Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1860-09-07
OIL A r. * s WILLIE
Friday, September 2, 1850.
The Speaking last Monday.

OF the speaking last Monday, we have but little
to say Those who heard il have formed their own
estimates, and those who have not, can form no idea
from hurried report of the merits of the speakers
or the questions they discussed A good speech is
generally spoiled by a running comment and a bad
one is improved only at the expense of truth We
were misled to the hour for speaking and didnot
reach the Court House in time to hear Mr. HOUSE,
but we need say nothing to this community, as to
his merits as an orator and ogicianhe is too well
known TO need commendation, or to fear deprecia-
citation, and we could but smile on hearing some
YANEEyITEs say that he was overwhelmed by the
YANcEy Elector-yes overwhelmed as the roar of
Niagara--by the CHATTER Of windmill
Curiosity, more than the expectation of hearing
anything new or interesting, prompted us to listen
attentivey to Mr.. HAYWOOD the Breckenridge Eec-
tor and we endeavored from the line Of his argu-
ment, to CLEAN the points made by Mr.. House; but
the effort was a vain one, for he seemed as stud-
ousy to avoid direct contact with the points as
the burnt child holds aloof from the fire. AS a
speaker Mr.. HAYWOOD is fluent enough, declaims
moderately well, says some amusing things, and is
remarkably successful in making his speech unan-
swerablc by saying nothing to answer. His mass
of words without point and the total absence OF
all connection--the looseness of his ideas, and the
vagueness of his eharges--his disregard of facts,
and contempt for history-all combine TO make up
a speech which Philadelphia lawyer cannot ana
lyze. Yet strange to say, he makes the very kind
Of a speech best calculated to please his party
the most intelligent of whom give him credit for
N Wa hava dpaire IN
do the gentleman injustice and TO prove that we
have not, we ask any intelligent man who heard
him to undertake to analyze his speech, sum up its
points, connect its arguments and draw from them
any conclusions that logic will sanction, or the re-
cords sustain The test of speech is the distinct
ness of the impression it leaves upon the mind
To this test we subject the speech of Mr.. HAYWOOD
and make his own party friends the judges.
Mr.. MCCAIN, though lacking the fluency and pol.
ish of Mr.. HAYWOOD, is Il man of more intellect
and far better logcian. His pointsare made with
clearness and directness, and he proves them from
the record-clear and ungarbled. His charges
against BREcKHRIDGEa are unanswerable because true
and calling because unansw erable; and never have
we seen party vince more than did the YANcEY
TIES under this expose of their position and associa
tons. Mr. MCCAIN didnot sugar-coat his pills, anC
some of them proved so unpalatable to Mr.. HAY
WOOD that he made some offensive remark, from hi
seat which we did not hear, and shall not attcmp
10 report; but it was met by the speaker in man
ner that drew from the crowd q perfect burst @
approval.
We believe all parties were satisfied with thei
respective champions. Mr.. HoUsE so fortifes hi
positions with facts and arguments, as to leave hi
friends nothing to fear and his assailants nothin
to hope. Mr.. HAYWOOD adapts himself admirabl
TO the feelings preiudices, and one-sided views c
his party, and as but few Of them listened to an
one else, they carried away with them all the CON
fort he could give them. The friends of DouGLA
were evidently encouraged and strengthened i
their faith by the manner in which their champio
defended the nationality of their candidate, an
exposed the Inconsistency of the boilers their am'
and mode of proceeding. Take it altogether
was a rich treat, and but for the intense heat au
closely packed crowd, there would have been moth
ing t. mar the pleasure of thesudience. As to tn
effect of the discussion, we must await future de
velopments