The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1859-08-24

Barry and Meek-About ttco thousand peo-
pie present on the occasion.
ScooBA, August 9Th, 1859.
Mr.. MARKHAM: Availing myself of an in
yitation to be present on the occasion of the
barbecue given to Col. Pettus, by his friends
and neighbors, without distinction of party, !
left Lauderdale Springs on the evening Of the
9TH, for that purpose
Something near two thousand people were
present on the occasion, which number would
have probably been doubled, had it not been
| for the threatened inclemency Of the weather
The day, however, proved to be pleasant one,
and universal hilarity and good feeling pre-
| vailed.
Col Pettus first addressed the people. He
stated that he felt proud of the honor conferred
upon him, and hailed it as q harbinger Of fu-
ture good feeling in our State. he said that
he was in favor of the Onion of the people of
the South for the sake of the South-that he
| had participated in many heated political con-
tests in this State, in which he had differed
with some Of the gentlemen present, but that
| be had never doubted their patriotism or devo-
| ton to the rights of their section, when they
shall be seriously imperiled and the day Of tri-
| al come Col. Pettus made very creditable
| efort-descanted at some length upon the doc
| trine of squatter sovereignty, and boldly
| marked out the policy which he would recon-
mend to the people of this State, as their
Chief Magistrate, in the event Of the election
of Black Republican President upon Sew
ards Rochester platform.
After the delivery of some general remarks,
he closed bis address amid the plaudits Of the
assembled audience.
DR.. Burt, Democratic candidate for Auditor
of Public Accounts, followed, and occupied
the stand for about 80 minutes. The Doctor,
although he has spent most Of his life in heal
ing the sick, is pretty fair speaker, and with
al a most estimable man, and many doubt
whether a better selection could have been
made for this responsible office. He was clear
and distinct in the enunciation of his views,
and was loudly applauded several times dur
ing their delivery.
| Capt. Barksdale succeeded DR.. B., and made
one Of the best speeches Of his life. 1t was
generally remarked that he had improved
| greatly as public speaker since his first cleo
| ton to Congress. think his speech produced
decided impression upon all who heard it.
| He took the same grounds which the whole
Mississippi delegation have advocated with so
much ability upon the leading questions of the
| day, and which it is unnecessary for me here
4
| slave property in the territories-the great
| question of the day-he took, substantially,
| the same positions of Gov. Brown in his re-
cent speech at Terry and was now satisfied it
| would have been better for the South to have
sustained the State Rights party in 1851, and
| insisted upon the assertion and maintenance
of their rights, as co-equal partners in the con-
federacy, in that eventful and perilous period
| of our country's history.
Capt Barksdale's speech was well received,
and concurred in, if repeated manifestations
of approval are considered good evidence Of
this fact.
The next speaker introduced was our friend,
Chancellor Dickinson, of Columbus, who spoke
for about half an hour. The Chancellor is q
| talented member of the Columbus bar, is an
effective speaker, but makes no effort to win
applause, except by plain and simple decla-
ration of his principles. Mr.. Dickinson ap-
pears to be very well acquainted with the ear
| " history of our Government, and argued,
at some length, that Congresr had the power,
| and was bound to protect the stakeholder in
| all his rights in the territories, and that the
wise men who framed the Constitution would
| never have agreed to that instrument, had
there been the least doubt on this subject.
| Chancellor Dickinson announced himself an
old Henry Clay Wing, and said he was proud
| to proclaim the fact. While he said this, he
admitted that the necessity for the measures
which Mr.. Clay advocated had passed away,
about which there was no reason for differing
at this time, and that it was now the duty Of
the people of the South to unite as one man
| in the defonce and maintenance of all their
rights under the Constitution.
Hon. w. s. Barry, Of Columbus, was next
introduced by the Hon. O. Y. Neely, Chair
man of the Committee of Arrangements
Mr. Barry's friends consider him one Of the
best speakers in the State He IS always ele-
CANT and generally effective. he said ne was
| for a dissolution Of the Union in the event OF
the election Of Black Republican President
and while he spoke for himself alone, ne did
not wish to be misunderstood. He brought
down the house repeatedly.
Our friend, S. NJ Meek, Esq, Of Columbus,
the popular and efficient District Attorney Of
that District, wound up the public exercises of
the occasion. Mr.. Meek occupied the stand
for a very few minutes, having to leave for
home on the up train, whose whistle could be
almost heard in the distance. He, however,
made some happy hits, and although he srare-
ly ever tells an anecdote in his public speech
es. he gave us a pretty good one on this occa-
sion, and retired amid the huzzas of the
crowd
All the speeches made were of the strongest
Southern Rights caste. Most Of the speakers
seemed to 60 on the supposition that we would
have to retire from the Union next year, or
submit to live in state Of degraded vassalage
in the land bequeathed to US by our heroic
foreiathers.
| The following additional paragraphs upon
this imposing demonstration are from the Do
Kalb Democrat
Now the speaking closed, every one was
highly pleased They had listened through
out the day to volley after volley Of frstrAte
specimens Of stump oratory and had heard
discussed, with telling ability, the grave ques-
tons which are agitating our political fabric to
its base.
OF the distinguished visitors who were there
was the Hon Jeptha Harris, OF Lowndes,
State Senator for that county, and . brother
Of Judge Harris so well and so hxorably
known in this section.
Thomas |. Sharp Of Lowndes, was also on
the ground. He Is lawyer and politician Of