Blue hen's chicken. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1848-1854, 1849-08-17
For the Blue Hens Chicken.
THE CENTREvILLE DEBATE.

For the Blue Hens Chicken.
THE CENTREvILLE DEBATE.
Mesus Eiitors Thinking that a short &C.
count Of the discussion which took place a
Cenirevlle July 29lh, " on the dissolution oil
the Union" might not be undressing TO 1
majority of your readers, have concluded to
pen the following short account, which will b.
as free from prejudice and Partially as pos.
sible.
The discussion was commenced about IL o.
clock by Geo. P. Davis, in an opening speech
of 25 minutes. He commenced by reading four
different petitions, three of them to Congress
and one to the Legislature of Pennsylvania.
or the three former, one was for the " Abolition
Of Slavery" in the Union; one for the aboli-
ton of slavery in the District of Columbia,
and one for the dissolution Of the Union this
last he made the ground work of his argument
holding every word thereinSWore sacred than
the ''truths Of holy writ Having spent his
time in set speecId against the ins'i.ss, al
slavery he subuftttuds ~
John Holland replied to Mr.. Davis. He
said that it was necessary that he should lay
down before the audience some platform on
which to stand. lie admitted The truths Of all
the arguments adduced by Mr. Davis-said he
was not here TO make slave speech. He was
no slave propagandist. Declared himself Free
SoiIer in the fullest sense Of the word. Hav-
ing admitted Mr.. Davis arguments, there was
nothing left for him TO rebuff. He then went
into lengthy logical argument in reference to
constitutions and governments which proved
beyond doubt, that he was well read on the
subject. Here he drcw an eloquent COMPARE
son between the Union =" and the remaining
part of the civilized world, showing conclusive
ly that to tear down and blild up constitutions
were not to be done SO easily as some thought,
but on the contrary was only done once in the
history of the world, and that was our own,
which gentlemen talk ofdestroying. His time
having expired the hammer fell.
John J. Woodward next appeared upon the
stand. He commenced by saying that he did not
come here expecting to take part in the Discus
sion, and Immediately showed his assertion 10
be false by drawing forth from his pockets Coo
ument after document from which he read in a
clear and forcible style. His speech was prin-
cipally reading from the minutes of the convon-
ton that formed our constitutions, showing
that ii was not adopted in Its present form
without much hesitation, and reading at length
from Mr.. Dickinson's speech on that occasion.
With the finishing Of this reading he sat down,
and was heard no more throughout the discus
sion.
Joseph Foreman replied his arguments were
founded on The same platform as his colleagues.
He was also free soil. He went mo an argu-
msnt showing how disunionists accomplished
the very opposite Of that to which they profess
ed to desire to obtain. He quoted from Daniel
" ebsttr and Thomas Hart Benton largely, and
proved such men TO be more consistent abol-
tousts than VIM. Lloyd Garrison or his sup
porter his arguments were mild and forcible.
His time expired.
George P. Davis again appeared upon the
stand, going over the same ground he did at
first, cleaning all that was missed at his first
reaping. He read extracts from several doc
uments, and concluded his argument with
stab at christianity, which as it now existed he
termed chnrcbianiiy. This was tho most iri-
ding speech of the day.
John Holland replied he said were he a
stranger to the people Of Cenirevile he would
consider it necessary to reply to Mr.. Davis, but
with his present knowledge Of the intelligence
Of the audience, he should consider his time
lost in replying 70 such supreme nonsense. He
did not come here to trihe with or to discuss sla
very, but to speak relative to the dissolution Of
the Union, and to that point alone would he
reply or adduce arguments. Dropping Davis
argument as unworthy Of reply, he went into
very strong argument for the Union. He took
Washington's valediciory as the will of the Fa-
Their Of his country to US, and quoted some We
~ strong passages from it in reference to the
causes which Washington foresaw would har-
ass our Union from time to time. He also took
up the treaty making power. showing the great
injury to be sustained 10 the world as every
treaty now in existence with foreign powers
would be destroyed. He handled ibis rnr' Of