The American patriot., 1855-10-20
Discussion at Hephzibah.

The candidates of the respective parties for
the Lower House of the Legislature, Ward and
Norwood, Natives,) and Jones and Haynes,
(Anties,) had their discussion at Hephzibah on
Thursday last, and we were present to witness
the wordy war and to report the progress of
the canvass.
As our contemporary over the way had per-
haps not "note taker" on the ground and as
probably no report of the performance will be
seen except in our columns, We hold it to be
our duty both to the reading public and to
the candidates, to give fair, unprecedented and
impartial account of this affair.
The collection was quite small ; the crowd
did not number over twenty or twenty-five,
considerable majority Of whom were Natives.
1t was arranged among the candidates that
Jones was to open the debate, which he did,
saying-we do not remember what he said
but if we can think of anything he did say
before we complete this sentence, we promise
the reader to inform him what it was.
He said he was no orator, a fact which he full
ly demonstrated practically to his hearers. He
said he was on the field of Buena Vista-and
probably if elected, he will regale the repre-
sentatives on frequent occasions, with glow
ing account of that hard fought battle.
| Mr.. Jones seemed evidently possessed of the
idea that it was his bounden duty to tell every.
thing he knew on all subjects, and his genius
was too original and cratic to confne itself to
the issues to be debated. Consequently, he
branched off in sort of promiscuous disser-
tation on everything-now speaking of one
topic and now Of another, as each presented
itself to his mind. He discoursed of witches
and witchcraft, of the NJ orm on s, and &C.
casionally spiced up his speech with abstracts
from the history of the United States-the
relics perhaps of his school-boy learning Once
we thought he was coming to the subject, and
he did for a moment, touch upon the secret
feature of the American organization, but he
was soon off again in full cry after new idea
which he had just scared up, and which he
seemed determined to catch if possible He
cooled down again and returned to the subject,
but whether the idea so holly chased was cap
tured or not, we cannot say. At least it was
not shown to the crowd. Mr.. Jones condemned
the American party not because it was Wing
trick, but because 1t was an abolition scheme,
to get possession of the whole political power
of the country. Under this view he con-
demned those southern men who had attached
themselves to the Order; but when he be-
thought himself that the national democracy
in the northern States was swallowed up in
the maelstrom of aboltionism and there was
danger that the argument he was using would
cut his own throat, he tackled about, contend
ing most strongly that he was a Louisiana de-
mocrat, and that he could in no way be made
responsible for the acts Of the party in the
northern States.
e Mr.. Jones' manner on the stage is very ner-
vors indeed, and he seemed to verify the saying
Of Dcmosthcnes, that oratory consisted o.
three things, action, action, action; and he re-
minded us forcibly of the old couplet which
: was written long ago, by a famous old Dutch
D poet:
e "Brimfnl of wrath
And cabbage"
Mr. Jones completed his story in about three
y quarters of an hour, and took his seat. W.
!, give him such an extended notice (for which
we know he will feel obliged to us,) because