Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1857-09-30
VIZ. WatterstOn i'm PlaquemLne.

speaking at the Courthouse. ABOUT 0 ocIock
some forty or fifty persons had assembled IN
that building, maybe more, among whom were
a dozen or SO from West Baton Rouge. No
meeting was organized. Mr.. ValsiD J. Dupuy
ia Democrat as an acquaintance of the gen.
tleman, introduced Mr.. Waterston, who imme,
diately assembled The Judges stand, and com
menced his address. After a momentary in
PRODUCTION, complimentary to the audience, he
began by referring 10 the position of The Cons
gressional candidates. Mr.. Davidson was a
Methodistical, praying, hyPocriticaI sort OF
character, land much more of that kiEd of defa'
matorv defamation which we cannot recoIIect)
who himself and friends claimed TO be true
and genuine Democracy. Mr.. Sigur was a
man of unadulterated morals, of the finest tai
ents-a true man TO the South and to his coun-
try. "There,' says he, sis a man to honor y
"there is a man TO honor!" he repeated, which
brought down the house in laundering ap.
plause. He then, lastly. referred to himself as
the third candidate, who stood as the champion
of the glorious American principles, or some
such expression. Then he paused a moment,
and again repeated the sentiment. "What,"
says he, no response 10 such sentiments in this
audience? Then he again uttered the senti-
ment, when a few plaudits arose from the cItl-
gems Of West Baton Rouge mainly, if not en-,
tireIy, We were sitting near several of the
American party, who withheld their applause.
This might have been owing to an occurrence
(related in full elseWhereI which had just ta~
ken place, and which Mr.. Watterston then al
luded to. He regretted to say that a conAicf
had just taken place between a citizen and
himself; the regret was greater on account of
the collision having occurred in the gentieman's
own house. His honor he said bad been as
sailed, and for what he had done he was ready
to give the gentleman or his friends any salts
faction desired, &c. &c.
The speaker then alluded to the dissensions
in the Democratic ranks; and said that it was
through those dissensions that he was bound
to be elected; he seemed to exult over the
misfortunes of his opponents, which opened
so fair a prospect for the success of the gIOri,
Gus American principles. 1--WE thought the
gla-oriousneSs of such success very equiyocal!
He asked nothing of the Democrats, but he
sought and demanded the American vote.
He then alluded to the Catholic question;
said he was educated in a Jesuit College, and
was as good a Catholic as anybody present;
and asked how could they vote for that psalm
singing, Methodtstical old -, Tom Green
Davidson ave insert a blank because we for
get the expression.
The above is an outline Of Mr.. TFatterston's
remarks, and as far as it goes, we ask any one
present if we have given an unfair synopsis?--
The speech occupied about fifteen minutes.
Mr.. Balch, the editor of the Gazette, who
had previously been applied to, to reply 10 Mr..
Watterston, now arose, and in speech of
some length, kept the house under a c~easeless
excitement. Mr.. Watterston had proclaimed
no principles save "Amer3can principles" and
had made no issues, consequently Dir. Balch
had nothing to rebut and scarcely anything TO
reply to-so he pitched in for Democracy as a
safe theme to descant upon--proclaimed as
one Of its tenets the extension of the area OF
slave territory-protested against a sectional
party-and asserted or explained (Which can
not be too often done) that a union of South
ern men TO protect Southern interests and TO
maintain Southern rights, was very far from
being a sectional move, as sectional parties are
understood a Southern sectional party he was
bitterly opposed to--so was Mr.. Sigur; Sou,
thern Rights men dearly loved the Union, but
that did not prevent them from uniting, assert-
ing and maintaining their Constitutional rights.
We were compelled TO leave before Mr.. Balch
finished.
We understand that Mr.. Watterston replied
to Mr.. BaIch, and during his remarks, referred
10 bis speech as one that any school>boy might
beat.
Except yourself". said a voice in the crowd.
He remarked that he would attend to the
person who interrupted him by and by, and
continuing, became, says our informant, still
more personal in his remarks. Some one then
drew Mr.. Balch's attention to those personals
discriminating that Mr. Balch should not
permit them to proceed any further when Mr..
arose and said that he would hold Mr..
Watterston personally responsible for any re-
marks rejecting upnn him, or personally of
Mr.. Watterston replied "that that was
his (my) response exactly -preciseIy what he
This constitutes about the sum total of the