Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-06-09


Kentucky-he does not invade her-he
marches through her to put down armed COM
blnatIons IN Tennessee. But when that col
umn OF lOO 1000 troops gets into Kentucky
under this pretext, Kentucky will be subdued
as Maryland has been.
Mr. Bell next noticed statement in the
National IatelIigenea, that the Lincoln Gov
eminent calculate that wherever they can
march troops in the South the Union men
will flock to their standard. Mr.. Bell
thought they were mistaken. The Union
sentiment was strong in East Tennessee. but
East Tennesseans would not resist il the
State voted out, unless they were tyrannized
over intolerably. He had not been in favor OF
the ordinance as the Legislature had passed
it. He had favored a military League with
the Confederate States but not the League
made by our Legislature. But the Lincoln
theory is, there is a Union sentiment here
that must be protected. But Mr.. Bells ad
vice to Tennessee Union men is, never to
call in Lincoln's aid-never resist majority,
unless they Intoierably Cypress the minority.
Mr.. Bell did not say that the acts of the
Legislature were constitutional. He believed
they were extra-constitutional, but in a rev.
olution all laws and all constitutions were
done away. There is no law about it. The
Union men of East Tennessee were pledged
to submit if the State voted out by a clear
majOrity-with qualifcatiOn-namely, if it
was done without fraud. That was an idle
qualification. There never was an election
without some degree of fraud, on one side or
the other. Then, too, they thought the law
emitting volunteers to vote In other than
their own counties, was not constitutional
But if the law emitting them thus to vote
was unconstitutional. the same law author
lied the election, and every other vote was
equally unconstitutional. 1t these volunteers
were entitled to vote at home, ANYBODY who
would seek to deprive them of their vote, be-
cause they were encamped away from home,
was not himself worthy TO exercise the rights
of free man. The very term revolution
implied irregularity, and in a revolution it
could not be otherwise. If there was any
thing legal about ii, these volunteers in camp
who were entitled to vote at home, were en-
titled to vote here.
He denounced any attempt to interfere with
the free exercise ofthe right to vote, either by
threats of personal violence or of other con-
sequences. In this section the Union men had
nothing OF that sort to fear, because they
were numerically the strongest. He was not
here to dictate to them how they should vote.
They had the right to vote for or against Sep
aratiOn, and none had the right to hold them
accountable for voting their honest convic-
tions. If any did attempt TO prevent them
they should assert and maintain their right
at all hazards
For himself he had taken his position. The
Goose was probably around his neck but he
was frank to declare himself a REBEL He
had cOunseled resistance to the invasive pol
icy of the Federal Government, and that
made him Rebel and if there was any pun
ishment to follow it. be was willing to incur
it-he did not seek to evade either the charge
or the responsibility.
THE applause which followed this decla-
ration of Mr.. Bell, was so great, that he could
not, fo- a moment, proceed. During the
pause, DR.. Curry presented the distinguished
speaker with beautiful bouquet on behalf
of the ladies present. which compliment, Mr..
Bell appropriately acknowledged
Mr.. Bell resumed
Notwithstanding the eagerness of the North
to engage in and prolong this war for mill
tary glory he did not believe it would be of
long duration. He thought it would be end
ed in a wear. England and France had an
interest in the matter, and they would not
permit it to continue. 1t was their interest
to favor a reconciliation.
He paid high compliment to the brave
young men who have marched from the South
with the Northern troops, and while he
awarded courage to the Massachusetts troops,
they were not composed of the best class of
Massachusetts, men.
He would not debate the question whether
the first one or two States had acted right in |
seeding. He did not believe they had. But |
when seven or eight States had seeded and |
their people were unanimous, it was then a |
and the administration had made |
a great mistake in attempting to coerce them. |
They never could coerce them-they never |
could conquer them.
James Buchanan, when South Carolina |
went out, could have enforced the laws, but |
when Lincoln came in, and six or seven |
States were out, it could not be done. The |
the traitor, James Buchanan, per- |
mitted South Carolina to go, he had betrayed |
the Union. But the South was entitled to |
her share of the arms bought with the COM |
mon fund, and there were persons in Buch- |
anan's Cabinet who were having the arms |
moved South with his cOnnivance, and in |
of that service he could forgive |
even James Buchanan.
Mr.. Bell thought that Tennessee would IN |
vote out, and he believed the |
Union men of East Tennessee would submit, |
if they were not oppressed He would throw |
himself into the breach to save them from |
oppression or civil war. |
He said be had not intended to speak so |
long, he had been exhausted before he came |
here, and thanking the audience for their |
attention, he retired.