The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-10-08
GREEN MOUNTAIN FREEMAN, CCT. 3, 1901
John Eell.
The Nashville correspondent of the Tribune
thus writes of the treason OF John Bell

The Nashville correspondent of the Tribune
thus writes of the treason OF John Bell
To appreciate all this, itmust be known that
John Bell, his public remuneration OF loyalty to
the contrary Notwithstanding, has really neither
heart nor hand in the great Southern rebellion
He goes with his section, not because he thinks
it is right, but because it is his section. lie
pronounces himself Il Rebe-however, not one
Of choice. lie believes, or at least expresses
the opinion, that the - war OF sub CATION -
undertaken by the North is wrong, but, on the
other hand, loses no opportunity III declaring
the Southern revolution unj justified. Whenever
he visits places OF public resort, he takes coca
sion to denounce the Jefferson Davis dynasty IN
unmeasured terms. Ills past public services Sc
cure him immunity from the consequences this
otfense would entail upon any other, but render
him at the same time unpopular among the
thorough going Rebels. The late caniiscation
of his steamboat property has greatly irritated
him. not sufficiently, however, to make him
more foIbearing with the administration OF al
fairs at Richmond.
At the time John Bell made public his adj
dress to the cause Of the South, the belief gen
orally prevailed in the North, that his Old love
of whisky had got the better of his Judgment
and made HIM forget his former and better self.
political adhclcnts, who worked harder for his
election to the Presidency than any other man
living, that his detection was caused by fail
ure Of moral courage, rather than enervation
by over-indulgence in liquor. In past years
there was no man in the nation that stood up
more boldly and learlessly for what he deemed
true and just than John Bell. But the waves OF
Secession rolled too strongly and sweeplngy
over the portion Of the State he lived in, and
instead OF battling against them his heart gave
way, and he allowed himself to be carried along
by tie current. Ambtion.hope of realizing
i'll sectional what he failed to reach in rational
spheres-perhaIs had also something to do with
his apparent abandonment of long cheris ed
convictions. His personal enmty to Andrew
johnson, whom he found to have everything in
his own way at Washington, is also alleged by
some to have contributed to his sudden change
of ground
By investigation in regard to the latter life Of
John Bell had made me acquainted with fact !
which, think. has never become known 1t is
that his last visit to Washington was not made
OF his own accord, but at the direct instigation
OF jefferson Davis, who sent d special messenger
In tie person Of a well-known Georgia politi-
clan to him. to urge his interference at the cap
tai in favor Of the evacuation of Southern forts.
The conviction among his best political friends
there was, that he allowed himself to be used
Is a mere tool in the hands of the rebel lead
rs, who cast him aside when they had 10 fur
her employment for him, and he threatened to
become rival aspirant to popular favor.
he resides here with his son-n-law, one Of
he numerous Waterman family. lie is not only
but also financially ruined, and his
owe for liquor is said to have increased greatly
If late