Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-01-15
NASHVILLE, Jan. IA, 1861

Dear SRI am concerned 10 ma, as co |
by your note of the 18th inst, that, in a |
casual conversation with DR.. Hurley, in the
morning of that day, I had afforded any
ground for the Inference that was employed
in giving currency to the rumor, that you
had become Disunionist. Iassure you that,
finding myself thus Implicated. is mt less
surprising and unaccountable to me, than il
possibly could be to you, under all the CIR
cumstances to find me thus engaged.
DR.. Hurley is my near neighbor, and meet
ing him carly in the morning of the 18th
inst, on the pavement in front of his house,
I entered into brief conversation (not ex-
ceeding, I should think, five minutes) with
him. The subject uppermost in my mind,
| was the panic caused by the announcement
in the newspapers, two days before, that Mr.
| Seward was to be Secretary of State in Mr..
| Lincoln's Cabinet, and was anxious to hear
| from the Doctor what he knew of the effect
| of this information upon his particular
| friends and acquaintances, and more especial
| Iy upon those of the Legislature. La the
| eourse of the conversation, I remember to
have said, that / had heard that you had be-
come a DisuHionist, but, in what connection
this was said, whether in reply to something
DR.. Hurley said, or with what object made
the statement, have now no distinct recol-
lection, though know that could not have
made it to prejudice you in any way, or with
the intention to leave DR.. Hurley under the
impression that you had changed your views,
and was then cooperating with the secession
lists; nor do perceive from your note that
Dr. Hurley in mentioning to you the fact,
that had heard that you had become a Dis
unionist, intended to convey the impression
that had left upon his mind any Impression
: | that believed the rumor l had heard to be
true. The whole difficulty in determining
the intention or purpose for which l had re-
D ferred to what had heard In relation TO your
alleged position, is fully sustained by the re
collection of Mrs. Hurley, who was standing
| in the portico, and heard the whole converse
| ton between the Doctor and myself. IN
derstaud that she has distinct recollection
of having said that she had heard a rumo
that you had become a Disunionist, and tina
/ replied that had seen you on the subject
q and that the rumor was not true. 1t is mos
: probable, that, 1 stated in my reply to Mrs
+ Hurley, that l bad heard the rumor also tina
; you had become DisunioHist.
Il It would be unaccountable indeed, and irI
i, concilable with any pretense to truth an
4 honor on my part, if after my eonversatlo
! with you in the Senate Chamber in til
% morning of the 18th inst, had, in the morn
| .,J To- colo
a the statement or rumor that you had chang
- your course and become a secessiOnist, espf
- cially after l had made it point, after
: conversed with you in the Senate Chambe
" to correct any impression | found prevaliin
a with any of my friends, that you had change
O. your position upon the subject of secession
" stating to them that had heard from yoI
n own lips, that though you looked upon IL
q. appointment of Mr.. Seward. to the frol
,u place in Mr.. Lincoln's Cabinet, as cutting {
h all hope. in your Judgment, of a peaceful al
n satisfactory adjustment of the pending diff
as culties between the North and the South, y
oh that you did not look to secession as the pr
/ per remedy, or course that should be adopt
no by the border States. 1 need not say TO y
M that I vas highly gratified to find that "
of had come to this conclusion, though l d
te. fered with you as to the probable results
ms Mr.. Stewards acceptance of seat'in 4
rat Lincoln's Cabinet, believing that the desi
to natiesi-of him to fill the highest place in t
eel Cabinet. as rather suspicious and iavorab
to in the present condition of affairs, to sat
of factory solution of existing strife.
us, reciprocate the respect and friendly fe
pa ing expressed for me,-in the conclusion
ent your note. JOHN BELL,
nj Hon. H. S. FooFE.