Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-06-20
MEssRs. HATTON AND HARRIS, THE EDITOR
OF THE BANNER AND OURSELVES.

SATURDAY MOANING JUNE 20, 1857,
MEssRs. HATToN AND HARRIS, THE EDITOR
OF THE BANNER AND OURSELVES.
Having no paper to issue on Monday, we prepared
copy for Tuesdays number and left home on Sunday
morning last to attend the discussion between the
candidates for Governor at Winchester The fact
Of our absence was known to the editor Of the rat
riot and We presume was known to the editor Of the
Bqans7 On Mondcy, while we were in winchester
engaged with other gentlemen in trying to produce
an amicable adjustment Of the difficulty between
Messrs Harris and HattOn, letter dated at Fay
etteve and signed .sVeritas, reached our Office in
Nashville. giving an impartial statement Of the diff
seultv at that place, alluded to. gentleman con-
ueeted with the business of uOr Office, but in way
with the editorial department. prefaeed the commu-
nieation with ten lines Of comment embracing the
following sentence: " We remark only that we
regret that Mr. Hatton should have permitted
the premonitions Of defeat which he everywhere
around him to provoke him, to the use Of language
which rendered it necessary for him to submit to
public chastisement."
The last four words are not in the style that We
have been in the habit Of using towards political
opponents We therefore regretted the expression.
We regretted it the more because it was so much
upon par with a far greater amount Of language
used relative to Gen. Harris by correspondent Of
the Banner of the same date. Consequently, on
Thursday, in making up our paper for the next day,
we commenced an article as follows.
"When the first intelligence Of the difficulty at
Fayetteville between these gentlemen reached our
Office, we were absent from the city. Had we
been at home the plain, impartial and truth
full statement Of our correspondent would nave
been prefaced with words more in keeping with the
dignity Of our position than the language employed
The only Objectionable term used, however, was but
in keeping with the general manner in which this
subject has been treated Of through the Bonner"
The same morning this appeared, yesterday we
find the following dispatch in the Banner from the
editor Of that paper learn, who seems to have
been at Chattanooga:
CHATTANOOGA, June l8.-Gen. Harris repudiated
the Union and americans statement Of the difficulty
to-day, and Mr.. Hatton decOunced the author in
unmeasured terms"
Unaccompanied with any thing else, the impress
sion which the foregoing has created and which
seems to have been done wilully, is that the state
7aeHt Of facts and Circumstances attending the difficulty
at Fayetteville given through this paper by cores
pondent and also by an editorial on Wednesday,
had been repudiated by Gen. Harris, and that Mr..
Hatton had denounced the author in unmeasured
terms. Such a construction and it would be a fair
one, would make the dispatch unqUslifedly false
from beginning to end. The statement of facts and
circumstances attending this difficulty, as given
through our paper have been true to the letter. &C
oording TO the honest Judgment of those who wrote
them, and to say that Gen Harris 'repudiated them
is an act Of gross injustice both to that gentleman
and to ourselves.
From correspondence in another column, writ
ten by intelligent and highly respectable gentle
man. giving an account of the speaking at Chatta-
nooga will be seen that it was not the 'UEIoN AND
AMERICAN's statement Of the difficulty" that was
brought in question, as aledged, but expression
in the paragraph preceding the statement regrettng
that Mr. Hatton should 'render it necessary to sub
nit to public chastisement" 1t does appear,
therefore that the editor of the Banner desired to
do US wanton injustice. He certainly did, if his
language was intended to convey the impression that
fair construction gives it. We shall await his
explanation.
Our correspondent says that Col. Hatton ORE
ouested Gen Harris to do him the kindness to state
whether he had submitted to personal chastisement.
Gen Harris stated that he took pleasure in saying
II
to submit to personal chastisement. And upon this
the editor Of the Banner telegraphs back to Nash
vile that .'Geu Harris repudiated the Union and
Americans statement Of the difficulty" We trust
the editor of the Banner will see the prOpriety Of
correcting this injustice.
A few words with regard to Mr.. HattOn. Our
correspondent says he denounced in terms very Of
fensive the paragraph and its author. An editor is
generally responsible for everything that appears
in his paper Of an editorial character. We never
seek to avoid that responsibility, and if Mr. Hatton
had called on us for an explanation or retraXit Of
the paragraph objected to, would have taken the
responsibility as readily as if we had Penned II
with our own hand But when Mr.. Hatton under
took 10 denounce the author of it, he did so kHOriHg
that he was OF denouncing us, and knowing that we
were IN his company seventy miles from home, the
day previous to its publication and remained there
until he left on the following morning. Mr. Hatton
knew, therefore, that the Objectionable language
had appeared in our absence. If he desired to be
regarded by the people whom he was addressing as
denouncing us it was unmanly in him under the
circumstances not to have said so, and to have used
the term editor instead Of author" If We
knew. or should hereafter ascertain, that such was
his desire we shall certainly Tepel the injury in q
becoming manner.
We dislike equivocations. We like plain men. We
never give insult by inuendO. 1t is exceedingly IN
pleasant to receive it in that way 1t denies that
strong support which clear conscience Of being
right. without the possibility Of mistake, always
affords
Now we desire to say to the editor of the Ba"Her
and to Mr. Hatton, towards whom we have been
upon pleasant personal terms that if they think
they have had any sufficient prOvOcation for INSULT
ing or denouncing u.s. have at any time so intend
cd. they should make it known in a manner that
would leave no ground for mistake. When they do
so. we will honor them the more for it, and shall
trouble them with no caveling in the way of news
paper rejOinders.
A LIBERAL CoNsCHNCE.-The Purdy Argus, IN
giving an account Of the discussion between the
candidates for Governor at that place, says:
"On the subject of the Washington Territory
Rm General Harris succeeded in convincing the
crowd that while President Of the U. S, Mr. FIJI
more approved Of the measure, embracing what Mr.
Hatton calls the odious ALLEN clause and that
now Mr. Hsfton one of the FEW who supported
MIR F last year, was disappearing Of the same
While on this subject in his reply Gen Harms was
interrupted by Mr. Hatton, who said that he du not
cd ruiugflv and proceeded