Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1860-06-09
IoIN nELL ro wAsnIxarov nuvr.

! To the Honorable JoN BEtI.
JOHN BELL TO WASHINGTON HUNT.
NASHVILLE, May 2l, 1860
DEAR Sm-Ohicial information of my nom.
lnation to the Presidency of the National
Union Convention, Of which you were the pre-
siding officer, was communicated to me by
I your letter of the / lth instant, at Philadelphia
on the eyo Of my departure with my family for
my place Of residence in Tennessee, and diff
hdent as was of my worihiness, did not
hesitate to signify my intention TO accent the
position assigned to me by that distinguished
and patriotic body But for convenience. and
under sense Of the propriety of acting in so
grave matter with greater deliberaton, I con
cluded, as ! informed you at the time by
| private note 10 defer u formal acceptance nm
Ill after my arrival at home.
Now that have had all the leisure could
desire for reflection upon the circumstances
under which the nomination was made, the
purity of the motives and the lofty spirit Of
patriotism by which the Convention was ami
mated as eyinced in all its procecdgs, can
appreciate more Justly the honor done me by
the nomination. and though il might have
been more fortunate for the country had il
fallen upon some one Of the many disting.
uishcd statesmen whose names were brought
to the notice of the Convention rather than
myself accept it, with all its possible respon-
sibilities. Whatever may be the issue of the
ensuing canvass, ms for myself, ! shall ever
regard it rs a proud distnction--one worth n
lifelong effort to atlantic be pronounced
worthy TO receive the highest Office in the gov
ernment at such time as the present, and by
auch q convention as that which recently met
in BALTIMORE convention far less imposing
! by the number Of its members, large rs il was,
than by their high character In Il were men
venerable for their age aud their public SER
vices who could not have called from their
voluntary retirement from public lifc but by
the strongest sense Of patriotic duty others,
though still in the prime of life, ranking with
the first men of the country by honors and
distinctions already acquired in high official
positions, State and national many of them
statesmen worthy TO fiji the highest Office in
the government; still greater number ocou-
pying the highest rank in their respective pro.
tessional pursuits; others distinguished by
their intelligence and well earned influence in
various walks of private life, and all anima-
ted and united by one spirit and one purpose
the result of n strong conviction that our
political system, under the operation of com.
pcation Of disorders, Is rapidly approaching
a crisis when speedy change must take
place, indicating, Us in diseases of the physi.
cal body, recovery or death
The Convention in discarding the use of
platforms, eXacts no pledges from those whom
they deem worthy of the higher trusts under
the government wisely considering that the
surest guaranty Of u mans future usefulness
aud fidelity to the great interests of the coun-
try in any official station to which he may be
chosen, is to be found in his past history oon-
ncctcd with tho public service, The pledge
implied in my acceptance Of the nomination
OF the National Union Convention is, that
shoulu De elected VIII not depart from the |
SPIRIT ana TENOR oil my past course and the |
opllgation 10 keep tnls pledge derives q double |
'orce rom the cQpsideraton that none Is re-
qulred rom me
ou sur, III your letter containing tho ofi-
clal announcement Of my nominatiQn, have
been pleased to ascrlbc TO me the merit Of
moderation and Justice in my past public ca
reer, You have likewise given me credit for
uniform support OF oil wise and benehcent
measures oil legislation, for firm resistance
to all measures calculated to engender section
al discord, and ior Lifelong devotion TO the
union, harmony and prosperity of these
States Whether your personal partiality has
led you TO oyerstate my merits as q public
man or not in your enumeration Of them, you
have presented summary--a basis Of all
sound American craftsmanship II may he
otbjectedthat nothing is said in this summary,
in express terms, of the obligations imposed
by the Constitutions hut the duty TO respect
and observe them is clearly implied for with
ont due observance in the conduct Of the gov
ernment OF the Constitution, It's restrictions
and requirements fairly interpreted in accor-
dance with its spirit and objects, there can ba
no end TO sectional disoord--no security for
the harmony Of the Union
have not the vanity TO assume TINT IN nv
past connection with Tie nublic service have
exemplified the coupse of n sound American
statesman but If have deserved the favorable
view taken of Il in ymr letter I may hone hv