Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-01-15
correspondence between Hon. MI. >.
Foote and Hen. JOhn ReIl'--t1r.
Stewards Speech.
NASHVILLE, Jan. 18th, 1861.

NASHVILLE, Jan. IZtn. loO1.
HoN. JOHN BELL, Dear SRI regret to
learn, this moment, from one of the editors
Of the Nashville Democrat, DR.. Hurley, that
you did, in an interview with him this morn
ing. state that you had received information
that I had become a disunionst. Such an
occurrence as this, between gentleman o.
YOUR known high public attitude and extern
sive influence over the popular mind of the
country, especially in this part of the world,
and the conductor of a newspaper who could
not but be known to you as man OF very
decided opinions on this subject, and who
was daily in the habit of derouncing dis
unionists as traitors, has awakened IN my
mind feeling of surprise and OF profound
modification, which l have-no power ade-
quately to express. 1 thought'you knew my
| opinions touching the present sectional trou-
bles as infinitely and fully as any man living.
I have had repeated interviews with you
n relation to all the pending questions with
| in the past two weeks. The last OF these III
| terviews took place at the Capitol so late as
Yesterday morning, in the progress of which
l made known to you the opinions which
| then entertained in reference to the existing
condition of things, and especially in con-
nection with the prospective appointment OF
VIM II. Seward to the department of State.
Under these circumstances, the suggestions
made by you to the editor of the Democrat
will. 1 think, appear to others as well as to
! myself, not little unacoountable. feel
} assured that il will be no news to yol to
: learn that have not been able to approve OF
the action of those States to the South of us
, who have thought proper to resort to sepa-
rate State secession as remedy for present
; sectional grievances; that have been uni
; formly of opinion with Mr.. Crittenden, Mr..
) Douglas and others, (including all the Sena-
: tors and Representatives in Congress from
; this State), that some such plan of settle
: ment as that which has been SO earnestly
: urged upon the consideration of Congress by
D the more conservative members of that body
i in the last two months. was alike indispensa
I bic to the preservation of the Union and to tn,
8 safety of the South. The resolutions of GU
u meeting in this city, on last Saturday week
e of which you we're understood to be an op
n probing member, in the clesrest and bodies
; manner, asserted this view OF the subject
s What said to you yesterday morning, an.
J. what l have said to others, was precisel,
b this: That it being now ascertained tia
3 VIM. e. Seward was TO be Mr.. Lincoln's Sec
d rotary of State-the ferocious and unpardon
T. able doctrines heretofore uttered by hin
IT rendered it, in my judgment, doubly in
% portant that some additional guarsnties fo
n the future safety of the South, should be oil
Is tanned anterior to Nr. Lincoln's inauguration
lie President. l admitted to you yesterday, an
lie still admit, that, should Mr.. Seward in th
al speech which be is expected to deliver tn
t. day in the National Senate, come forwar
a. with that manliness and true statesmanshi
a. which would so much become the occasiol
n and declare, as the Authorized representative
of has party, and of the administration which
at shortly to commence its official career, th
es he is disinelined to put in execution hereaft
in the extreme opinions on domestic SLAYER
be which he has heretofore so often espresso
ly that be and his party are willing to vouc
or safe to the South in some satisfactory ma
81 ner, such concessions as those which D
Sc crittenden and his patriotic associates p
be claiming in our behalf, or others equiyale
On thereto. his appointm to the Office of Sc