Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-09-01
JOHN BELL ON the WAR wrrH MEXICO.


In the recent compilation of Mr.. Bells record, en-
dorsed by himself and published by the Opposition
journals, his connection with an important event in
the political history Of the country was sudously
ignored The reason why II was overlooked is OBJ
vious Expecting TO receive whatever support he
might get from the Southern people, II was impor-
tant that only those passages from his record should
be paraded from which his advocates might be able
to deduce u sombldRee Of sympathy for the rights
OF the South whilst policy, more cunning than
honorable, dictated silence upon all those great
questions Of public interest affecting the honor and
veal Of his section in reference TO which Mr. Bell
cast his fortunes with the enemies Of the South
To eNhume rottenness is always disSagreeable Of
flee, and, hence regret the necessity, which the
compilers Of this onesided narrative have imposed
upon us, Of looking for ourselves into Mr. Bells re-
cord, and exposing TO public view the freesoil filth
that cllngS to his garments.
We have charged and demonstrated that, upon
those questions which have agitated the country
since Mr. Bell came into public life which, from their
sectional hearing, drove the North and the South
into opposing positions, in large majority Of cases,
he has acted with the former. His conduct in ref
erence TO the war with Mexico furnishes no excep-
ton to the rule That war was undertaken to vindi-
cate the rights and honor Of our country which had
been repeatedly violated by long course Of aggres
sions and insults We demanded Of Mexico lin
demnity for thv past and security for the FUTURE"
The war was eminenty popular in the South A
large proportion Of the Southern Wing party thought
It's beginning unjustfable but being commenced,
they sided with their country, and wanted the war
wagcd energetically and carried 10 a successful ter
minaton. The Abolitionists to a man. opposed it
violently. They called il an "unrghteous war;
waged for pillags and conquest, and did everything
in their power to encourage the Mexicans in their
resistance and TO cripple the Federal arms IN its
efforts TO subdue them. One of the Abolition jour
mails, the "Chronotype,' at Boston, declared: at
would be sad aud woiul joy-but Joy neverthe
N hpnr he loFdpg uulpF InylOr
were, every man Of them, swept into the next
world" Where stood John Bell, Of Tennessee p
Check by iowl with Tom COrwn, Abe Lincoln and
Amos Tuck resisting the prosecution Of the war
and opposing the recommendations Of the Admins
tratou for increase Of military force in order to
end il successfully and speedily. In a speech on
this subject Mr. Bell used the following remarkable
language
But sir, should the tone Of remonstrance against
this rise so high in this chamber to penetrate
every vale in Mexico, rcycrbcratlng among her
mountains, and rouse the whole country TO spirit
Of resistance to the attempt to subdue them to our
dominion, there those who believe that greater
calamity may bcall this country, in the further
prosecution Of the war than even such a result as
that
This though not in terms, is in spirit almost
equal to the infamous "wccoue to hosptable graves
Of Tom Gorwin. The English Of the two is about
the same. What do the survivors Of the noble
Georgia Regiment" think Of It? Could such
sentiment have been uttered in Georgia with impu-
nifty? MOI II the hand Of the indignant hcarer had
not been upliled against the speaker he would
have felt and proclaimed contempt for the spirit that
could have prompted the declaration We close
this subject with another extract from the same
speech, complimentary alike TO his craftsmanship
and patriotism:
"Sir, if any should now desire to know my poor
opinion upon the proper mode Of terminating this
war say to them make the best treaty with any
existing Government you can. II you must have
the Territories Of New Mexico and California, get a
cession Of them; IL you cannot do that, come back
to the Rio Grande to the boundary you claim title
to. and thus save your honor.
My advice is to stop the war; Flee the country
as you would city doomed to destruction by fire
from Heaven ~ Columbus (Gd) Times