Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-08-18
The speech of John z. House ON Friday

The speech of John e. House ON Friday
night.
The American party Of Nashville ten
der to this gentleman theirhearty congrat-
uIations upon his effort of Friday night
last. We but speak The opinion of every
one who heard it when we pronounce it
the completest effort of the season. The
fame of Mr.. House was familiar to most Of
our citizens, but few of them had enjoyed
the pleasure of hearing him. But these
and those who heard him for the first
time on Friday night were taken by sur
prise. They did not expect from him the
profound aud analytical examination of the
measures, the policy and the aims of the
democratic party which consumed the first
hour of his speech, and made it worthy of
statesman, whether as an accurate his
tory of its acts graphic expose of their
disastrous results in the present condition
of the country, or prophecy of the ca
lamitous hereafter of the nation, if the
people should be guilty of the folly of per-
petuating its reign in the administration OF
James Buchanan This portion of his
speech was really great in the breadth and
comprehension of the speakers views, and
the forcible and eloquent style in which
they were delivered. .
We shrink from following Mr. House in
detail through his speech, for we feel the
inadequacy of hurriedIy written sketch
to do him the measure of justice which is
his due. Every topic which he touched
received the impress and cOloring of his
vigorous thought and chaste eloquence.
His exposition of the Nebraska humbug
was truly superb, showing as he did the
antagonistic positions and interpretations
given it by the Northern and Southern de-
mccracy, and yet that the bowling dema-
gogues would meet on common ground and
with caps in the air, shout "all hail democ-
racy, sound on the Nebraska BILL" one sett
hailing from the North where the battle
cry had been "all hail Nebraska bill! the
measure for freedom"-the guarantee that
not another "foot of slave territory would
enter the Union"-"the goddess of Free
dom, unriveting the chains of the slave"
and another sett hailing from the South
"all hail Nebraska bill the guardian and
extender Of the peculiar institution"-the
guarantee that Southern rights should be
maintained and Southern property made
secure in the territories" Most wildly did
he paint the rejection Of Douglas and
Pierce, the sire and foster-father of Ne
braska and Kansas, at Cincinnati, and the
selection Of Buchanan, whose greatest re-
commentator was, that "three thousand
miles of blue ocean" interviewed between
him and any connection or responsibility
for its passage, and yet we hear their
Wanting through the land that fealty to the
Nebraska bill is the tOuchstone of national
ity and patriotism, and treason atlantis
him who dareS deny it.
His review of Buchanan's catalogue of
crimes, apart from that for which he and
his party were held jointly anSwerable,
was most racy and effective, sparkling with
humor and sarcasm, and as to one charge,
the SANDER of Clay, terrible in invective.
His notice of the course of the democratic
members of Congress in the election of
Banks, the abolitionist, was inst and true,
and the limsy pretext offered in its juStif-
cation-that they were sedNced into it
was literally riddled with ridicule We
never saw finer use of that formidable
weapon.
But if from such profusiOn of excel
lencies we were forced to select that one,
in our judgment, surprising all the others,
it would be the contrast drawn between Bu-
chanan and Fillmore in their present attitude
before the people-the one pinioned in the
pillory of the Cincinnati platform with
paddock OH his lips, presenting the degrad.
ing spectacle Of an American freeman,
seeking high position, resigning his right to
speak; and the outspoken manliness Of the
other, rebuking sectionalism and fanaticism
in their chosen seats, and speaking to and
for his 10hOle country, in those memorable
words, worthy Of being craven in letters
of fire above the doorway Of the sanctuary
of our liberties. "If there be those in the
South or in the North, who desire an adj
mniStration for the South as against the
North, or for the North as against the
South, let them not give their suffrages to
me-" This, together with his description
of the Fillmore administration and the in
calculable blessings which it brought the
nation, passed through the assemblage
with an electric effect.
Mr.. House was compelled, from failing
voice, to desist after speaking two hours
and half, with the universal cry to "go
on" Every American who heard this
speech presages brilliant future for the
young Eagle Orator"
Messrs. Polk and Maynard at CIev Gland.
We have received a verbal account of the speak
ing between these TWO gentlemrn at Cleveland.