Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-08-08
HON. JOHN BELL:
ssPAST HISTORY Connected WITH
THE PUBLIC SERVICE"

oPAST HISTORY Connected WITH
THE PUBLIC SERVICE"
HIS UNJUST CHARGES AGAINST GEN. JACKSON AND HIS
ADMnIsrRATIoS-HIs TREASON To AND DERsERTION
OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
We endeavored in a previous article to furnish
the public with correct statement of the circum-
stances attending the first few years of Mr.. BELLS
"past history as connected with the public service
in order that they may better understand that which
came after it.
We have shown his pretended devotion to Gen.
JACKSON and his bitterness towards Mr. CLAY. We
have have shown the readiness with which in order
to appear the more devoted to the former, he deb-
erately and persistently charged Largain and in
trigue upon the latter. We have shown that this,
however, did not deceive Gen. JACKSON, who mis-
trusted Mr. BELL, and who refused him place in
the Cabinet when pressed by Judge WHITE, and who
preferred Mr.. GRUMPY as a representative from his
district in Congress. We have shown the readiness
with which Mr.. BELL began to form alliances out
side of his party means to promotion which he
was not likely to attain within his party. We have
shown that while processing to support the Admin
istration and oppose the Bank, he was, by double
dealing policy, working for the Bank which, appre-
cating his services, in turn worked for him and
aided in making hlm Speaker Of the House over the
choice of his party, Mr.. Polk. We have shown his
subsequent intrigues for reelection by effort
to have Mr.. Polk played upon to favor MS election,
in the event that Mr.. Polk he could not be elect
ed himself: by his limitations to the friends Of Mr.
NlN buren, that he was favorable TO lis claims as
the successor of Gen. JACKSON, while at the same
time he was holding out similar promises to the
friends of JOHNSON and WHITE. We will witness in
the next chapter the elimination OF his desgns-an
increase of his strategem and dupcity and the final
consummation of his designs in producing defec-
tion in the Democratic party, leading large portion
of them in Tennessee bhndfolded, into the ranks Of
their political opponents under the honest belief
that they were still adhering to their party and
were only differing from the main body of it upon
mere choice between men.
In the first step, to place Judge WHITE before the
American people for the Presidency, by the odious
agency of a caucus, composed of few members of
Congress, acting upon usdrped authority, Mr. BELL
said under his own hand, according to its published
proceedings, "that we (the members of the caucus)
owe it to consistency, pr;nciple, and to own
character to do nothing that would divide par
ty as to overthrow it with the leading principles
identified with it and, therefore, if now at any
other time hereafter there was or should be pro-
liability of producing such a result, by running
Judge WHITE, zoe ought not to take him up or If taken
nm. and the danger of such result should become
imminent it would be necessary that one the
other of the opposing candidates of party should
be withdrawn"
Was he honest in this pledge, was it merely to
conceal his purposes and lull suspicion in order that
he might the effectually commit the great body
Of the party in Tennessee in such manner, by
reason of excited preudIces and passions that there
would be difficulty of escape when his designs should
be more apparent to the world? Did he not after
wards, and in a very brief time, denounce our
party" he then called it, as being corrupt, licen-
tious anu prohigate from its very inc8puon! Was
it not st his nstgatOn and suggestion shortly after
this, that it was resolved that Judge WHITE should
be run, and in the event that he was likely to be
beaten, that they, the leaders OF the Wing party,
were to use their best exertons to place this State
into the hands and deliver her over to the Opposi-
ton?
That those who are not well informed upon the
mast history of Mr.. BELL, " in connection with
the public service may better understand his early
associations with and deserton from the Democratic
marty. we make the following extract from his
sneech delivered at Yauxhall Garden, Nashville on
the 2Sd of May, 1885:
an cannot be directed Hd Gen. Jackson or his ad
ADMINISTRATION is or can BE- seriously affected by
fest hflrefu ro Of his friends for the succession Gen
Jaclson has been eminenty successful and triumph
ant in all his measures. 1t Is one OF the happy
consequences of his great success, that the friends
of his administration may choose from among the
whole number Of his friends whom they prefer to
succeed him, safely, and without danger 70 ms ad-
ninistration He vet possesses a vast and undOubt-
ed control and influence in the country. u cannot
he Sfed that there are thousands IA The United States
tsho hare such RbO1ded confidence, not only "a lS non
eStU Bat IL his general SOgdcy, ana hlS paeatge'ce
,,0u all subjects as 10 be ready 10 gied ap HeT O1n
;idgneRts IN difference 70 his, upon any political
question lcLcb may arise The friends Of Judge White
therefore upon grounds of policy, if upon no other
and better ones will not seek 20 disturb the tran
ouitv of Gen. JacksonS administration, 10 defeat
or ,nSe{le anu Of those great questions upon trbicb he
Ias incurred so much Of his present pOoer and 3lHi-
ecs IN he country. They would be madmen to do
'ba truth Is it is their interest, and far they
- c,ing in view of principle it is the interest of
a. country that they should conciliate Gen. Jack
1iio - fbe peope of every section, who have
son. az. .,;raitsd confidence in him, by every means
,s;ssently and LoDorably, IN their power This is
80 obyiousIv their policy, tlat we sec some OF the
nartisan presses oil ms conpe'iso' lie sieI-
P+ adfress TO drive them to an opposite course
u'iioss every species OF prOyocauon and IN
Lg.l, thew may hope to throw Judge hIte
s;,,5 into the opposition RANKS EPPosi'lOn ~ .S
incarceration Of Gen. Jackson Is se &c M
eIl.- si eg1ies of Judge White desire MS Illenus
inc 10OI 81 w. are so anxious upon this point that
- 49, determined TO put Judge " me anu Ils
uiey = or,osition whether they VIII OF ilot Do''
- M friends Of Judge Whae 'o'u uo.sS - Icy;
3gL.soo and his administration, from 10
vs.Dect for their oloa character, a'u IN Questions.
5;no their oJ1a principles, upon az YuI''J 49,
-, S2jyoiniSfratiUe Ia their nature, tO''e4s -
properly ~ 1;l,eJ n mise They know too wen no"
risen, or are 'a'sy -