The Oxford intelligencer., 1860-10-17
From the Holly Springs Star.
To the Public.

Il
A recent campaign document, issueS
from the Office of the Nississippian, enti
tied "Belrs Record" contains these para
graphs:
"But we understand that Mr.. ]. w. c
Watson, aud other Know-Nothing Electoral
candidates and canyassers, are in the habit
Of justifying his conduct, by saying that its
wisdom was subsequently admitted by q
large Southern vote in favor OF the repeal oi
the Rule.
"lf these gentlemen are in the habit Of
urging this plea in favor of Mr. Bell, they
are wofully ignorant of the facts. 1t would
not be courteous nor consistent with our
,habtual regard for the propneties to be OBJ
served in political disputations, TO charge
them with wilful attempt to mislead the
people.
ave repeat, then, that these worthy gen.
tlemen have betrayed woful-and for per
sons who have set themselves up as teachers,
a reprehensible, aud, We had almost said,
acknowledgements Of the facts, for
they (the facts) are the very reverse of what
they (Messrs. Watson g. Coz have stated
them TO be-.
In the published proceedings of the Breck-
inridge and Lane Club, of Holly Springs, l
see that the receipt of considerable number
of those documents is acknowledged, and the
Club undertakes to circulate them. Under
these circumstances, feel it incumbent upon
me to correct the misrepresentation of my
self contained in the paragraphs have quo
ted. have never said that the twenty-iirst
Rule, being the rule adopted by the House
of Representatives for the exclusion of abo-
ltion petitions, was resclnded "by large
Southern vote" The author of the docu-
mcnt in question says at first that he has
heard that made the statement, and then
in the close of the paragraph, assumes it as
established that have so stated. | do not
know the authors authority, nor do know
who are meant by the "Co." associated with
me. can only speak for myself, therefore,
in reference TO the matter, when | say that
there is not the slightest foundation in fact
for the statement, so far as am concerned.
What | have said, is, that the twenty-frst
Rule was repealed by House of Represent
atives LARGELY DEMOCRATIC: a House in
which the Democracy had greatly the ascen-
dcncy, and they had the power TO retain the
rule If they had desired 20 do so. But in
stead of retaining it, Democratic House
repealed it. Upwards of fifty Democrats,
think, voted for the repeal in lsi3, and up
wards of fifty Democrats voted for its repeal
in 1914, when it was carried. | have also
stated that National Democrats, who were
recognized as sound on the slavery question
by their party, spoke in favor of the repeal
on the ground that, by connecting the sub
ject Of abolition petitions with the constitu-
tional right of petition, agitation upon the
slavery question had been promoted, and the
abolitionists greatly strengthened. These
views were particularly enforced by Mr..
Bradley, Of New York, and Mr. Wright, of
Indiana. Mr.. Wright, it will be remember
ed, was long-since the time referred to
the Democratic Governor of his State, and
now holds the appointment of foreign am
bassador, conferred by Democratic admin
istration.
JNO. W. c. WATSON.
September l3, 1860.