Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-08-06
SCENE IN NORTHAMPTON.


Yesterday being the day Of our Jn!r Court we
lad cutie q scene of political excitement. Judge
Bayly. pursuant TO promise visited us for the pur
pose OF addressing the people ofonr county. Ills oh
iect was to give the people an account OF The do
inrs in Conorcse during the h:irt period Il his
membership oil that lody. In the afternoon, the
people without distinction OF party. assembled IN
the Court house, and the Judge, soon appearing
on the rosrllm. began his speech. Proterhlal as
he i. for The great power OF his efforts before po-
pular audience, and often rs il has hecn my co"i
fortune to listen lohs speeches, have never heard
Judge Bayly, on any occasion. when he was more
truly interesting than in his speech CT Yesterday
He spoke for about three hours during which
time he discussed the si.alcc;s of Internal Improve
mems bv the General Government, the Tariff and
annexation Of Texas All these subjects were
handled by the Judge in mastery manner
He exposed with great power and skill The con
duct of The Wings in regard 10 The SUBJECT ol
annexation HcGeclareC, that during his canvass
last Spring he saw bu. one man, Wing or
Democrat, who was opposed 10 annexation; tu',
strange 10 tell, as soon as Mr.. Clay's Texas letter
appeared, all the leading Wings turned short
about. and were not only opposed TO annexation;
but denounced il as a monstrous measure. }
have neither read nor heard any thing on the
Texas question, during its agitation, m"Fe able
than that portion OF Judge Baylrs speech 81 Yes
,crday which vas devoted 10 the srhjcc:. Arg,i-
men,ativc q his speech WIS throughout, there
were nevertheless. parts of it eloquent in lie high
est degree He frequently, during the continuance
of his speech elected enthusiastic bursts OF ap-
planse from his auditory
When Judge Bayly had concluded, DR.. feroy
rose he said, 10 make STINT reply 10 some portions
of the Judges speech Every one who knew Inc
Doctor was surprised at his iemcrity. Hut 1t was
perfectly evident from his manner, that he haa
made extra preparation for the OCCASION ana more
over, that he thought that preparation altogether
sufficient for all the eyigences that iniSnt alisc
during The evening. We'll, soon the little Dr. was
in full career and, in a short time, every man OF
intelligence present who had read tie aeoates Oh
the Texas question: began 10 smllc Tor, inc ooc'oi
was actually, fast as he could utter, deil'cr'hS
Mr.. Bcnion's speech. But the Doctor Prepa!ai-
ton proved not 10 bc quite as extensive and EN-,
cieni as he anticipated He had not proceeded
far in the delivering of said speech, when Tue
Judge had To stop him and corct his missiate-
men; of facts Now, this was an unlocked
for circumstance, and quite as appalling 'li'cA-
pccted. The disputed statement oil iacs was III
Mr. Benton's speech; the Doctor had neglected ~
collect other information on the subject, ana
what TO ado he did not know. The most grace,
iul mode Of escape, was 10 leave inc cohes'e''
statement, and hylo others. This was INC course
adopted by the Doctor. But imagine me Docto,
SURPRISE when his next statement was proHiPuy
declared TO be as incorrect as the one t'al pre-
ceded il, and he himself told that he ought TO M
proye his own mind before attempting 10 caishen
the public upon great question, like Inc one I'M
der discussion. was really hafinclined 10 quar-
rel with the Judge for starting that unfortunate
question ofae. The DR. was mol prepared ior II: nc
had read those statemenls-fean mem III VT
Benlon's Speech and who would be bold enough
10 question the accuracy of Mr.. BIS statements!
Besides. the speech barring its premises, was an
able one-writlen in pretty taste: Qor Col. II; Is
a good wriier,) and sounded we'll Wheh tiie III;
observed the proper pronunciation OF WORDS; anu
happened to hit the exact pronuhcla'ioh ah" ehi-
phasis. 49,. ,. =,
the circumstances. that it was altogether amia-
blc in The Judoe 10 impair the effect OF 50 excel
lent an effort by exposing the inaccuracy OF lis
statements? Ii was really right down mali
cious in the Judse-;hat's fact Moreover,
this is a free co,,n,ry-and freedom ol speech j.
one of the sacred privileges Guaranteed 10y 'hc
Constitution. If recollect tha! instrument cor
recllv, il contains 10 provision when Pf9hipHs
one man from speaking the speech oil anothcr:-
The Wings. too so seldom do any hinS, Whicn
the Constitution does not prohibit, That iniiih
thcy ought TO be allowed the freedom oil speech III
all the latitude in which they claim 10 exercise II.
Besides when man prepares himself TO deliver
a particular speech he is apt to be placed in an
awkward predicament if not permitted TO do II.
To Illustrate III BY an example which now occurs
TO me: An old gentleman Of my Acquaintance
once ,old me that when he first came 10 the bar,
perhaps in his verv fist case, he wrote his speech
and unfortunately wrote it on the wrong side OF
the question. He had not proceeded far IN the
delivery. before he was interrupted by his col
league, and told that he was speaking on inc
wrong side-he wenton, however, ana was again
and again stopped, At length, worried beyond
human endurance. he exclaimed, 4 coht care a.
d-n. lis in my speech, and may 90 10 hell if
don, snc,L i,h So il was with the DR.. What
he spoke was in his speech, and he was, like my
friend, obliged to speak what was there, or not
speak at ALL