The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1859-06-03
Brabsou and Smith at, CLEVELAND.


District came off here yesterday, and l
send you . short account of the debate.
Smith in his speech accepting the nomi-
nation, had promised the people that he
would show from the Records that the
Opposition and not the Democracy were
responsible for the extravagant expendi-
lures of the general Government during
the last six years-pledging himself to
decline the race If he did not make his
assertion good. In consequence of this
there was a considerable degree of curl
osity manifested to hear the debates, and
u large crowd assembled
Smith led off IN speech evincing his
usual plausibility and sophistry, attempt
ing to show from comparison of the
votes that the blame of all the extrava-
CANT appropriations rested with the Black
Republicans of the 34th Congress. He
rendered several irrelevant issues in re-
gard to State policy, the currency ques-
ton, &c. In the whole debate it is due
to him to say that he added to his al
ready well established reputation as a
skilful dodger. ...
Brabson was peculiarly felicitous in his
answer He showed from the Records
that Smith had voted with the Black Re-
publicans in the 34th Congress for the
identical appropriations that he was
charging to@be extravagant. He chal-
lenged Smith to deny it; he had the
proof before him and invited all to come
up and see for themselves, which many
did. lie arraigned Smith for introducing
the Plurality Rule and voting for it with
the entire body of the Black Republicans
in the same 34th Congress, and against
the wishes and warnings of his brother
Democrats, by which Banks was elected
Speaker. He arraigned Smith on his vote
for the Compensation Bill to increase the
pay of members of Congress; showing
that jackson, Clay, Calhoun, Webster and
Polk, were willing to serve their country
in Congress for eight dollars day and
mileage, but Samuel could not afford to
do it for less than three thousand dollars
a year and mileage, and voted himself
that salary. He read from Smith'sspeech
made in the last Congress, where he ar
cued that there had not been any extra
VACANT appropriations, and in which he
anticipated the return of the time when
Ogle speeches would be made, and when
the people would be told about gold
spoons, silver dishes, and mirrors as large
as poor mans plantation. lie read from
the Report of Allen, the Democratic Clerk
of the last House, some of the expendi.
lures of the public money in fitting up
the Capitol, when these economical Dem
ocratic Congressman washed their hands
and faces with the finest toilet SOAP pur-
chased with the public money, and comb
ed their hair with Buffalo horn combs
before French Plate Looking Glass, that
cost thirteen hundred and fifty dollars,
all paid for out of the public Treasury
then tickling their noses with American
Gentleman's puff, and riding away in
Carriages hi for them with the peoples
money. II nop Smith to know
why he had Defore informed the
people of TN district about these extra
vagances-wNh he had never opened his
mouth in Congress in condemnation of
them-why he had voted for them; he
challenged him to explain why he had
never before warned the people on the
stump of these things, but now, when
arraigned and put upon his defense, he
insults the intelligence of his constituents
by attempting to throw the blame of all
these extravagances on the Republican
majority in the 34th Congress, when De-
mocracy had large majority in the SEN
ate and Democratic President, who could
have and ought to have vetoed them; and
when at the same time Smith himself
had voted with the Black Republicans for
every one Of these appropriations on the
final passage of the Bills.
These charges were perfectly unanswer.
able, and Smith showed his appreciation
of them by not trying to answer them.
The result of the whole is that many
honest men who have heretofore been vo
ting for Smith, have got their eyes opened
and will no longer support him. Our
friends need not be afraid of Smith dodg
ing the issues. Brabson holds him up to
the mark and pummels him to the entire
satisfaction of the audience. The fact
about it is, Smith has made the most vul
ncrable record of any politician of his
years, and the people are beginning to
see it. BRADLEY.
May 3lst, 1859.