The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1907-02-28
A Question of Patriotism,

Hon. Walter p. Brownlow in his
speech in the hause Saturday eulogiz-
ing Andrew johnson said that Mr.,
johnson was the greatest patriot pro-
duced by the events of the civil war.
The test on which he founded this esti-
mate was that while W. G. Brownlow,
Horace Mynard and other notable
East Tennessee remained faithful to
the union cause it was natural that they
should do 80 because they had been
wings in politics and opposed to seces-
sion, but that johnson was a states
rights democrat and had supported
Breckenridge for the presidency in
1860.
That view is interesting aud possibly
tenable under the definition of patriot
ism which attributes the quality to
those only who sided with the union
cause. It is, however, curious to note
that In the south the same argument
Mr.. Brownlow uses in behalf of An
drew johnson has been applied to num-
erous wings and original union men
who opposing secession to the last gave
their all in behalf Of the south when
the conflict betW cen the sections had
actually begun. Alexander Fl. Stevens
and Robert E. Lee were conspicuous
examples and there were thousands of
Others in the rank and file.
There was marked. contrast in this
respect between two leading Tennessee
politicians Of the day, Andrew John
son and John Bell. johnson as Mr..
Brownlow stated was a Breckenridge
democrat. He opposed the milder
democracy Of Stephen A. Dougless and
in the Charleston convention stood
with the extremists. He was a pro-
slavery man and held to the ultra
southern view at that time of the right
of slavery extension to the TERRITORIES.
Yet at the outbreak Of the war he be-
come q violent union man. John Bell
was the nominee Of the constitutional
union party for the presidency in 1860.
He opposed secession to the utmost
and pointed out its folly with apres.
cience that in the light of the present
we know to have been true statesman.
ship; yet when Tennessee had cast itt
lot with the confederacy and Lincoln
had called for troops to coerce the south
Mr.. Bells sympathise were all with tht
southern cause. He opposed the Kan
sas- Nebraska bill OF 1854 and also thu
bill which would admit Kansas undel
the Lecompton. He was in favor o
the compromise measures of 1850 anC
fought the repeal of those measures
The platform ON which he was nomi
mated for the presidency in 1850 de
nounced the platform of existing par
ties as tending to widen political di
vision" and declared the principles
of its party to be "the conctitution o
the country, the union Of the state
and the enforcement Of the laws" Blu
after Lincoln called for troops, whel
war was inevitable, John Bell made
speech in Nashville strongly advocat
ing the sustaining of the southern
. cause. x
; In the light of the present it is cas-,
: to decide that Mr.. Bell was much tn
wiser statesman in the ante war perio'
! than was Mr.. johnson. Bells policie
!. would have led to peace and posSibl
peaceful solution Of the slavery ques
r ton. He knew at least the futility an,
). impolicy of trying to extend slavery +
4 the territories and new northern state
and he foresaw the folly Of secession
7 johnson was Breckenridge democrs
q insisting on the most extreme southern
a view of the slavery question that ha,
no alternative but war. Bell was qn
y questionably the wiser and assured
4 he was none the less patriot.
4 Perhaps after the matter is fully an
alyzed, both johnson and Bell acted o.
the same impulse. Mr.. Brownlov
said in his speech in the house Satur
8 day that his congressional district, tn
same district that Johnson represente,
Q in Congress for a number of years
{ furnished more troops to the uniol
y army than any other congressional dis
D trict in the country. That section o
the South in which Mr.. Johnson livel
/, was not southern in sentiment. Their,
q were few slaves in the section and tn
8 popular feeling there was strongl,
q pro-union. Mr.. Johnson, despite hi
+ record as Breckedrige democrat, sid
. ed with his people. Mr.. Bell lived il
3 portion OF Tennessee that was NOR,