
blended together, and actuated by common i'm
pulse in arriving at common object, it augurs well
for the success of the cause with which they are
Unidentified. In the present position of public af-
fairs assurance is more suspicious than that |
such men should unite, animated by the same pat !
riotlc inspiration and act together for that great
end, by which the country may be redeemed from |
the rule of utraism; the excuses of party may be
restrained, stagnant commerce may be revived and
suffering industry protected"
Nm. BELL rejoices at the union of such men as /
GREELEY, RAYMOND, BROOKS, TRUMAN, SMITH and 9TH
ers "actuated by common impulse in arriving at |
a common object" the putting down the ''ultraism"
which he intimated then in power. What sort
of ultralsm? Notaboltonism, for the sgners of the
invitation, whom he addressing, had been and
are still the champions of that party. 1t was the
"ultraism" of the National Democracy to which Mr.
BELL referred as it had shown itself in the passage
of the Kansas Nebraska Bill, reasserting the doc
trine of the Compromise of 1885, advocated by Mr..
CLAY and in support of the admission of Kansas in
to the Union a State under the Lecompton Con-
stitution, which Gen. ZOLLICoFFER, Col READY and
MP. MAYNARD had supported, anu DOth OF which Mr..
BELL had united with his Black Republican cores
pondents in opposing. This was the species of 'ul-
which rendered it necessary in his judg-
ment for a union of the Northern and Southern op-
position to overthrow and displace.
Very different was the position of Gen. ZOLIICOF-
FER the able representative in Congress from this
District at that time, who had pursued directly
opposite course to Mr.. BELL and of his recognized
1rgan the Nashville Patriot which had the manli-
say in strange contrast with It's present po
sItion:
For the quiet repose and substantial good of the
country we could have wished thai this contest i
night have been avoided But it is already clear i
hat there is a strong, powerful party in the q
Sorth determined at every hazard to oppose the :
omission of any more States into the Union toler-
Iting the institution of domestic Slavery party u
indeed, blind to the demands of justice and equal
ty. that has made unto itself law higher than the