At an immense mass meeting, held in
Nashville, Tuesday night, speeches were delivered by
Hon. John Bell and others.
Mr. Bell spoke for about three-quarters of an hour, stating, in effect, that so far as present duties and responsibilities are concerned, the past is a sealed book.
The time for action and unity of action in the
South had arrived, and he was for standing by the
South, and defending the
South, all the
South, against the unnecessary, aggressive, cruel, unjust and wanton war which is being forced upon us. He recounted at some length the efforts which he had made in the past and especially the present Administration to avert this war, and the hopes he had cherished for the preservation of peace, but those hopes had now vanished, and our duty was now to defend ourselves, and to make common cause with all our sister slaveholding States of the
South against a common invading foe. He advocated a strong and effective military league or union among all the slaveholding States, for the successful prosecution of the war, but declined to discuss the question relating to the time and manner and character of a political connection, which he considered more appropriate for a future time.
He was for arming the
State and organizing and equipping the militia in the amplest and most effective way possible under the circumstances.
