, 1865-01-24

a Hem1uf4cence Of the Rebellion In
man Foote and John 1fp-Lettex
from Bell.
From our Own Corzeapondeut1
NAsHSn1E, jan. 70, 1855.
In the absence Of military neHs, save such
as / narrated in my last, relative to fhs mava.
ment of troops eastward, I have concluded
to call up matter, which, as throwing Light
On the rebellion In this State, Will be interest
Ing at any time, and which Is now doub1y 20
from tha recent movements Of one Of the he
roee-Henry 8. Foote. !.
During number Of years there we're two
leaders Of the American party III this State,
who stood pre-eminent, and were, on all
hands, acknowledged its very hesd and
front, These men were Mr. Footc and John
Bell, each Of whom WAS terribly jealous Of
the other. Yet, as leaders Of the same party,
they we're compelled to be friends they Were
extremely polite in their mutual intercourse,
and each made great protest of.respect and
regard for his eminent friend, but It required
no very acnte Judge Of human nature to per-
cei7c that this was affected. When one re-
ceiyed any mark Of confidence from the party
the other was the first to congratulate him,
though really he felt 1t Is stab beneath his
OWL fifth rib; and when one was candidate
The other was always his most active sympa-
wheluing defeat.
When the intelligence was received that
Mr.. Lincoln had been elected, both Of thesa
men went for the maintenance Of the Union
but they openly declared, that in the contro-
rersy, the South were innocent sufferers,-
the North. heartless, ambitious aggressors;
and while they were opposed to Immediate
secession, they both declared that the North
must yield to the demands Of the South, or q
separation would cnsue. Yet they Wero ex-
tremely sensitiye relative to being classcl
with any other than Union men.
During the session Of the Legislature, and
after it had become known that Mr. Seward
had been selected as Secretary Of State, these
men met, BY accident at the Capital, and at
once the question Of Premiership mas called
- "a have lost al hops" m a said Foote snow
Is On the other hand," replied Mr.. Bell, "-I
look upon the appointment Of Mr.: Seward as
4 good omen regard him as conservative
man: But are you going with the disunlon-
!. No sir I:have no hope, but Jet do not
believe disunion isa remedy"
Mr. Bell. - I am unprepared to say" was the
response, but that disnnion Is no remedy,
Fepeat.'''
a lengthy conversation ensued, In which
Mr. Be]Aattemptcl to convince Foote that
Seward VAS really not IN enemy Of the
II Irepeat enphatically that have no hope"
mas Foote'S closing remark, and It was made
with characteristic b1uster "neye1theless dis
union is no remedy"
A day or two aflerward, Mr.. Foote was in
formed that his rival had circulated report,
secesslonist. The little man WAS cnraged be-
yond measure. It was scandal, he said, ,circu-
lated with Wow to injuring his future polit-
ical prospects, and he would hare redress, or
die in The attempt !; and be Immediately
penned AIr. Bell note, in which he demand
cd m explanation, an apology, Or fight
and this be entrusted to party whom ht in
tended to employ as his SECOND, in case Of
resort 10 the code dutllo. To this note, Mr.
Bell replied, under date Of Nashville, January
s:UrAn s1r: am concerned to find, as do by
your note Of the 18th inst, that in casual cunyer-
satop with b. Hurley, on the mnEnins OF that day,
had afforded any ground for the inference that
was employed III giving currency t9 tae rnmor
that in finding myself thus implicated. is not less
eurrrfrins and uDaccountable to me than 1t POSI-
bly, could he to you. under oil the circumstances.
.sDr. hurley Il ny near neighbor, and early On
the morning Of tie Eth Inst. on the pavement In
front Of his house. entered into 2 brief eonvsr-
utes)wIih him. The subject uppermost in my mind
ras the ranic cazeed BY the announcement IN tho
e q 9S s es1rs f. g. s5
and waa anxioua to hcaE from the Doctor what
be Knew Of the effect Of this Information upon his
particular friends and aequ4fntances, and more es-
pecially upon those Of the Legislature.
'tIn the course Of the conversation remember
to have saia thnt had heard taa.yon had beconc
asecestioniht; but tn what connection This T:s
said, OF with what object made the statem:nt, 1
have row no distinct recollection. TL!s know
that could not hAyc W n maas II to nrs3udSe Eoa IN
under the impression that yc7 had changed yoar
yicws. and wa. then cooperating With tho lc.fsfa-
taze; nor do l.percciEe ifo1a your note TINT d:
had heard yon had become a dlsunionfst tat<ntied
to ccnrry the Impression that bad left upon his
mind or sny Impression That believed M ths rumor
tcr1nining the intention, Of purpose for which 1
referred to w1st had heard In relation to your
alleged position, is fully sustained By the 1acol-
lection oi Mrs.. Hurley, who Wis standing In the
ptrtfco ard heard the whole conversation between
The Doctor snd myself 1u1derat7n1 tha: she has
distinct recollection Of having said that she had
hesrG rumor that you had become distatontst,
and that replied that aad eee1 you on tue sab
}ect and thai tlle rAn1or was not true It IA most
probable that stated In my reply to Mrs. Hnr!ey
: ~
ut wonid he unaecountable. i-deed. md incredi-
6 + aa gon in IN
Senate chamber, on the morning Of the 1tth Inst,
haa contributed, On the nserning Of the 18th to
give color to the rumor that you bad abjured your
after had mace Itn point, nt'cr convcrscd with
you in the Scra,e Climber, to correct any impress
had changed your pusltlun IN the subject Ut seces-
sion-staung to them that had heard from your
own lips, that. though you looked upon the ap-
pnintnent Of Mr.. Seward to the first place In Mr..
lincoin's Cabinet Us cutting off a1l hope in your
Judgment, Of peaceful md satisfactory adjust
ment Of the pending aiffculties between the North
at1opted by the Border State4. u
II need not say to You that was deeply g:atfdcd
to lind that yua had come to this conclusion,
though differed from you as to the probable re-
suits OF Afr. scwartl's acceptance Of scat In Ar
Lncosn's Cahtnet, should be he rendered IL; be
est place III the Cabinet as rather aaspicions. IL
the present condition Of uairs for the satislasto
| r. solution OF the existlns strife.
expressed ior me IN the eenciusion Of 5ouT note,
Your. tru3y, JoHS BELL"
| "Hoi. Henry s. Foote
The position Of Mr. Foote may be stated
| tlCs:
OF disunion would be attempted
| 2. He had no hope: there would be no con
| cess!on, no compromise
3. In AIRY event, he was opposed to scccs
sion, Us II Was no remedy FOR any evil, pres
snt or prospective.
Had he never changed, be would have ap
pcared like patriot, dresding the evil day
bnt determined never to lend hand to a16
| the destroyer. II Il scarcely possible to per
celye how 4 man, however much he may haEa
desired compfomize, could be xnythin1
| other than qn unconditional Untonist, who
having lost hope, was for clingtng to tn
Onion still Nevertheless, In three week
| after the writing Of the above letter, he hat
allied himself with the gcessionista and re
ceived seat In the rebel Congress as q re
"a5a OF hE treachery.
Joan Bell remained IN his old nttitud
!1r considerable length Of time; visitet
! Washington and conferred with the Presi
dent returned still n nominal Union man
which he remained until the Presidents cal
fot 75, GOO troops to preserve the Union, en-
force the laws and protect the national capi
tai; in q word, till the President declared BIZ
intention to do that which he had sworn il
his official OATH Mr.. Bell was not a man t;
resist the current he vas neither an An
drew jackson or m Andrew johnson; b.
bad been lcng Wayering, and on the nth o
| April he made public declaration Of his de
termination to 60 with the current, and no
only to 70 with the current, but he made I
violently int1ammatory appeal to the people
worthy the greatest efforts Of Yancey, sayt
| the eloquence.
GREAT GIFT DlsTRlsUTloA
25o,ooo
WATCHES, CHAINS, DIAMOND RINGS, &C..
WORTH OVER
| ONE luLLION DOLLARS,