Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-08-11
John Bells Conversation.

has been to see John Bell ut Homeland
How Ear such accounts are to be relied on
and what business man has to report con-
versaiions he may have with a candidate for
the Presidentshp. probably never intended
for publication, are not now questions which
we shall discuss. Here, however, is what
this correspondent says:
.Mr Bell expressed his views freely about
the present political contest. lie considered
the princi pies of the party he represented
the best for the interests of the country at
large All the other candidates, he said,
represented sectional interests, with the ex-
ccption OF Douglas, who he considered an in
finitelv more national man than Breckin-
ridge He preferred Douglas nnn-interyen-
ton doctrine to the disunion doctrine Mr..
Breckinridge represented He had been writ
ten to on the subject of fusion against
Lincoln, but he had declined to interfere on
the subject, advising his friends in the diff
ferent portions of the country to act as they
thought best in their several sections. So
far as they adhered to principle in any ar
rangemcnt they might make to defeat Lin
coin, he would adhere to Them "but when
they departed from principle" he said with
emphasis, II am no longer with them"
lie spoke cheerfullv of the encouraging
intelligence he was daily receiving relative
to the progress of the Union movement all
over the country: and in reply to Il question
asked, what course, in his opinion, the
South would take in the event Of Lincoln's
election, he replied that 80 far az he and his
fiieads were concerned. they would acqui-
esce: and that the mission of the party he
represented in the South was to prevent a
dissolution Of the Union in the event of Lin
coins success, by the Incorporate action of
Southern extremists. But he had no appre-
tensions thar Lincoln would be elected. lie
believed that the Union movement was
spreading with such volume, strength and
rapidIty, as to overwhelm all the sectional
candidates, and that either himself or Mr..
Everett would be the next President.
''Do vou 20 to Washington in the fall ?"
We yenturcd to ask.
''No, sir" replied Mr.. Bell "uness am
PreSidcnt--(a pause i think So"
We spoke Of Mr.. Everett and Mr.. Bell
inGulgcd in rhapsody OF remarks about his
copariner Oh the Union ticket, his national
position, and his universal popularity. He
also spoke Of his chance for the Presidency
in ease of 40 choice by the people.
Mr. Bell stated that he regarded Mr.. Sew
ard as the head of the Northern party; Mr..
Chase, Il step lower and as for Mr.. Banks,
he did not know exactly where to place him.
He regarded him as IA man of ability, but
his views on national matters were not
clearly defined to his mind.
la, ri f,,r
did, open hearted, common sense man. He
was in the House of Representatives when
he jMr. Bell) was in the Senate If left to
himself, Mr.. Bell had no fears about Mr.
Lincoln; but it would be the counsels of the
leaders of his party, Seward and others, that
he feared, and which would be traught with
injustice 10 tue South and eventual danger to
the Union.
On taking our departure, we mentioned
that we might see Mr. Everett in the course
OF few weeks. "Tell him." said Mr.. Bell,
that the cause is progressing gloriously;
that will soon write to him in detail, and
interchange views and tell him that either
h. or Will be preSilent-l by the people or
the House, or he through the action Of the
| senate.
During the entire interview Mr. Bell ex-
pressed the almost confidence in the triumph
an: success Of the Cniou ticket
MoRr OF ,I"uN BELLS REcoHp.--We find
! in the compilation OF his speeches and votes.
| that in "A speech made by him on the 24th
| and 18th Of May, 1854, he uttered the fol-
! lowing language:
AS to the principles Of "squattcr sover
| EIGHTY" wish further to sag, that in the
/ late contest between General Tavlor aud the
| honorable anI distinguished Senator from
! Michigan, Gen. Cas-, it was distinctly
! brough iurwaria rs an issue before the people
! Of Tennessee. In that contest, in common
with the South generally they the people OF
! Tennessee rrpudiared the idea tnata handful,
or amy number Of inhabitants, in Territory
Of !hc nited States, should have the power
| granted 10 them by Congress Of regulating
their domestic INSTITUTIONS and at their dis
cretI"m, Ia deny To the citizen OF one section
| of the Union the power to rn jog his right of
| property IN slaves We were not prepared
II reverse and set aside the previously estab |
| li>hcd practice and doctrines of the Govern
meat, from lISD to that time. We could |
not SEE no peace, no quiet no end OF aglta-
ton that was 10 result from such 4 course.
" = t!Ioti5It ttlstl ii IL
tHre should. in one or two years, establish or
abolish Slavery, the agitation "t the question
Of slavery would still 90 on. We, in rennes-
gee. nj that time believed we We're advocating
| principles and doctrines on tins subject APP
proved in all the Southern States. The
prime iplc then cpntcnled for was that the
people 81 Il Territory, when they came to form
their State Constitution, and then only, we're
qualified 10 establish their domestic institu
tons"
On the lth day Of December, 1893, Mr..
Anterior, Of New Hampshire, offered the
following resolution in the House. to wit
Resolved. therefore. That all attempts on
the part Of the Congress to abolish slavery
in the District of Coubia or the Territories
or t. prohibit the removal Of slaves from
State to State. or to discriminate between
The institutions Of one PARTON of the confed- |
Grey and another, with the views aforesaid, |
are in violation Of the Constitution, destruc-
tive Of the fundamental principle on which |
the union OF these States rest, and beyond |
the jurisdiction of Congress-
On this resolution Mr. Bell voted yea.
SENSATION STORY SPOILED. The Cleve
land Herald ttat * n I'll hat Ropru |