Weekly Clarksville chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 185?-1857, 1857-07-17
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KINosPoRr, July 2, 1857.
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S1R:2The candidates spoke at Kings
port on yesterday. Gen. Harris opened
the debate and made an ingenious speech
but its chief ingredient being sophistry,
it was not hard to answer. Hatton, in his
reply did answer it most trumphantly.-
He oyerthrew every position which his
competitor had taken, stornied the little
breastwork of fallacy and sophistry which
he had erected, and Utterly routed him at
every point. Inercr in nay ,eholc ltte heard
so complete and triumphant an aastoer.- -
Hs'left not trace of the Geseral's argu-
ment remaining, but with a few mastery
touches, tore them into tatters and scat
tered them to The winds. No better illus
tration of the debate could he given than
the play in which the boys sometimes
engage, where one builds little house OF
blocks and paste board, and another stands
off and knocks it down with pebbles
Harris built up an argument out of seph-
istry, fallacy and demagoguism, and Hat
ton, with the pebbles of truth, utterly de-
molished it. 1t was universally spoken Of
as one-sided affair. Our friends were in
ecstacies of delight, and the democracy
were disappointed and crest-fallen. Many
of them made no concealment of their
feelings, but openly confessed that their
man was beaten in the discussion This
is strictly literally true. Some of the most
jealous of the democratic party did frankly
acknowledge that Hatton achieved COM
plete victory. 1t was the completest tri-
umph / have ever witnessed, and it csnnot
fail to make many votes. heard one of
the strongest democrats in the county say
he was going to vote for Hatton. Our
party are in high spiris and intend to work
zealously until the election, with confident
hopes of glorious triumph.
One remarkable feature of the debate
at this place l wish to notice. Gen. Har-
ris utterly refused to discuss the question
Of the constitutional power of Congress
to give away the lands or divide their pro-
ceeds. His competitor told him that he
had discussed that question every day in
the canvass until the two last He was
satisfied of the utter futility of the argu-
ments which he made, had gotten ashamed
of his position, and had virtually con-
ceded the point and surrendered his sword.
/ learned that he spent day or two with
Gov. johnson at Greenville. The Gov
ernor heard the discussion. 1t is uni
versally conceded that Hatton triumphed
on this constitutional question, for he ar
raigned johnson against Harris upon it.
johnson told Harris that he had better
drop the question, and pitch into Sam,
and the Know Nothing oaths, &C., &c.
Harris Immediately changed his speech
and is now making Andy's. i have not a
doubt that this is strictly and literally the
true history of the whole matter. john
son saw clearly that the General was not
doing the thing right, and he made him
wheel about. What miserable trucking to
a superior poloeri Harris is not the man
his friends expected him to be. They are
wofully disappointed in him, and cannot
support him with their usual zeal.
Yours truly,