Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-09-18
[correspoDdence o. she Fatriotl
DIscussf0n at Farmington.
BEDFORD Co., Sept. Is, is5


men from the western portion Of the county, we
attended at Pennington to hear the speech OF the
Hon. N. P. Gentry, who, some eight or ten days
since had accepted the invitation of his friends and
neighbOrs Of Pennington and vicinity. division
of time was proposed and the proposition made
known ia the public notices Of the appointment:
John NJ. Bright. Esq. o. Fayetteville, and Hon.
q. NJ. Watterson were both in attendance.
There we're from 500 to 1000 persons in attend
ance think about $780, and among quite NUM-
Der of ladies. The assembly was larger than was
anticipated upon so short notice.
Il was epprehended that Col Gentry would not
be able to speak it being known to most OF US that
for the last two or three weeks he has been con
fined TO bis house under medical attention. He ar
rived about ! o'clock, and after few minutes rest
Grove, some three hundred yards distant.
About l2 o'clock the discussion began-Mr.
Bright coming forward as the Buchanan orator to
contend with Col. Gentry.
Col. Gentry opened in a speech oftwo hours and
fifteen minutes. Mr.. Bright followed, consuming
the same length of time, and each a rejonder Of
about 80 minutes.
Would that | were competent, and you could at
ford the space to furnish full sketch of the Far
ance upon mounting the stand evinced the feeble
ness consequent upon protracted illness yet in the
utteTance Of his first words every one could see that
his voice was good, and that the speakers soul
was in the theme which was the burden Of his re-
marks. The undivided attention of the large
sembly was riyeted upon him from the utterance OF
the very first words until he closed.
He first spoke of the Union and its blessings and
gores; adverted to the evils now existing and the
IL. Il. nFaA
cause OF these difficulties, and showed who was re-
sponsible for them; deprecated and condemned the
strenuous and persistent attempts of the leaders OF
the Buchanan and of the Fremont party to section
alize the country by the formation of geographical
parties opposed to each other on the slavery issue;
said be had always been opposed to such schemes,
whether proposed by the fanatics Of the North or
the disunioDsts of the South; showed that the in
terests OF the South and of all sections will be best
secured by the integrity and perpetuity Of the
Uuion that its stability is endangered by the troubles
and difficulties which now upon the country;
that these troubles are the result of re-opening
of the slavery agitation by the uncalled for and
expected repeal of the Missouri Compromise; that
the present Administration are responsible for this
agitation and its consequences, and that too at the
expense Of solemn pledges in their Baltimore plat
form and Presidential messages By it they have
denationalized themselves and given life to black
being now las be remarked) disbanded and nothing
but a conglomeration of factons-are now under
the lead of Buchanan in the South, appealing to
the sectional feeling Of the South to rally to him
the Antagonist OF black republicanism, and par
cellence the friend of the South. He showed that
the Only way to give relief to the country and quiet
to the stormy elements was the elevation OF ma
tonal conservative to the head OF affairs, and
that man was Willard Fillmore. The Colonel was exs
Al.
claims of Willard Fillmore upon the American peo
pie, and paid glowing tribute to Mr.. Fillmore as
the friend Of the Union and the embodiment of the
national conservatism of the country; at the same
time abiding in graceful terms to bis exemplary
habits and conduct as man, and his correct yet
unpretending life as a christian, and bis beautiful
rise, step by step, from the humble position of an
apprentice to the highest honor Of the Republic.
Upon the question of ''chances" be expressed
the belief that Mr.. Fillmore could and would be
elected BY union Of the conservative national men
of all parties in all sections. That it was evident
Mr. Buchanan stood no chance for more than one
State at the North, and that he did not believe he
would get that one, Pennsylvania-aud as to the
South he could not possibly carry majority of
them; and upon principles OF reason, he could not
see how he could be expected to carry a single
Southern State Fillmore was acceptable to the en-.
tire American party of the South, and to all true
Union loving, conservative men OF all parties-Mr.
Buchanan to carry any single Southern State must
do it, at the expense of the consistency and indie
pendence of action of the masses of the Democratic
party since from his political record upon all former
tests of Southern Democracy, he was known to be
unfit aud unsafe. Col. Gentry concluded by an
earnest and patriotic appeal to his hearers, Of all
party names, addressing himself to their reason
patriotism and independence of action. His whole
speech was one grand argument, and the expression
of liberal heightened and statesman-like sentiments
1t was telling effort and though large portion of
bis hearers Of the opposite party, not a man
in the large assembly seemed to be wearied or mat
tentiye 1t is to be hoped Col. Gentry's health will
soon be restored and that he may actively partici-
pate in the canvass.
After the Colonel concluded Mr.. Bright began,
and since he had come all the way from Lincoln, as
was to be inferred, for the purpose of answering
Gentry, it was expected of him that he would at
least attempt to do SO. With the exception Of read
ing short article from the Union, which at the
time perhaps was edited by Major Donelson, in re-.
ply to Col Gentrys charge and proofs Of Mr. Buch-
anan's blue-ight, anti.war Federalism, don't re-
member of another single position assumed, argued
and proved by Col Gentry, in his opening speech,
and he made many points, as you will see even from
the above hasty sketch-which he, Mr. Bright,
even attempted to answer. Perhaps he may have
thought it the best policy not to make the attempt
but do as be said he would in the opening shovel
them aside. The crowd however, generally noticed
the evasion and it was remarked by very many
After thus shying around Old Bucks Federalism
he went off into dissertation upon Know Nothing
oaths and Know Nothing secrets, &C., he pleas
ed to call them, and gave in part, at least,
past OF what think have seen somewhere in
certain pamphlet few months old, the paternity of
which is perhaps claimed by this gentleman. Alter
dsposing OF this branch he took up the subject of
abolition petitions to Congress, and traced their
course and the action OF parties thereon from the
earliest time down. In giving his historical remin-
iscences this subject, he stated many facts which
would not be controverted, and though his dedue-
tons during his whole speech we're frequently very
LOFTY and often, as conceive, very erroneous, we
deem that to descant upon them would be unneces~
sary, and only tend to produce the opinion generally
entertained hy the crowd OF their total irrelevancy
to the issues of the day. He wound up on this by
assuming that the Compromise of 1850 virtually
repealed the Missouri Compromise, and concluded
by general TRADE against the sbotonists CHASING
all at the North as aboltionists except the Demo-
Gratis or rather the Buchahanites and appealing to
the South and the Southern feeling las Gentry in
his opening speech charged) to rally TO the support
Of Buchanan as the Antagonist Of sboltonism and
as the "true friend OF the South, as IMAM who
had never voted against the South and her inter-
ests" His whole argument as we understood it,
being embraced or defined in one word, and that
scetioaalim. He also adverted to Col Gentry's
position four years sgo, aud read such extracts as
suited him, not having time TO read at length. This
is all that in any way called for a word BY way Of
rejoinder from Gentry, for as the Colonel remarked
he had not even referred to his speech-and this
ouly because be was seeking TO make an improper
use OF the subject Gentry stated that he was can.
did in bis preference for Fillmore dsn, and upon
the same natiOnal orounds ha aO. lin hia choiea
Ills Democratic friends awarded him candor then aud
rest assured the opinion is entertained by most
Of them HoV. The hopes he then entertained Of the
Pierce or Democratic party were upon the pledges
they had giyen which were seemingly fair aud
sincere; they had violated their pledges. ''puked