Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1860-06-23
An Awkward * etraetfon Off Shabby
Cbarxe--IIr. BeIEs Record.

nails to charge JONI BELL with unsoundness
on the question of slavery, and of others of
that class. in the South, TO reiterate the
charge. The former seem 10 know that it is
unfounded and make it by insinuations. innE-
endos and illogical and false deductions, IN
stead of directly. plainly and squarly; while
the latter, being ignorant upon the subject
and nnisIed by others, make the charge direct
" and unqualifedly. The former are cen
temptible, the latter cOmmiserable-Fe de
spise the one and pity the other Those who
wilfuliy pervert the truth invite the seFerest
castigatiOn, exposure-and those who retail
such perversiOns at second hand, in ignor-
ance of the truth are responsible for their
failure to investigate ard ascertain the
truth.
Aswas to be expected. the charges of Mr.
BELLS unsOundness are very current in Geor-
gia. But we are gratifed that our friends III
that State are meeting them as they ought to
be met. The Savannah Morning Aetcs having
made the assertion that the record of Mr..
BELL was more Objectionable to the South
than that of Mr. DOUGLAS, our prompt and
well-informed contempory. the Savannah Re
publican. makes tie following demand
We have no intention to enter at this time
into a yindication of the congressional history
of MIR. Bell, but the Ne1rs has made broad
declaration with regard to it, which we call
upon 1t to make good or retract. 1t says his
record on the slavery question is even more
Objectionable to the South than that OF Dong
las Now. we challenge the News 10 point
ont one solitary Objectionable vote Of Mr..
Bell. and show wherein it was opposed TO the
constitutional rights or practical best inter
ests of the Southern States. We insist upon
a production of the proofs or manly retrac-
ton of the charge. If it can show solitary
instance in which Mr.. Bell either voted Tor
the Wilmot Proviso or Squatter Sovereignty
which Douglas has done time and again
we promise to recall all we have said in his
favor"
The Ne,rs could not escape the alternative
of either supporting his charge by proof or
Tctracting it, and replies as follows:
I'VE are apt to Judge politicians by The COM
pany we find item in. and as the RtFu5taca1i s
candidate was generally recognized as an ac-
ceptable aspi-ant for the Black RepGblIcan
nomination, and as most of the Southern OPP
position presses, Ike our neIghbor, have hes
itated TO endorse his nomination, Whlle
the confidence and support of the Southern
people. we had a right to believe that his
record was even more Objectionable to the
South than that of Douglas In this opin-
ion cur neighbOr says We are wrong, and he
calls upon US to make good or Tetract our
assertion. While we have not q doubt that
with the data at hand We could establish the
fact that, as a Southern man, Mr.. Bell is no
better entitled 10 the confidence Vt the South
tn hell
conceded, until the adoption OF his Squatter
Sovereignty heresy, was a consistent friend
of the SOuth-yet, rather than go 10 the trouble
Of nrestigatng nlaft1 ,chich IS likely 10 gre 50
lttEe concern to the country, tCt. 10 gTdtyy or
nsighbOr, c0aceds his demand"
Even in this awkward and ungraceful re-
traction the Nesrs perpetrates gross injus-
tice upon Mr.. BELL, in saying that he ''was
generally recognized IS an acceptable aspi-
rant for the Black Republican nomination"
Mr. BELL. has never seen the day when he
was an aspirant for an abolition nomination
for any Office, nor has he ever seen the day
that be would have accepted the nomination
of sectional party on a sectional plat
form. If such belief ever gained currency
in any quarter, it had no substantial basis TO
rest upon, and only shows how widely mis-
taken were those who entertained 1t. The
events OF the past six weeks or two months
should have convinced the NeCs that Mr.
BELL has had no sympathy towards or from
the Republican party, as such. They did
not even mention his name in their conven-
ton, and are now as industriously opposing
his election as that of the democracy.
The simple truth is that Mr. BELL has al
WAYS been national. and in being so, has
thrown his majestic form in the pathway. and
has exerted his great powers in thwarting
the mischievous Vaccinations of sectiOnalists
of every name and degree. By doing so he
has secured the violent hatred OF extremists,
both North and South; and hence both are
waging bitter warfare upon him at this
juncture-one wing in denouncing him as a
free-soiler or abolitionist, and the other. as
fre-eater, or disunionist. Neither can make
good their denunciations, and both, we trust
will be covered with confusion, shame and
defeat when the campaign is over.