Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1860-09-15
aoynfoundea Accusation.

A correspondent in the State Of MiSsi>si,i-
pi applies TO us for authentic Information III
regard TO the circumstances attending the
passage of the bill prohibiting the slave ira,l..
in the District of Columbia. Is one OF the
measures which formed a part Of the ''Great
Adjustment concerted ia the year 1850. lie
also desires us to give correct statement OF
the positions assumed by Mr.. Bell in the de
bate that was had on that subject in the Sen
ate of the United States These positions.
we learn from our correspondent. are drawn
into question by some OF Mr.. Bells political
opponents in the State OF Mississippi, for the
purpose of impEting TO him want OF sound
ness" upon the relations of slavery under
this heal.
As the pcrjinacily with which this charge
is made by a certain class OF politicians at
the South against all who are not Democrats
does not depend upon the amount or the NJ
taTe of the facts that can be cited to Justify
IT. we are not in the habit Of noticing any OF
the accusations brought against Mr.. Bell on
this score, because we are well assHT'd that
Intelligent readers Of all parties have soiii-
GENTLY learned to disregard this cuckoo cry,
which has 20 long been raised nOminalIy IN
The interest of slavery. bat really IN the in
tercst OF LaTty. j. Is only as the latter Is in
peril that these selfappoinied guardians OF
Southern rights grow proPortionally dubious
about the capability o. any others than them
selves TO defend the palladium of Southern
society,".
But in the present case ilr queries OF our
correspondents relate 10 the District OF Col
umbia. in which we reside, and as. Tor his
reason. we might b. supposed especially
coonizant of the facts 10 " sich our attention
is called. we take leave {" say hat III" Oh
iections brought against Mr.. Bell Tor the part
he took in the discussion Of the act providing
for the suppression OF tie slave trade ~ this
District are without any foundation cr even
colorado prcteZt. The views be ann"GnceH
an that occasion, and the votes which he "ave
in the preparatory stages aud on the final
Pisaio q isf gaze at VIZ; R?E u 5SGHspt
by that same comprehensive and judiCiOus
s;atcsmau-hip which lie has displayed NJ 9th
er critical periods in our civil history. \
brief recital OF facts Will set this whole mai
ter in a clear light
The bill originally introduced into The
Senate under tins head. as the last ri the
compromise measures al ikat date. made
simple provision against the prosecution OF
the slave trade in the District OF COLUMBIA
On Inc 81 Of September. 1850. Mr.. Pcarcr. oil
MARYLAND. moved to amend IL lay appointing
three. additional sections offered. Is he stat;
ed. at the instance and suggestion at the cor
porate authorities OF Washington. Oh these
additional sections two provided penalties
for the cHt.cement of slaves to escape from
their owners. and propos ii Il method OF
awarding compensation Ia Owner> actually
DANA gcd by the abduction Oi their servants.
A third section erected prohibitions against
the ingress and habitancy Of free persons OF
color within The District ui Columbia.
These amendments were opposed 10y Mr..
Clay aud others. on the ground that how
ever proper they might b. IA Themselves.
thew were not gcFmane TO the particular sub
ject and purpose of the bill before the Ssnatc-
On the other hand. the prorrIeiy oil their
passage was advocated 10y many Southern
Senators. net only because the ubI"CtS pro
posed yer, legitimate III themselves, hui i','-
cause they would give strength and Symmc-
try to a measure which. without them, might
possibly be regarded as pure and simple
concession TO the eXactioES of Northern preju-
dice. Among those who Entertained this
opinion was Mr. Bell: and ihe remarks hr
made IN yiudicaIiUu ul this view clearly dis
close the convictions 81 public duty under
which he acted in vOtiGg for tie amendments
OF Mr.. Pcarce, and, when iLCs.- were dcleat-
ed in voting gainSt the bill Itself. AXuwing
himself favorable TO the usicct propose cd by
the bill II only that object could De atiaIncd
in equal deicrtRcc 10 both Northern and
Southern scnsibilities, he refused 10 vote FOR
the bill as it finally passed. because. IN that
81 -
ONLY at the North. while H. aimed Ia secure
by 1t an equally happy effect III ihe south.
How such Il position as ibis sbuud I'M ar
raigucd for want of loyalty TO The south
must pass the comprehension II all " hU de
not sufficiently allow for the yirulencr and
| injustice OF partisan dcmtncaIion.
The remarks made at the same time by Mr..
| Bell with regard 10 the constitutional power
| of Congress over slavery in the District Of
.E.. At l.,.r.
| exercise tor the abolition II slavery. even
| II sUCH u EUuvI UIC conceded to ~ pIcf'I y
| as well as exclusive, are So plain that. is 1t
seems to Us. their meaning can he misCou-
strugd by none save those who have 4 pur-
| pose TO subserye 10y the CARRIED texts We have
| seen quoted under his head. .Iu-t as little
| foundation can we see for the deductions
drawn by political prejudice from certain
| hypothetical propositions announced Ivy Mr..
| Bell in the same speech on this SUBJECT. We
! cannot perceive any disloyalry tn the South
in the declaration that - # The sentiment OF
| the adjacent States, and oil the South gener-
| ally, were Tess infiamed on the subject he
! would prefer 10 see slavery abolished in this
| District rather than il snopld remain as an
| ..open question: to he fruitful source ut pro-
/ IOnged aCilatiOns. Expressly promising that
| his remarks were based on Il supposed state
OF facts, he questioned whether the abolition
of slaycery IN this District. roth the voluntary
assent Of the Southern Simes Us one Of as c1adi
| ti0Es precedent, Woul not be an event 10 which
| he people OF the South might justly reconcile
themselves, A. at the same time. such Il con
cessiUn was appointed to BE- the uiti,g hiule OF
the slavery agitation, and #, in this spiritthey
could hope 10 accept it rs a test Of The tar
thest limit TO which the North intended to
press the anti-slavery policy. To any can
did mind this would seem 10 be the language
of a calm out TesOlute defender Of Southern
rights. Ii is the language of one who COM
bines the sagaciiy OF the skilliul iactician
with the deliberate valOr CT the intrepid lead
er. and who, in selecting the point at which
| he proposes to make Il stand cOmtcmplatCS
something more decisive than the ieiltS and
surprises Of such inferior political straicgists
| as show so much more discretion i'll deSerting
than devotion in maintaining the false posi-
| tons into which they betray themselves by
a headlUng PreciPltance
Il i. in fact. u significant tribute To- the
moderation and equity displayed by Mr..
| Bell in arbitrating between the Interfering
| claims Of the North and of the South, in re
| gard to the disposition OF slavery in this Dis
| trict, that his opponents in each section find
| it necessary to maugle and pervert his record
| on the subject. in order to Sustain the pre-
cisely opposite allegations which they re-
| speciively bring against him Tor his conduct
/ in this matter. These cOntradIctiu nay, In
1 fact. be properly left to neut!alZe each other,
| as it is only by the mutual falsiticatIous they
| afiiX TO each other that they can serve the
cause of historic truth aud political fairness
| -NGijOHat IateliJgeHeer.
sewing EIaehInes-Reported Exten.
VI