Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1860-08-30
Bells Position ON tisc slavery
Question.
From dc Missouri Democrat.

proper tHaI tue OplI.lOns VI Dcii VI
the Slavery question should be fully
and correctly made known to the pub
lie. Nor is this difficult task. III,
has served in Congresses and Cabinets
he participated in the great controver
sizes of 80 and '54 His record /,
therefore extensive. and. Judging from
a letter of his, recently written and
published. he refers 10 it with pride
and confidently invites its inspection
We think it will be found, on exami.
nation, that he is decided pro-sla.
very man; that his opinions on the
Slavery question are identical with
those protessed by the Breckenridge
Democracy, AMI not at all with those
which We're held by Cay and the
Wing party. True, he is not an agi-
tator OF that question. and that is the
sole difference in the premises between
him and the Southern Democracy
Neither does he countenance disunion,
nor treason of any kind. His policy
is to protect and extend Slavery with
in the Union, without contemplating
the alternative of secession in the event
of that policy being frustrated. We
believe we thus define his position cor
rectly on the paramount issue of the
time, and especially of the present
canvass; and in doing so we serve to
elucidate the causes which have given
Kentucky to the Union party by a
sweeping majority. Assuming that
Kentucky is mainly pro-slavery, but
at the same time devoted to the Un-
ion, it follows that Bell must have
beaten Breckinridge there, as the lat
ter is identified with a party which is
supposed to be tainted with disunion.
The late of the Douglas faction in the
Slave States seems to be, co-opera-
tion first, and incorporation ultimately
with the Union party. In the election
referred to. the Douglas men generally
voted for Leslie Coombs, anil in his
address, published a few DAYS ago,
that gentleman does not fail to ac-
knowledge the favor, nor to laud the
National Union Democracy syn
onym of his own coming for Squatter
Sovereignty Democracy. Special
causes in this State will go far to
counteract, for the present, the mutual
tendency to fusion on the part of the
followers of Bell and the followers of
Douglas; but yet we have little doubt
hat as a general thing the latter will
act with the former in November, un-
less the Breckenridge movement ini-
tiated by Polk. Greene and Hughes
should prove failure.
The protection and extension of sla-
very within the Union is the platform
on which John Bells record establish
es him. In the great debate on the
compromise measures of 1850, he ar
gued that slavery is right within l.
self and beneficent in its operations
and results; that the powers and re-
sources of the Confederacy would not
be half what they are, except .or slave
labor; and that the institution is in
harmony with the laws of nature. and
has prevailed in all ages and countries
This is sufficiently explicit. Indeed
the force of language can no farther go
in panegyrizing the institution. Blu,
we have also an emphatic avowal oI
the Calhoun theory, (now the special
ity of the Southern or Breckinridgt
Democracy, on the "Constitutional
rights" of slavery in the Territories
In the same speech, Mr.. Bell affirm.
that the "soundness of the doctrin,
that the Constitution carries slavery
proprio pigore into the Territories; thai
the flag of the Union protects the citi
zen i'll the enjoyment of his rights o
property o: every description. recog
nizcd as such in any of the States, OF
every sea and in every Territory o
the Union," can not he successfully
impcached.
That the foregoing is no inadvert
cnt assertion, no rhetorical flourish
but matured opinion, is shown by
the Senator's vote on the Kansas. Ne
braska bill four years later.
On the 18th of February, 1854, tha
bill being before the Senate, Mr.
Douglas moved by way of amendment
to insert the following. containing tn
very virus and deadly fangs OF the dis
astrous measure: (which 1.-THE Mis-
sour COMPROMISED being inconsisten
with the principle OF non intervention
by Congress with slavery in the State
and Territories. as recognized by tn
legislation OF 1880 commonly callc,
the Compromise measurcs) is hereh,
declared imperative and void
These are the words in which TN
Missouri compromise was abolished
and John Bell, OF Tennessee, voted 70
their adoption and their incorporation
, in the bill, MS well as Atchison, Gcye
and Douglas. As Bell has never ac
ceptcd squatter sovereignty his vote o'
| that occasion was necessarily east il
conformity with the Southern inter
r prctation of the principles OF tn
Kansas Nebraska bill;" in othe
words. in conformity with the docla
I ration quoted above which he ha'
t made four years previously.
These facts speak for themselves
, We have no comment 10 make ol
e them further than to presume the ut
I ter impossibility Of any Republican o
0 Benton Democrat voting for the ma
: who himself voted for the abrogatio
e OF the Missouri Compromise. and VIII
;. declares that the Constitution cstat
I fishes slavery in all the Territories. :
:. We grant that Bell voted against th
S Kansas Nebraska bill on its passag,