Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-05-22
THE LATE HON. JESSE d. BRIGHT.

THE LATE HON. JESSE ID. BRIGHT.
Among all the men who figured as
prominent party leaders before the war,
none were forced by it into more com.
plete obscurity than Hon. Jesse D..
Bright, of Indiana, whose death In
Baltimore was announced yesterday
We all remember how confidently the
South counted upon aid from the
Northern Democracy when secession
became an accomplished fact, and how
soon events proved the fallacy of such
hopes. Mr.. Bright represented Indiana
in the United States Senate, and had
never set foot south Of Mason and
Dixon's line; but he was a firm, IN
wavering friend Of our section through
out, and sacrificed his political ambi-
ton in sympathizidg with the cause
that was lost.
While the war fever was running
highest, in 1861, no Democratic Sena-
tor was more fearless or emphatic IN
the expression Of his views than Mr.
Bright. The Radical leaders deter
mined to get rid Of him at any
cost. 1t was charged against him
that he had written letter TO jefferson
Davis recommending a gentleman who
had an improvement in firearms, and
a resolution of expulsion for disloyalty
was offered and referred to the Judi
ciary Committee. On the 18th Of Janu-
airy, 1862, the committee reported that
the facts charged were not sufficient to
warrant the expulsion Of Mr.. Bright.
On the Goth the matter was again
taken Up and the resolution was Of
fered by Mr. Wilkinson, Of Minnesota,
upon which the committee reported as
follows:
"Whereas, Hon. Jesse d. Bright, hereto
fore, IN the lst day Of March, 1861, wrote
a letter. of which the following is a copy:
WASHINGTON, March /, lSOl.-My
Dear Sir: Allow me TO introduce TO your
acquaintance my friend Thos. b. Lincoln,
of Texas. He visits your capital mainly
to dispose Of what be regards a great i'm
provement in firearms. l recommend him
10 your favorable consideration as a gentle
man Of the first responsibility and reliable
i'm every respect.
every truly yours, JESSE ID. BRIGHT.
"'To his EXcellency Jefferson Davis,
President Cf the Confederate States
"And, whereas, we believe the said
letter Is evidence Of diSloyalty TO the
United States, ard is calculated 70 give
aid and comfort 10 the public enemies;
therefore,
DBe il resolved, that the said Jesse D. /
Bright is expelled from his seat in the Sen
ate Of the United States"
A lengthy debate followed, during which |
Mr.. Bright made the following speech:
Il have said repeatedly that ! have no |
recollection Of ever having written this let |
ter have NO doubt when the letter was /
asked for, Mr.. Lincoln said he wanted TO /
co there TO dispose Of an invention in FIRE /
arms. / understand Mr.. Lincoln says / /
gave him a letter TO Mr.. Floyd i'm the /
month Of December, which was some
time before | gave him the letter TO 4
Mr. Davis recommending his improve
ment i'm firearms, whatever 1t was. L
really do not know what il was, and never
heard what it was. l went this morning
to the War Department, and with the aid
of the Chief Clerk searched its files for the
purpose Of ascertainiuinC whether there was
such a letter there. The Chief Clerk
a 81 -Ir 81 ]
PRODUCTION. such a one as would be given
in a case Of that kind, the presumption was
that Gov FlOvd threw il in his basket, and
so it had been destroyed, or be might have
Il among his private papers, Mr.. Lincoln, !
l understand, says l gave him letter
first recommending his tiTe-aTm to !
Mr.. Floyd. If il was such valuable inn
urovement and was likely To be so service
able in the destruction Of human life, and
/ was i'm cCllUSiCn with the Southern
States, l would hardly have recommended
II first 10 Gen. FLOYD, then Secretary Of
War. l suppose l gave him a letter first TO
Mr.. FLOYD. and he, finding that, like many
of these Yankee inventions, there was
nothing in It, threw it overheard, and then |
Mr.. Lincoln came and bored me for a
second letter TO Jefferson Davis, and / /
gave him that one. have 10 doubt these
are the facts
At the close Of the debate, a vote was
taken on the resolution, and resulted
as follows: yeas %, nays II. After bis
Mr.. Bright removed 70 Ken
lucky. Henever took an active part
in politics afterward; but there can be
no Doubt that his heart was with the
Southern people. Well, 1t is all over
now; he has gone to his account, and
the era Of good feeling viii not be re-
tarded by cherishing the memory of
one who was true in the time that tried
mems souls.