Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-05-19
From the Richmond Wig
Dis cGssiop between Mcssrs Tucker az

cU0cDufre.
hall 10 densely crowded any previous occasion
| II was literally crammed and damned, and with a
most orderly respectful and attentive audience.
Not only were the voting population present on
the occasion In overwhelming numbers, but the
Indies. also turned out in considerable force, and
lent To tho imposing scene additional interest aud
attraction.
Mr. Tucker, the Democratic candidate, opened
the discussion in a speech Of one hour and n half
in length, and was followed by Mr.. Preston the
Opposition candidate, IN n speech Of the
length, which concluded the evenings entertain
mcnt. For Mr.. Tucker. personally, we entertain
the kindest feelings. and would not utter aught to
his disparagement. He is talented, popular and
universally esteemed for his private and socn
virtues. But when come to regard him as n
politician-as representative and chief of
the Democratic party-and especially when
turn To n consideration Of Of his speech on Mon
day night, we find but little to approve OF or al
mre. Having never before heard a political
speech from the Attorney General, we went to the
Church with high.wrought expectations Of listen
ing 10 something original and instructive, from
gentleman whose political friends had represent
tod him ns being unusually ingenious and power
fnl in debate. But we are compelled to say that
the Speech rs whole, was exceedingly dull ard
commonplace, being repetition of what we have
often heard during tho present and previous
canyasscs, from other Dnmocrntic speakers of less
note aud less worth. but who were far more capa-
bic Of producing effect upon an audience. Mr..
Tucker essayed, in the most minute and circum-
stantinl manner, to give tho pedigree of the Demo-
cratic pary-a matter his audience cared not II
straw about. and which has no bearing whatever
upon the present canvass. He dealt almost alto
gethcr. indeed, in antiquities, and barely touched
upon the living, practical, vital issues Of the pre-
sent times, and the present contest. In n word
Mr.. Tucker bored his audience, most awfully; not
even his Democratic friends seemed to relish his
learned researches among the long dead and entom-
bed past His whLle object, in fnct was to dirert
the attention of the people from tho important and
all absorbing issues of the present State canvass.
But he signny failed Of his purpose. Us the
sequel will show and bis speech. from begin
ming to end, far practical effect 10 concerned.
was sad and signal failure. That he exhibited
considerable plansibity and ingenuity in his
treatment Of particular point. We readily conccde:
but his plausblity and ingenuity weeexhbted
at the expense of real cnndor aud fairness, and
were ut war with notorious historical facts. For
example. in reference to Lcchers p,ckeling three
thousand dollars year. under n law which Lnch-
err himself believed unconstitutional. how did he
offset II grave off ice like this Why, by alles-
in. that Goggin had also received pay for contes-
ting the seat of Gov. Gilmer when the we'll
known fact is, that rll contestants have received
pay in like manner, from the foundation of the
Government to the present moment. There is
nothing unconstitutional or morally wrong IN
contestants thus receiving pay. But Letcher be-
lieyed tho law allowing him and other Congress
men II salary of three thousand dollars year
which law was retrospective in its operutlons-Hl-
constitutional aud moraiy ~ronG, and thus brliev-
ing, had actually refused to take his aary. until
instructed t, do so by 80 Swabians of Rocking
ham These instruction of the 80 Swabian' re-
hevcd Letcher ii all his scrupcs and conse-
qncntly pockctcd his unconstitutional ALLOWANCE,
with clear and easy conscience . Such was the
real facts oi tho ease IN regard to l,echer and his
Congressional pay-and yet Mr. Tucker nttemp
ted to get it in the uni ust, nrletched riilru
l,us manner we have described And. in like
manner. too, did he try to oover up various other
ugly points in Lctchers unfortunate career
And, therefore, without referring further To bis
speech, repeat what we have already sand,
that his effort on Monday evening, was quite IL
failure and disappointed the Attorneys own pitt
itnl friends We trust he may partially at least
redeem his reputation during his percgrnailnns
in the South Western portions Of the State, width
err he started on yesterday morning for the pur-
pose Of spceehitying to the Democracy OF that
region.
We now pass to Mr.. Prcston's reply, to which
we feel nur~e,es wholly inadequate to do even the
mcagercst n~tics. Nor shall make the vain
attempt Ia follow the orator--an orator he il in
the hghcs scuse of the word through his bril-
liant and powerful and trunscendently eloquent
speech. II was, in our Judgment the most sue
cesstul and triumphant effort which we have ever
In the good fortune to listen to; and we have
heard not few of the finest speakers which the
State and country have afforded. Mr. Preston
literally enchanted the attention Of the audience
from the very csmmencement and kept it TINS
unclaimed during the hour and half lie occupied
the stand We sincerely think we have never
such an effect produced by any effort of any
public speaker before. and we have had the pleas
urc Of listening to the cloquence of n Clay and n
Summers. The young men were carried away,
aud old men, who rarely attend political gather
incs stood in the aislcs and around tho stand, and
there stood patiently and apparently spell-bound
until the orators time expired which was nearly
twelve o'clock. And after the expiration of his
time. there shout for him to 60 on. and
speak all night and we believe the crowd, ladies
and all would wilng have remained all night.
il the speaker had chosed to entertain them with
his machless eloqurnce.
After promising thus much. nni with the vivid
impressions left upon minds by Mr.. Preston :
speech. we not to break the spell that bound
us; in common with nearly all others. by any ref
erence to the speech as an argument on tho ISSUES
of the canvass, and yet it exceled much in int
OF overwhelming argument and power, rs in clo-
Qnence. Indeed we can convey to the distant
reader no adequate conception of the speech in
any Gifts parts. His portrayal Of the extrnva-
gance and corruption Of the party in power was
mastery beyond description, end his denunciation
Of the leaders OF the Democratic party. and espe-
ciallv of Buchanan, was almost terrific. This por-
ton of his speech will certainly he fo, got
ten by those who heard it, And then when he
came to treat of Jno Letcher. and his connection
with the Ruiiner pamphlet, there was not DEM
ocrat in tho house that did not hang his head, in
very shame, at the thought of supporting such n
man for the Office of Governor. His arguments
also on Letcher's declaration in favor Of wiudin.
up the banks and collecting the revenue in gold
and ailvcr, original, powerful and conclusive,
and this the orator regarded M the greatest enor-
nifty Of Letcher's political life. In this conncr-