New Orleans daily crescent., 1860-09-15

Nit. gsEfsI.'S RECORD.

The persistency with which the charge Of inf
aelty to Southern rights is urged against ir. Bell
by some of the Opposition, notwithstanding all
such charges have been disproyed over and over
again is one Of Che most striking, as it is also one
OF The most lamentable, features Of the present
canvass 1t makes no difference that these allega
tons are refuted by an appeal to the official re-
cord--they are constantly reproduced, and re-
paraded before the public by the orators on the
Breckinridge side, and urged with rs much perti-
nacity as if they had really some foundation in
truth.
We have already explained Mr.. Bells conduct in
regard to the abolition of the slave trade in the
District Of Columbia, and shown from the Congress
sonal record that he voted against the bill. But
we nevertheless avail ourselves of the following |
conclusive article on the subject from the National
Intelligencer, a journal which has gained 50 wide
and Just reputation for historical accuracy that
no politician, of any party, will presume to ques-
ton its statements. The Inteligeneef3s article /
shows that Mr.. Bells course, instead of being in
fuenced by anti-sayery feeling, was In truth, dc
| tated by jealous and watchful regard for the |
| rights and interests of the South:
| AN USFouNDED AccusAToN.--A correspondent
in the State of Mississippi applies to US for authen
tic information in regard to the circumstances
attending the passage of the bill prohibiting the
slave trade in the District of Columbia as one Of
the measures which formed part OF the !" Great
Adjustment concerted in the year 1850. He also
desires us to give correct statement Of the posi-
tons assumed by Mr.. Bell in the debate that was
had on that subject in the Senate of the United
States. These positions, we learn from our COR
respondent, are drawn into question by some Of
Mr.. Bells political opponents IN the State Of Mis-
sissippi, for the purpose of imputing to him
want of soundness'' upon the relation Of slavery
| under this head.
As the pertinacity with which this charge is
made by certain class Of politicians at the South
against all who are not Democrats does not depend
| upon the amount or the nature of the facts that
can be cited to justify it, we are not in the habit
of noticing any of the accusations brought against
Mfr. Bell on this score because we are well assured
I that intelligent readers of all parties have sufi
ciently learned to disregard this cuckoo cry which
has long been raised nonlinalty in the interest
| of slavery but really in the interest Of party.
Itis only the latter is in peril that these self
appointed guardians Of Southern rights grow pro
portionally dubious about the eapability Of any
other than themselves to defend the palladium
4 Of Southern society,"
/ But as in the present case the queries Of our
correspondent relate TO the District OF Columbia, in
which We reside, and as, fer this reason, we might
be supposed especially cognizant OF the facts to
which attention is called, we take leave to say
that the objections brought against Mr.. Bell for
i the part he took in the discussion of the act pro.
vding for the suppression Of the slave trade in this
District are without any foundation, or even col
4
occasion, and the votes which he gave in the pre-
4 paratpry stages and on the final passage Of the
/ bill, were shown by the explanations he gave at
! the time TO be inspired by that same comprehen-
siYe and judicous craftsmanship which he has dis
played other critical periods in our civil history.
A brief recital of facts will set this matter in
| clear light.
The Intelligeneer then gives the facts of the case,
| and continues:
re refused e vote far 1te biz ds aiala7t passed
happy effect only IN The North, ,eltde he aimed
10 secure By it an equally happy effect The South.
How such position as this should be arragned |
for want of loyalty to the South must pass the
comprehension of all who do not sufficiently allow
for the yirulenee and injustice of partisan deniln-
citation.
The remarks made at the same time by Mr.. Bell |
with regard to the constitutional power Of Con
gress over slavery in the District of Columbia, and
the inexpediency of its present exercise for the
| abolition of slavery, even if such power were
I conceded to be pieEary as well as exclusive, are
so plain that, it seems to u.s. their meaning can
4 be miseonstrued by none save those who have
i purpose to subkerve by the garbled texts we have
seen quoted under this head. Just as little founda-
tion can we see for the deductions drawn by polit-
teal prejudice from certain hypothetical PROPOSE
| tions announced by Mr. Bell iii the same speech on
this subject. We cannot perceive any dislogaity
to tie South in the declaration that g if the sentis
ment of the adjacent States, and of the South gen.
orally, wereless inflamed the subject" he would
prefer to see slavery abolished in this District
rather than that itshould remain as an open ques
ton, to be the fruitful source Of prolonged agita
tions. Expressly promising that his remarks were
4 based on supposed state of facts, he questioned
| whether the abolition of slavery in this District
tcRt he U0hntdly assent of The Southern SttteS as
one Of It's conditions precedent, would not be an
event to which the people of the South might
Justly reconcile themselves, if, at the same time,
such concession Was appointed to be Ultima thule
of the slavery agitation and if in this spirit, they
could hope to accept it test Of !" the fartlest
limit to which the North intended to press the anti
slavery policy To any candid mind this would
seem to be the langnageof calm but resolute de-
| fender of Southern rights. 1t is the language of
one who combines the sagacity of the skilful tac-
4 tican with the deliberate Yaier Of the intrepid
leader, and who in selecting the point at which he
proposes to q make stand, n contemplates some
thing decisive than the feints and surprises Of
such inlerior political strategists show so much
| more discretion in deserving than devotion in main
tanning the false positions into which they hetray
| themselves by headlong preeipitance.
1t is, in fact significant tribute to the modera-
/ ton and equity displayed by Mr.. Bell in arbtrat-
1 ing between the interfering claims of the North
and OF the South. in regard to the disposition of
slavery in this District, that his opponents in each
section find it necessary to mangle and perpert his
record on tho subject, in order to sustain the pre-
i eisely opposite allegations which they respectively
bring against him for his conduct in this matter.
These Contradictions may, in fact be properly left
to neutralize each other as it is only BY the mu-
tual alsfcations they afix to each other that they
can serve tile cause ef historic truth and political
fairness.
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