The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1860-08-24
Bells Position on the slavery Ques-

Bells Position on the Slavery Ques- a
tion. o
The result of the Kentucky election,
and the impulse thereby given to
the Bell and Everett movement,
render it proper that the opinions OF
Bell on the slavery question should
be fully and correctly made known
to the public. Nor is this difficult
task. lie has served in Congresses
and Cabinets; be participated in the
great controversies of 80 and 81
His record is therefore extensive,
and Judging from a letter of his, re-
Gently written and published, he re.
ters to it with pride, and confidently
invites it's inspection. We think itl
will be found, on examination, that
he is a decided pro-slavery man;
that his opinions on the slavery ques.
ton arc identical with those profess
ed by the Breckenridge Democracy !,
and not at all with those which we're
held by Clay and the Whig party
True, he is not an agitator of that
question, and that is the sole dif-
ference in the premises between him
and tho Southern Democracy
Neither does he countenance dis.
union, nor treason of any kind
His policy is to protect and extend
slavery within the Union, without
contemplating the alternative of sec
ession in the event ofthat policy being
frustrated. We believe we thus de
fine his position correctly on the
paramount issue of the time, and
especially Of the present canvass;
and in doing 80 we serve to elucidate
the causes which have given Ken
lucky to the Union party by a
sweeping majority. Assuming that
Kentucky is mainly pro slavery, bot
at the same time devoted to the
Union, it follows that Bell must
have beaten Breckenridge there, as
the latter is identified with a party
which is supposed to be tainted
with disunion. The fate OF the
Douglas faction in the slave states
seems to be, cooperation first and
incorporation ultimately with the
Union party. In the election refer.
red to, the Douglas man generally
voted for Leslie Combs, and in his
address, published few days ago
that gentleman does not fail to ac'
knowledge the favor, nor to land the
National Union Democracy"-i
synonym Of his own coming fol
sduatter sovereignty Democracy
Special causes in this state will q
lar to counteract, for the present, tn,
mutual tendency to fusion on the
part OF the followers Of Bell and tn,
followers OF Douglas; but yet W,
have little doubt that as a genera
} thing the latter will act with tn,
former in November, unless III,
Rreckinridge movement, initiated
by Polk, Greene and Hughes, shouiC
} prove a failure.
The protection and extension o
slavery within the Union is the plat
form on which John Bells recorC
establishes him. In the great debat,
. on the Compromise measures o
, 1850, he argued that slavery is riIh
: in itself, and bcnchccnt in its opera
: tions and results; that the powers
: ard resources of the Conledcracy
: would not be half what they are
: except Tor slave lab r; and that th,
institution is in harmony with th'
, laws OF nature, and has prevailed il
, all a9es and countries. This il
: sufficiently explicit. Indeed thu
force OF language can no further q
in panegyrzing the institution. Bu
: we have also an emphatic avowaI Q
. the Calhoun theory, (now the spe
: cialty OF the Southern or Brecliin
. ridge Democracy on the "Conssi
r tutioHal rights" OF slavery in tn
4 territories. In the same speech
I Mr.. Bell atiirms that the ''soundnes
OF the doctrine that the Constitution
carries slavery, proprio vigore, int
I the territories; that the flag Of tn
. Union protects the citizen in tn
enjoyment OF his rights of propert.
e OF every description, recognized a
: such in any of the states, in ever.
territory OF the Union" cannot b.
successfully impeached.
That the foregoing is no inadvert
ent assertion, no rhetorical flourish
but a matur d opinion, is shown b.
the Senator's vote on the kaasa
Nebraska bill, four years later
e On the 18th OF February, 1854
- that bill being before the Senate, MI
Douglas moved, by way OF amend
mcnt, to insert the following, con
, tanning the very virus and deadl
fangs of the disastrous measure
,, (which Qhe Missouri Compromise
being inconsistent with the princi
, plies of non-inverven,ion by Congress
with slavery in the state and terrific
i ries, as recognized by the Legislation
7 of 1850, Commonly called the Com
{, promise measures,) is hereby de
. clared imperative and void"
These are the words in which tn
t Missouri Compromise was abolished
{ and John Bell, OF Tennessee, vote'
for their adoption and their incor
poration in the bill, as well a
: Atchison, Geyer and Douglas. A
Ill 30