Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-09-12


It is an old proverb that there is nothing new
under the sun. CovoDEssm is not the offspring of
the present year Near the close of Gen. JAcKsoS's
Administration a committee was raised, according
70 Gen. JACKSON, at the Instance of JOHN BELL, BA-
LIE PEYToN, and others, then members Of Congress,
for the purpose Of CovoDEng the old HERDS official
conduct They were daily making charges in
and out of Congress of the grossest official cor
rnption. AZ their instance, as we learn from the
address of Gen. JACKSON to the people of the United
States after his retirement from Office, committee
was raised for fishing Up testimony with which they
might blast his character with the American people,
and upon which, if possible, base an impeachment
against him, destroy his influence and enable them
to carry the approaching Presidential election.
What JOHN BELL and hs frieEds did in 1886 against
ANDREW JACKSON, JoHN CovoDE and his friends have
done in 1860, against JAMES BUCHANAN. Each Of
these similar attacks were made just preceding
Presidential campaign. ANDREW JACKSON was not
candidate for reelection. JAMES BUCHANAN was
not. JOHN BELL Co. thought to destroy the inhu-
ence of Gen. JACKSON by running his character.
JoHN CovoDE & Co. thought to destroy the Demo-
cratic party by heaping opprobrium upon the man
elevated to the Presidency by that party. The
weak and contemplate failure of the first CovoDE
Committee will find its parallel in the history of
the second.
JOHN BELL was witness before the first CovoDE
Committee the one raised in 1886, at the instance
of himself, BAILE PEYTON and others. In his test-
mcny before that committee he stated:
l. consider every appointment or EMPLOYMENT
made or conferred by the President or any of the
heads of the Executive Departments as the consid-
Grafton of services and influence in any election as
gross violation of official duty Ibelieue that most of
The appointments made Of late toere made chiefly aoih
thct motive believe the public interest and SER
vice have been regarded minor and subordinate
considerations by the appointing power.
2. The interference of the President, and other
public officers, with his IF0toedqe and confluence in
elections believe to be of the most mschevous
and dangerous practices of the Administration.
| 3. believe there has been gross violation of
Official duty under the present Administration in the
appointment, by the President or the heads of De-
| partments and in annex.ng to such appointments
stated salaries and allowances, without authority
warrant of law. 1 might add that many of those dp-
poinnetS appear TO haze been made much for the
purpose Of providing situations and employment for The
faUoriteS unfortunate applicants for such favors
tbdRto supply dry actual demand of the public service
or to ddUaRce the public interest"
| f. Concerning the Greek war, Mr.. BELL preferred
charges of similar practices against Gen. JACKSON
and his administration, concluding as follows:
| al, therefore, feel well warranted in my own
mind, in attributing to the imbecty, CULPABLE NEG
LECT, or the CORRUPTION of the Administration.
al the blood and expenditure achich haze attended our
recent hostile relations aoh the Creek Indians and much
ofe DIsHoNoR which must attach to the country by the
reason Of spectators in their lands"