Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1860-09-28
OIL A r K 8 WILLIE,
Friday, September %, 1850.
The speaking ON Tuesday.

In consequence of important business Col PEY-
TON could not be present much TO the regret of ma
ny who were anxious to hear him, and his place in
the discussion was supplied by Gen. QUARLEs. OF
the speeches, we have little to say in the way Of
regular report from the fact that the
issues in the canvass have 80 often been explained
and elaborated that they are familiar toevery one
who takes an interest in the contest. Mr. Polk led
of, andi calm, dispassionate manner proved from
the record and from the repeated action of the
Democratic party, that Squatter Sovereignty had
been its Territorial policy, from 1s4s up to the date
of the Charleston Convention and that it stood, du-
ring this entire period, precisely where Douglas
stands. Upon this important point his facts and
arguments were unenswerable, and he defed the
Breckenridge Elector to invaidate them, challenge
which was not acce pied. He next proved, conclu-
sivey, that the seceders did not 60 off principle,
and that those of Tennessee voted twice-ll to l,
and l03 to for the Cincinnati platform, and fifty
seven times for candidate to stand upon the Doug
las platform, and drew the unavoidable conclusion
that the Tennessee seceders did not demand protec-
ton up to the last hour of the Charleston Conven-
ton, and that they did not wait to whether the
Baltimore Convention would go for protection or
not but bolted upon question of the admission of
delegates Mr. Polk would not charge Mr. Breck-
inridge with being dsunionist, but proved that he
is not only the candidate of the dsunionists, but
that he was nominated by them, at Richmond, one
hour before he was nominated at Baltimore. Alto
gethor, the speech was q telling one, and, rs the af
ter discussion proved, perfectly nnanowcrable.
Gen. Quarles next took the stand but as his
manner of treating the questions in issue is well
known to this community, it would be waste of
time to attempt abstract of his speech, and as
the line of his argument was to some extent nee
essarly the same as that pursued by Mr. Polk, viz ::
To show how and upon what the Democratic party
split-that no principle was involved in the split
that IL was effected by the disunonists, and that
Breckenridge is the candidate of the Yanceyites--
just so far the record and the facts were
used by both. This is is unavoidable, because, in
indicating their position, the Douglas Electors
compelled to expose the Inconsistency and sec
tionalism, the part of the Yanceyites, that are
relied upon by the Union party to establish the su-
periory of its claims public confidence over those
Of the disunion faction Of which Breckenridge is the
nominal head. Gen. Qnarles, both in his attacks
upon the Yanceyites and in defence of his par
ty so fortified himself with facts and arguments rs
TO defy the assaults of the best ogican to be found
in the Breckenridge ranks.
Next in turn, came Mr.. HAYNES His coming was
preceded by reputation for ability and oratory,
which he did not sustain, in our humble Judgment,
and the disappointment we experienced, may cause
A. L l. II.
But the best test of the merits Of speech is the
impression it leaves upon the mind of the hearer,
when calmly rejecting npon it, in the absence OF
all excitement we can appeal, with confidence, to
the intelligent portion OF his audience to sustain
in our estimate of the effort of the Yancey Elector
1t is true that he pleased the bulk of his party, and
this very fact is comment enough upon the charac-
ter Of his speech He is afflicted with diarrhGa
of words and costiveness of ideas-either type OF
the mental malady being always fatal to the reas-
oning faculties. Possessing some imagination, he
not only draws upon It for his facts but suffers it to
lead him so far away from the points in ISSUE that
he rarely ever gets in sight of them and then only
TO fly off again If he feared that n contact with
their solid substance would damage his plumage-
smash the only feather in his capthe ability to say
pretty nothings, and say them with an air thai
makes them pass for wisdom with those who mis-
take sound for sense, words for ideas This is on
honest opinion of the capacity of Mr.. Haynes, anC
ask those who believe il to he erroneous to ties
1t by cndeavoring TO recall the speech, and notin,
down. as they do So the points he made, and the ar
gumonts used! disprove single position taken by
either Of the speakers who'preccded him. The onl,
question he pretended to argue was that of protcc
ton, and to defend himself he fell back upon tn
very position occupied by Mr.. BELL for the las
twenty years-the identical position taken by tn,
Oppofition of this State, in the last Gubernatoria
canvass, and for which we were denounced by tn,
whole Democratic party. That position is that thu
Constitution, by its own inherent power, protects
slavery in the Territories and that there is no ne
ceSSy for Congressional Intervention until the Con
sututon is violated aud the remedies il prescribe
prove unavailing against aggression upon the right
of the STAKEHOLDER, And even in this effort {,
speculate upon borrowed capital, he did not see tn
pit he dug for himself aud into which he tumbled
for after thus defining his position be was forced t,
admit that the Democratic Senators voted agans
Browns resolution, asking Congressional protection
10 slavery in Kansas, because they believed il uu
necessary, and in making the admission, he ignored