Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-09-19
JOHN BELL.
Tributes to his Memory.

held on the 1lth instant, when Genert
] John C Brown was called to the chat
and John s Wilkes and F o McCord ap
pointed Secretaries.
On motion of James McCallum, Esq
a committee of seven were appointed t
draft suitable resolutions, and repor
Wednesday evening, to which time tn
meeting adjourned. The committee con
Q sisted Of Jas McCallum, Esq, Maj Tho
; M Jones, Col Scion E Rose, Charles {
| Alternately, ESQ, Jas F Smith, Col A Cox
: and Col Thos Martin.
On Wednesday, the 18th inst, the meet
| ing reassembled at 2 O'clock, when wert
present a large assembly of the citizens o
the county, together with the students o
Giles College and the professors, in body
Gen. Brown, on resuming the chair, de-
liyered. in an eloquent and touching yle,
a beautiful and feeling eu'ogy upon the
character of Col. Bell, and referred in ap-
propriate style to his brilliant and unspot-
ted career as lawyer, patriot, politician
and statesman. He held his character up
as a model for the youth OF the land, as
being without reproach q one that would
challenge the admiration Of the world.
| The committee appointed at the previous
meeting, through its chairman, James
McCallum, E g., made the following re-
port:
The sad intelligence has been announced
that the Hon. John Bell is no more--a
great man has fallen-one Of the last of the
compeers of Clay, Webster, Calhoun, Polk
and Benton, has taken his exit from time.
Thus has passed away another of the fu;-
Vivors of that bright galaxy of statesmen,
who by their genius, eloquencs and learn
ing, gave eclat to the American Congress,
and characterized their generation as the
Ciceronian age of the republic.
Col. Bell died at his residence 10 Stewart
county, on the morning of the 10Th inst,
in the 74th year Of his age, having been
twenty-six years a member of Congress,
fourteen Of which was in the House of
Representatives and twelve in the Senate.
AS citizens Of this great Republic, we may
| well lament the death of one who has con-
tributed 80 largely TO the renoWn of her
statesmen; and as Tennesseans, mourn the
loss of one of her most gifted Sons. There.
fore
Resolved, That in the death of the Hon.
John Bell our country has lost long, tried
and faithful servant, profound statesman
and pure patriot.
Resolved, That We mourn his death,
and will ever cherish the memory of his
many virtues, his purity Of life, his infsx,
ible integrity, his devotion to the princi-
pies of constitutional government, his
courteous, digni6ed and honorable bear
ing in public and private life.
Following which, Mr.. McCallum, as one
Of Colonel Bells old and confidential
friends and associates, delivered an i'm
pressiYe eulogy upon his character, and
referred briefly to the leading traits of his
character, which were conscientiousness,
candor, honesty and sense of duty, as a
consequence OF which he passed through
his public life without a stain upon his
character. He was thoughtful man, and
was, therefore, sometimes supposed 10 be |
Of a naughty and exclusive disposition,
especially during his latter days. Such
was not the case. He was more of states |
man than politician, and therefore he will |
be better appreciated after death than while |
living. He was classmate of c. e. Aber- |
nathy, Esq, one of the committee, who |
testified that Col. Bell, as a youth, was |
always at the head of his class, was good |
boy, and was always in after life q friead |
to young men.
Msjor Thomas NJ. Jones followed 10 a |
heartfelt tribute TO Mr.. Bell. The past |
history of our great men is our heritage,
no matter what may be our future. Mem
cries Of Jackson, White, Grundy and Polk, |
would be dear to Tennesseeans, but none
more dear than John Bell, who lived in
an age Of great men, and to be peer with |
them was great honor.
Col. Scion +. Rose paid his tribute at /
the shrine of true greatness and moral |
worth, and extolled Mr.. Bell az one of the |
purest and greatest men that ever lived in |
any age.
CCl Jno A Tinnon made few appropri- |
ate remarks, after which, on motion of |
Maj I NJ Jones, it was ordered that the |
proceedings of this meeting be Published |
in the Pulaski Citizen, the Nashville pa
pers and the Huntsville Independent.
The GAINESVILLE Chronicle contains the |
following in reference to the proceedings |
of a meeting at that place:
On Saturday morning a meeting Of the |
citizens of this city and vicinity was called |
at the courthouse, 10 take action in regard |
to the death Of Tennessee's greatest states |
mar. On motion, Hon. G. A. Henry was |
called TO the chair. 10 short but eloqent |
eulogy he touched upon the life and |
services of the distinguished dead, and |
urged that proper respect be paid to his re. |
mains. Martin V. Ingram, was on motion
chosen Secretary. On motion of Hon. John |
+. House, the chair was requested to APP
point a committee to draft resolutions. The |
motion prevailing the following gentlemen |
we're appointed such COMMUNICATION J |
F House, Judge I w King, Judge J L
Rice, Geo t Lewis, Col ] Z Bailey, Hon |
D n Kennedy and Gen NJ Quarles.
On motion the chairman was added TO |
the committee. The following are the re-
solutions as presented by the committee |
and accepted by the meeting.
Where's, We have heard with sadness
and regret Of the death of Teanessee's
most distinguished son, Hon. John Bell,
and deem 1t eminently proper TO miDgle
our sympathy with the sorrow generally
felt by our people over this great public
loss. Oae by one, the lights of other days
are going out. No man born in our State
ever occupied 80 large space in public
estimation aud none was ever more hon.
cred and trusted by her people than the
illustrlOus statesman whose death We now
deplore. he was prominent actor In the
most exciting periods Of our political his
tory, and occupied front rank, for many
years in our State and national politics.
He passed through the strorms Of political
excitement and partisan strife, without
blot on his honor and integrity and has
left behind him name and fame which
will be treasured among the richest ewels
of our history. Therefore, belt
Resolved, That in the death of Hon
John Bell, the nation has lost one of her
purest and ablest statesmen, and the
State of Tennessee her greatest son.
Resolved, That the chairman of this
meeting appoint delegation of our citi-
zens TO escort the remains OF Hon. John
Bell, and deliver the same TO the commit.
tee of Davidson county.
Resolved, That we tender to the widow
and relatives of the deceased our sin
cere sympathy and coincidence for the
great loss they have sustained
Brief but appropriate remarks were
made upon the character of the deceased
by Col Bailey and Hon. }. M. Quarles.
His services as statesman, his wisdom
as lawyer, and his high character as
man, were feelingly referred to-
The New Orleans papers give encOurS
aging accounts Of both the cotton and
/ snroy orops fTbau mt the nyeass tb;s