Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-09-07
sIr. Bell and the Mexican War-..I,eeter
from Senator Nfehoison.

There having been some MISREPRESENTATION of
portion Of Senator Nicholson's recent speech Mt
Lawrenceburg he wrote the following letter to the
editors Of the Lawrenceburg Sentinel, which we elm
from their last paper "a
COLUMBIA, August p, 1860.
Editors Ld,1rencsblTg Sentinel.
GENTLEMEN-I am informed by friend IN vour
county, that difference of recollection EXISTS with
some of those present at my recent speech at Law
renceburg, as To whether spoke Of Mr. Bells oppo-
slton to voting ssupplies" or 'renforeements dur-
ing the Mexican war. He desires me to remove The
doubt, by stating, through your paper, what did
say on the point referred to. take pleasure in re-
moving any erroneous impression that my remarks
may have made the mind of any one What |
sad in reference to Mr. Bells course on the Mexican
war, was said in answer to the charge Of disunion
so freely made against the Democratic candidates
for President and Vice President As high proof Of
the devotion of MessIs Breckenridge and Lane 10 the
Union Ireferred to the fact that they had sacrificed
all the comforts and, endearments of their homes,
and volunteered TO go to Mexico aud peril their lives
in yndication OF the honor of our country stated
whilst candidates were thus risking their lives
in Mexico, the Opposition candidate for the Presi-
dency. Mr.. Bell. was in the United States Senate
that Cen Scott. believing that his little army was
not safe in the heart. Of an enemy's country, and
surrounded by eight millions of hostile population
called upon his Government TO send him reinforce
ments- that p esident Polk accordingly recommend
ed CO0greSSll+S6Du IFOOpS STeu. LASS
as chairm fof the Military Committee in the Senate
reported bill to raise ten new Regiments for the
Mexican service stated that Mr.. Bell, not belieV-
ing our army in danger. opposed the bill, and made
the occasion for speech on the general policy of
sthei4exican war which occupied two or three days
,G.As delivery stated that whilst Mr.. Bell declin-
to express any opinion the origin of the war,
he closed his speech with certain declarations IN
condemnation of the war, of character so remark
able, that l would read them. then read the fol-
lowing, which may be found in the Appendix to the
Congressional Globe, volume 10, page 2Ol
"It said Of scipO-no; overcsme HannSal. but
Scpo the destroyer Of rthaghen the Of
and denaon around him and when he the wife Of
Hannibal arryed her richest apparel slowly ascending to the
summit Of the temple which above the and
there after A6e3g her children PrscPAng herssf iI,o the
Rome to his view with her crimes and oppresons and
he inscribed rolls Of her history sentence Of
eternal ju tee, that SIZE, too, must fall.
'Sir, il any should desire knoa opinion
the proper mode Of this war say to them make
the best treaty with sny existing oyrsmsn YOU can If YOU
must have the teitor OF New Mc and California get eeS
son Of them that hack the Rio Grxnde
to the boundary claim title and your honor
my advice Is stop the war Flee the country a. yeu would
acty doom redistribution by FIRE from Hesven"
At the close of my comments on these extracts,
some gentleman present spoke out ard asked how
Mr. Bell voted-I replied that he voted against the
bill.
have not undertaken to give my language, but
the substance of what said so far as to show that
my whole alusion to the bill for sending rein
forcements to Mexico, and that made no reference
whatever to Mr.. Bells as to supplies to the
aTmy-except so far as supplies" may embrace
troops, well as provisions or munitions of war.
feel entirely confident that used the term rein
forcements' and not the term supplies, as
speaking exclusively of bill for sending reinforce
ments.
1t is proper for to add. that Mr.. Bells speech
was delivered the I'd and 81 days of February,
1873 and that the vote was taken in the Senate on
the 18th Of March, lS4S and that Mr.. Bells vote
stands recorded against the BILL page 5O3 volume
Is, of the Congressional Globe. The following is
the vote on the passage of the bill:
Cass denApded the and the passage OF the
BILL Which ordered and taken with the folio ing
YKAsdesss Allen, Ashley, Atchson, therton, 8agby
ton sradbuy, Breese, Butler Cameron 0aSs, Davis OF Mss
spp Dcknson Dix Douglas, Downs Fitch FoOe, HAnnegan
Hunt.r Johnson Of Georgia Lew Moore Miles, Sur
gean, Turney WestcsIt and Yules-99.
NAYs-Mess. Bsdger, 8isin, Bell Berren Calhoun. Clark
Clay CorWiu Ienden DaviS Of Massachusetts Dayou
Greene, Hale johnson Of Louisiana Mangum Phelps Under
wood Upham, and "ebster-l9.
f,,lixy A n