Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-05-04
WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 1859.
The Opening OF the Campaign I'm
Tennessee--The Meeting OF Neither
land and Harris at Nashville.

The Opening OF the Campaign I'm
Tennessee--The Meeting OF Neither
land and Harris at Nashville.
AS has been before stated the Gubernatorial
Canvass of the present year opened in
this city on Monday, End inst. The day was
fine and there large assemblage of
voters from the city, the country and the ad-
joining counties. The Representative Hall of
the State Capitol, the place of speaking was
filled to its utmost capacity. According to
arrangement Gov. HARRIS opened the discus
sion in a speech of one hour and a half Col.
60 NETHERLAND replied in speech of equal
length. Gov. HARRIS followed in a rejoindcr
OF half an hour. and Col. NErHERLAND closed
A. the discussion in sure oinder ofhalf an hour
making four hours. This will be the pro-
gramme throughout the canvass, embracing
q list of sixty five appointments, with the ex-
D ~ ception that the candidates will alternate
each day in the opening speeches. Both the
candidates appear to be in good running or
der, and we hope that neither will let down
before the heat is over. We propose in the
outset to state briefly as possible the
"points " and arguments of both
Gov. HARRIS, rising gracefully thanked the
people of Tennessee for the honors they had
conferred upon, and the confidence they had
them second time the candidate of the
Democratic party for the Office of Governor.
He entered Office in the midst ofa commercial
revulsion, which violent as TO produce
asuspension of specie payments by all the
banks of Tennessee and by most of those of
the other States of the Union. The remedy
which he then suggested and which was sub
stantially adopted by the legislature had pro-
A1reH hnla hat ~
had the effect of bringing more specie into
the State than has ever been known in it be-
fore. The revulsOn has passed away; and
the reform requiring the issue of counter
notes brought exchange down to nearly par,
and the country has resumed its general pros
perty. Another effect of this reform in
giving better currency and showing the in
disposition of the State to extend its indebt-
edness or to enter into wild speculations has
been to raise the price of the bonds Of the
State from 6s or IS cents on the dollar dur
the crisis of 1857 to SO to "a cents He was
opposed to building up any great monopoly
within the limits of a sovereign State. which
should invade the interests of the people
The Democratic party now stands pledged
and stand pledged, said he, never to charter
another bank without the restrictions imposed
by the last Legislature, and other restrictions
for the better protection of the note-holder.
and the further restriction of the reserved
power to alter, modify or abolish these priyi-
legged interpretations whenever in the opinion
OF the Legislature the public good shall de-
maud ii.
Gov. HARRIS then said that two years ago
he was opposed by a candidate OF the Ameri-
can and Wing party. 1t was not SO now
hat. HI.
day the candidate of organization.
He sought the reason in a review of the past
Is or 20 years. There had always existed
difference of opinion in this country on the
subject Of constituting the constitution-one
party being for q strict construction of that
instrument, and the other a liberal or latitu-
dinarian construction. This difference under
lies most of the other differences of political
opinion 10 this country. Fifteen or twenty
years ago the people were divided into two
great partes-the Wing and Democratic,
with their principles well known and defined
They stood in oil their contests in open and
manly conflict Abolitionism was a small
speck, mere faction; but it continued to
grow until 1t finally became paramount in
the North. Then it that il was discover
cd that the Wing lattudinarian construction
Southern institutions. The result was that il
denationalized the Wing party The aIterna-
tive was presented that the Southern Wings
had to yield the rights of the South or main
tain them. They divided on Mason and
Dixon's line and the Wing candidate for the
Presidency of that year was Overwhelmingly
beaten. In this state Of things the Wings
could not get into pswer-and & new or
mis- ftan l.
and power. Hence the Know Nothing party
sprang up in the North in ls54-an ergacza
ton which he believed Col. NETREHIASD was
active In establishing in Tennessee Il was
neeting and soon passed away being succeed
ed by an overwhelming abolition majority,
aud the election OF ~ r. BANKS, speaker of
the House Of Representatives, The Know
Ncthings were absorbed by the Abolitionists
Of the North. leaving Southern faction Of
e 80 in one and Ia In the last Congress There
was, then, but two parties In the North, the
Black Republican aud Democratic.
~ Another change Of programme was nee, Q
sary. There was no hope for either the
Know Nothings or Black Republicans, and
the leaders OF both propose . union Of the
two for tue overthrow OF the Democratic
party, and to obtain possession and control
Of the government Il bad been announced
that the Lecompton question aud Crittenden-
Montgomery amendment would be germ
for this union. [Goy. HAMS now took up
HE Scrap Book aud read extracts from =
speech Of Gen. ZoLLIcoryrH In Congress and
from the Nashville PArRIor, 10 show what
they had respectively believed TO be the vital
issue in the Lecompton- Kansas controversy
and thea proceeded for . consid Fabe
length Of time 60 read extracts from various
sources including The Louisville Josrs.ai-
letter from one Nathan sargens---Richmond
Rhg-speecA Of J. n. Boris Nashville
u sla-seima Rsporsu--E r. TsBuns-
.ss Madison fInd.) Gbar<r---N Y. Ess~s-i<ster