The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1856-10-17
THE MASS MEETING AT CHATTA-
NOOGA,

Mass Meeting at that place on the 9Th. was
failure. Having been present. We can say
with truth, that so far from being fall
ure, it was, altogether, one of the best
political demonstrations of the campaigu.-
1t is true, there was not the immense num-
Der that attended the Convention Of the
masses at Knoxville in September, nor the
grand and magnificent displays witnessed at
Nashville last week--it is true, there were
no extra trains freighted with spectators from
Georgia and from Middle Tennessee to see
how we do up such things on the sunrise
side of the mountain--but there were seven
or eight thousand persons thers-four-6fths
Of whom were lower East Tsnnssssans.
from Hamilton aud the counties around
patriotic men, and women. too, who gather
cred, not As idlers 10 while away an hour or
two ia stless indifference, but as active and
interested parties, not only to the occasion
but to the great cause which the occasion
was intended to promote. They gathered,
toe, not to hear and applaud disuuion senti-
ments uttered on Tennessee soil by South.
ern Fire-eater, but to drink in wisdom from
the lips of the veteran Bell, to listen with
admiration to tho patriotic pleadings Of the
Eagle Orator, and to thrill with the eloquence
of the gallant Haskell, as he daguerreotyped
upon their minds the dangers which hang
over our beloved country. the causes which
have produced ihom, and the consequences
that must follow unless the men now rush.
ing the government hsadlong to destruction,
are speedily removed from power There
was this difference between tho two mass
meetings which have been held atChattanooga
the first, which the Advertiser magnified TO
the farthest limit of exaggeration, was main.
ly made up of people from Georgia and
Middle worcestershire the last Was main.
ly composed Of lower East Tennesseans,
four-fiths Of whom were voters; and still,
according to several reliable gentlemen who
were present on both occasions, it exceeded
the former largely in numbers, MS it did in
every other respect. But enough on this
point.
The speaking commenced on Tuesday
night. Immediately after dark, a large crowd
assembled in front of the Club Room, on
Market street, and were addressed for some
time by Jas. VI. Quarles, ESQ.,, of Montgome.
ry county. Mr.. Quares is among the best
debaters in the State, and his speech on Tu-
esday night proved him 10 be well posted,
earnest and efficient. He was followed by
Nose White, OF the I'd district, who spoke to
the crowd for more than one hour, in his
usual strong and forcible style. When he
concluded, Jno. Caldwell, ESQ.,, Of Jefferson
county, made some well.conceived and
sound and pertinent remarks, which were lis.
tened to with moro than ordinary attention.
About daybreak on Wednesday morning,
the "big gun woke up the slumbering
echoes round Lookout, and the masses com.
menced assembling at an early hour, and by
Q o'clock Chattanooga, noted for its broad
and extended limits and magnificent distances,
was filled with crowds hurryng to the beau.
tifu grove selected for the speaking. At
10 o'clock the procession had formed, and
with banners and music, took up the line of
march. Arriving at the stand, which was
beautifully decorated with flags and ever.
green's, the meeting was organized by mp.
pointing Thos. J. Campbell, ESQ.,, of Bradley
county, President of the day. Mr.. Campbell
made some very happy and appropriate re.
marks, and introduced the Hon. Jno. Bell to
the audience, who proceeded 10 address them
in speech of great power and effect. He
took up the subject Of slavery agitation, go.
ing back to its earliest inception, and traced
it through all its mesnderings shiftings and
turnings, to the present time when it has rs.
sumed such gigantic and threatening proper
tons. He showed, by facts and arguments
too strong and impregnabe TO be weakened
or invalidated, that The democratic leaders
South had been ,aboring for years at disu.
MON, and that there was reason 10 believe.
they would effect their object, anless ,he
conservative element of the country rallied
and drove them from power. But we can.
not follow Mr.. Bell through his mastery eff.
fort of three hours. II is sufficient that II
was worthy Of the man and Of the subject
of which it treated. When Mr.. Bell con.
Guided, Maj. G. A. Henry delivered one of
the best speeches Of the canvass--just such
n speech rs always tells upon an audience
and gives them the highest opinion of the
ability and oratory Of the speaker. When
he concluded, the multitude repaired to the
tables to pariake Of the good fare prepared
for them by the bounty and liberality of their
American friends.
After dinner, the crowd again repaired to
the stand, and were addressed for two hours
and half by Gen. w. Il. Haskell, us he
only can address crowd--in his own com.
handing powers of eoquence and argumen-
taiion. Gen. Ilaskells speech closed the
proceedings for the day.
AT night Brownlow held forth to a tre-
mendous crowd in front of the Club Room,
and he was chcered and applauded as no man
was ever cheered and nppauded in Chatta.
nooga before. His speech was telling one,