The Arkansas banner., 1845-10-29
Elm. ihe Rnnnef
FAYETTEVILLE. Oct. 17th. lS45.

Gov. Y ell and Col Ashley, to a seat in the United States Senate, greatly to the advan- tage of the latter, and to the prejudice of the former, the object of my present communl- cation IS to fairly estimate their claims, s.with the lights now before me-" In doing so, do not design detracling from the talents
 merits or services of Col Ashley. will .'nothing extenuate nor aught set down ill kmalice," but will award to him all that l be- Iilieye is justly due But, shall decline sub hseribing to the lusome eulogies, of his toG Rpartial friends, in awarding to him talents I)whieh he has never given any evidence of pos sessing, or merits which do not attach to lhim, or credit for services which he never rendered.
 Let me ask, where are the evidences oI kthose transcendant talents, which have been fascribed to Col. Ashley, ''rising in the beau- | tllul proportions of majestic pyramid" He has lived between fifty and sixty years, in Xactive professional engagements, and yet he ihas not erected single memorial to survive him. He has reputation as a lawyer, yet there is not d single argument of his on the i reports of our Supreme Court, which will place him on an equality, with at least half a I dozen other lawyers practcng in that court. | As politician. he has not as yet given any ! evidence Of consummate craftsmanship, or f of great political wisdom; unless 1t is fixing \ tue western boundary of Texas the s.NaeceS.' 4 As an orator, l have never heard of his speak Y ing ''with tongue of fire, and words that burn." During his whole life, he has yen- turei to put but one speech beloie the pub lie, which, instead of displaying that bril- liancy of intellect, and burning eloquence, which his friends ascrbe to him, to my mi"d, though am no judge of such things, is decidedly dull, flat and insipid am told that when ill answering an honorable Sena- tor, he read ''Irom the dictionary" talented gentleman, from Tennessee, then sitting in the lobby of the Senate, put his hand
 10 his nose. in the ssyou can't come lt'' style, and exclaimed, '',Arhansasm
 Col. Ashley commenced lis political ca reer at al ape, when most men retire from that boisteroas field of strife. In truth, he boasted of having made his s.maiden political speech,'' some eighteen months since. l agree that he rendered good services in the last canvass; but, like every thing else con eerning him, they are oyerrated. He made but four speeches previous to the death of Gov. Fulton; after which, he made tour through the West and N orth, and made ex- cellent speed But had not almost every county in the West, through which lie pass
 cd, been thoroughly canvassed by Coy. ' ell, and the electoral candidate i'll that end of the State; And 1t is saving but little for the popu- Iariy of Gov. DREW, in the North, to at tribute the democratic harmony in that sec ton, to Col. Ashley. He never visited but three counties in the N orih or N est, ia which Byrd was getting any votes they were Con way, Franklin and Carrol.. He passed by, as unworthy of notice, Y ell, Scott and Searcy counties, in which Byrd was getting strong vote. He was then a candidate for the Sen ate, and visited the strong democratic counties in the North and West, where his services were not needed, and passed those counties where they were needed. Was 1t not to se- cure those strong democratic counties in his support for the Senate? These are the ser vices of Col Ashley Upon what other oc- casion did he ever benefit the party; Let his friends say.
 l. is with pleasure turn to Gov. YELL. IL Is true, his enemies have upon all occasions attempted to detract from his talents and merits. But let me ask, when was he un- equal to the emergency? His friends will
 willingly submit to comparison of his speeches in Congress, and the public docu- ments emana;lng from him as Governor, with the only recorded production of Col. Ashley, his Texas speech Whenever called up0n to render services 10 his party, or to make personal sacrifices, it has been nohly done; and upon every occasion, he has brought to 1 bear an energy, an eloquenee and personal popularity, that no obstacle could withstand. Ia the election for Congress, in 1886, with an able opponent, he obtained larger ma lority by zoo or 1900 votes, than did our candidate for Governor, who Was deseryedly popular man. In the last contest, at the call of his party, he resigned the office of :, Governor, contrary to his interest and private . wishes, threw himself into the canvass with 5 an energy and eloquence unequalled by any , other man during that canvass, and obtained a majority, of more than 3500 votes over one , of the most talented, eloquent and deservedly
 popular men of the whig party. leave it
 10 the people, who heard Gov Tell in that canvass, to say whether he possesses talents Some men would, on that occasion, have held on to the office of Governor with its salary and it's ease. But Gov. ' ell resigned all, and performed the most arduous labor al great pecuniary expense, and risk of health, in canvassing the State, for the benefit of his } party, and for an office which he did not want. ask the candid and liberal of the democratic party, is he entitled to no credit } for all this? But this is not all After he was triumphantly elected, his friends desired to place his name before the Legislature as a } candidate for the vacant seat iu the United States Senate What was his answer? "No, } gentlemen, regard the harmony and pros perity oi the democratic party as infinitely [ paramount 10 the qualification of any private wishes, or feelings on my part. My party called upon me, to be their standard bearer in the recent Congressional election. flat ter myself that l faithfully performed the duties assigned me. The result is before the county However much more seat in the United States Senate, may be congenial to my feelings, or might be gratifying to my wishes, than the station which have so recently been called to fill, l cannot for moment, entertain the thought, that the harmony of