Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1848-09-04

lndOmItable will, the valCr and deternllnliat0h, OF
that distinguished citizen, Zachary Taylor-qua-
lnies wjlich have ever marked the great leaders OF
a people, which commend him so highly TO his
countrymen, and which could have been derived
from no teacher save Omnipotence-Col. peyton
made his bow to the audience and took his seat,
amidst loud huzzas, inspiring music and booming
cannon.
After a few moments, Mr.. PRENTIss stepped for
ward upon the platform. Ihotame which his elo-
quence had achieved, had created great Anxiety III
the breasts of many to hear him, and his appearance
was welcomed by loud shouts from the lungs OF his
fellow citizens. He, like his predecessor and fell
low soldier in the political battle, looked pale, feeble
and depressed-not from reason of the cause in
which he was engaged, but in consequence of over
~exertion in ~wardlng off the blows Of political Wilt
fiers and destructionists. He commenced by COM
pairing the characters OF the three candidates for the
Presidency, not as the leaders of parties, but as
men, and thrilled the feelings of his hearers by his
peculiar and soulstirring eloquence, and that with>
ering sarcasm which burnt wherever it touched.
Mr.. Prentiss went over pretty much the same
ground as Col. ~Peyton-making slavery his princi'
pal subject, indicating nobIy Mr.. Fillmore, and
stamping upon the characters of Gen. Cass and
Van Blren-from their own speeches, votes and
lelters-such an array of heinous and detestable
principles, as mus, have staggered the senses of the
most bigoed and uncompromising supporteE of Ell.
Their of these men. His portraiture of Old Zach
was truthful and beautiful, and awakened in the
breasts of all the liveliest sympathy and warmest
patriotism. The lofiiest and sublimest metaphor,
SO peculiar to Pren,iss, pervaded his address, and
throughout. the wild %clapping of hands and wilder
huzzas, testified the enthusiasm which he had kept
burning, like holy incense upon sacred affairs, in
the cause of Taylor and the Republic. After near
ly three hours in speaking, frequently leaning
against a post for support, while the perspiration
streamed through his garments, the noble orator at
length, through physical exhaustion, sank down into
his chair. And then again came the freeman's shout
the thrilling music and roaring artillery.
The table by this time having been spread with
the good things prepared, a simultaneous rush was
made for that portion not occupied by the ladies'
And when we assert that the guests in many places
three deep, and had to eat on the rough and
ready, fire and fall back fashion, and it is lecol-
Iected that the table was about two hundred feet in
some idea can be formed of the number o.
persons present. After dinner, about 5 o'clock
The firing Of cannon again commemorative bell
Of the little steamer began to toll-oar citizens at.
the Baton Rouge delegation to the boat, to-
gether with the orators of the day-the lines were
from the bank-the steam ascended-music
filed the air-and then, all again in PIaYuemine
was still, And thus ended a day of feasting and
The main object of which being for the
welfare of the people, which is peculiar to no
country on the face of the earth, save our own firm
and glorious Republic.