John Bell

John Bell. Though largely forgotten today, John Bell was one of the last great American statesmen. He was born in Davidson County in 1796, the year Tennessee became a state. Bell was elected to the U.S. Congress defeating Felix Grundy, Bell's service, beginning in 1827, was the first of seven congressional terms. Bell's 1829 speech against the Cumberland Road bill was one of his best. He correctly denied the constitutionality of internal improvements paid by the U.S. government. The Constitution, Article I, Section 7, only permits the U.S. government to construct post roads. Bell could see that if the U.S. Constitution was not strictly interpreted, it was a “delusion.” Northern states increasingly looked to the U.S. government to pay for internal improvements. Most U.S. revenue was derived from tariffs on Southern trade with Great Britain and France. The fact that Northern states were the voting majority did not alter the fact that the Constitution was designed to protect the minority, which in this case, was the minority of states correctly adhering to the strict interpretation that such improvements were unconstitutional. Bell could see a majority rule democracy was destructive to the union of free states. His appeal for “a great constitutional party” was prophetic. . . In 1860, the Constitutional Union party was organized, and John Bell was its candidate for the U.S. presidency. Bell finished second in popular votes, to John Breckinridge, in the Southern States. Bell won Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia. Lincoln was not on the ballot in Tennessee or nine other Southern states, yet won the election with 42% of the total vote. His election triggered the secession of seven states. Lincoln was inaugurated in March 1861. Bell visited him and had the impression he would do nothing to provoke war. Bell returned to Nashville in April and was dismayed to learn Lincoln had ordered U.S. forces to resupply Fort Sumter. The fort was important as the U.S. intended to collect tariffs in Charleston, After the fort was fired on, Lincoln unconstitutionally ordered troops to invade the seceding states. Most Tennessee voters, including Bell, had voted against a secession convention on February 9th. The call for troops changed opinions overnight. A 70% majority, including Bell, voted to secede June 8th. . . After U.S. forces invaded Tennessee, Bell and his wife fled to Alabama and later Georgia. He could not return to Nashville as he would have been imprisoned. An unconstitutional oath of allegiance to the U.S. might have brought release, but would have been unethical to Bell. Post-bellum the Bells returned and worked to rebuild their iron foundry in Stewart County. . This historical marker was erected by General Joseph E. Johnston Camp, Sons of Confederate Veterans.. It is in Nashville in Davidson County Tennessee