Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-08-12
TUESDAY, AUGUST IL, 1866.
The Debate Mt Lebanon.


on Saturday last. The day was fine, and
old Wilson poured forth her unconquerable
legion of Americans to hear our distin-
guished champion advocate his cause and
candidate. The crowd was large, number
ing 1900 or 1900. The appearance of
both gentlemen indicated that they had
undergone their arduous labors surprisingly
well
At eleven o'clock the discussion was
opened by Gen. Harris. He pursued the
line of debate which has been the burden
of his speeches from the opening at Muir
freesboro. His first proposition was, that
for many years there had been party in
the North at war with the Institutions of
the South-that this party at first small,
had been gradually gaining strength, until
within year past it had exhibited itself
formidable power in the government. His
second proposition was, that in combating
the efforts of this sectional party, there
had been one of the two great parties
claiming to be national, which, on every
occasion on which the question came to the
test, had prOven itself the national party.
To support this last, he read copiously from
the Congressional Register for the last
twenty years, and in this manner consumed
the greater portion of his first two hours
This part of bis discourse concluded, he at
tackled the position of the American party
on the slavery question, and ended with an
attack, equally fruitless as the former, upon
Mr. Fillmore This was the substance of
Gen. Harris speech. he is a ready, fluent
speaker, and a courteous debater His
manner possesses some Of the elements of
force and effectiveness, and in the arrange
ment of his points, and the use of his ma
terial, he exhibits some skill.
Gen. H now yielded the stand to his
competitor, and our indomitable standard
bearer came forward. The audience col
lected closer about the staging, as the first
notes of his voice fell upon their ears, and
for two hours he held them in this position
while he overthrow, one by one, the posi-
tons of bis opponent. He had not made
much progress in bis speech, before it be-
came evident to the dullest discernment
that his competitor was no match for him;
in fact, that no competitor could be match
for him, with the impregnable cause he had
to back him. Gov. Brown proceeded to
dispose of the frail erection which had cost
Gen. II. two hours of severe labor to con-
struct, and as, timber by timber, it fell be-
meath his blows, we could but cast a pity
ing eye upon the architect, who sat behind,
looking, with rueful countenance, upon its
demolition.
Gov. Brown now took mp Mr.. Fillmore
and discussed his services in the past, and
his present position before the country
This portion of his speech was very
effective, and told powerfully upon the
audience. James Buchanan and his record
was the next topic which he touched, a
topic which was almost totally ignored by
Gen. Harris. Indeed, one could not have
surmiSed from Gen. HIS speech who the
democratic nominee was. Each count in
the indictment against him received due
attention from the Governor, and was sus-
tanned beyond all cavil or question. His
federalism; his early, constant and uncom-
promising hostility to the interests of
slavery; his utilization with Van Buren,
and Benton; his anti-war feeling as dis
played in his treatment of the Niagara suf-
fererS; his inconsistency as a democrat; his
proclivity to bargain and his corrupt ma
ture, as displayed in the affair between
Jackson and Clay; his base treatment of
the latter, and his craven, double-dealng
course with the former; his endorsement Of
the Pierce ADMINISTRATION" the direiul
spring Of woes unnumbered," were all en-
forced in the Governors happiest style.
The next subject was AmericaniSm. He
adverted TO the causes which had given
birth TO the feeling which had resulted in
the formation of the American party, vim
dicated its necessity, and defended it from
the charge of prescription. At this point
Gov. BIS time expired and be retired from
the stand. 1t is unnecessary to state that
Gov. Brown met the expectations Of his
auditors, and sustained his high reputation
as a DICTATOR and orator We feel that
wherever these gentlemen have travelled.
good work has been done for Fillmore and
Donelson, and this is the intelligence which
reaches us from every point where they
have spoken.
Gen. Harris was animated in his rejoin-
der, and delivered himself with great We.
hemence. We thought, however, it was a
better exhibition of muscle than of wit.
At its close, Gov Brown resumed the
stand, and clinched the spikes which he had
driven into the cruciied carcass Of democ-
racy and its candidates, aud concluded the
discussion by heartstirring appeal in be-
half Of the Union. On the part OF both
geptlemen the debate was conducted with