Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-09-07

followcd I'D. There is not the slightest diff
Guilty in the way, if q few impracticable men
would stand aside, and if they do not, they will
be oyerruled, that's all. The people are NOV
ing in behalf of the Constitution and Union
Let the ball roll on. ANERlcus.
Political Discussion In Chesterfield
County
TO the Editors Of tho Enquirer:
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Sept 1st, 1860.
Conference.-The stail and sober Democracy
of Chesterfield were desirous Of seeing the
breach in the party, which had occurred at
Baltimore, healed; and had hoped, up to the
moment Of the adjournment of the Charlottes.
vile Convention, that, by some fair and honor
able means, this much-dcsircd result could and
would be brought about. Failing in this, and
seeing that that portion Of the party which had
determined TO stick to the Southern side Of 4
purely Southern question, were to be assailed
before the Democratic voters Of the county, as
untrue to the party, its principles, and its or.
ganization, nothing was left them but to throw
themselves before the p~cople-makc q plain and
full, free and frank exposition Of theprinciplcs
espouscd by, the Charlottesville Convention,
and to challenge for them the approval of
their fellow.citizens Of the county. The
first opportunity 10 do SO, was presented
W, on yesterday, at q barbecue, given at
Ottcrdale. There was 4 very full attend
ancc Of the people from that quarter Of
the county, and every man n resident and
Of course. u voter. Tho arrangements for the
discussion were: that Major Friend should
lead off for breckenridge; time, an hour and n
quarter; Col II. L. Hopkins to follow for Dong
las, an honr and Il quarter; and DR.. j. W. Wake
to follow him Tor Bell, same time; and each to
have is minutes to reply. Major Friend beng
young, and comparatively inexperienced IN the
public discussion Of political topics, the many
warm personal and political friends by whom
he was surrounded were uneasy, and rather
afraid that he would not come fully up to the
requirements of the OCCASION; and the douglas
party believed that their champion-old, wea-
ther.beatcn and experienced in many n hard
fought fcld-would make an easy conquest
against so Young an opponent. But in this the
Majors friends were destined to more than an
agreeable surprise; and the Douglasitcs to the
dcep modification Of seeing, and being COM
uelled to acknowledge, that inasmuch rs Lin
coin was totally indelenSible on the slavery
question, AMI Douglas but a few steps behind
him, it required powers far superior to any that
can be brought in this debate to successfully
assail and controvcrt the solid, constitutional
position in which the young champion Of the
cause Of Breckenridge had planted himself.
lie showed to the people, in a manner unan-
swcrablc and unanswered, that Douglas was no
more the nominee Of the party than was Brock
inridgc, and that H. V. johnson was no nomi-
nee at all. He then took up the subject Of
Squatter Sovereignty, and made to the people
by apt and familiar illustrations, so clear an
exposition of this monstrous hercsy, that many
were heard to declare that they now under
stood, coluprehendcd ard condemned a doc.
trinc which heretofore had been dark and OBJ
scurc, and, in the hands or mouths of some
whom they had heard, becoming darker and
more obscure the more it was discussed They
are now satisfied that that is not the platform
for Southern Democrats to stand on, much less
to contend for.
The fugitive slave law-the prohibition Of
the slave trade in the District Of Columbia, by
act of Congress, received his attention in turn;
and his opponent was particularly invited, as
he went along commenting on the bred Scott
decision, to show to the people Of the South
why Judge Douglas (profcssing, rs he did, in
his Norfolk speech TO love the laws and desire
their cnrorccmcnD could not stand up to and for
this decision Of the highest judicial tribunal
in the land. Thus he went Oil greatly and
most agrecably disappointing his friends, who
now not only breathcd free, but eXultantly, but
casting a dark shadow of deep chagrin and
disappointment over the gloomy counlenanccs
Of the chop.fallcn Douglasites. At the most
interesting moment Of this able and eloquent
speech, the President of the day called the
time: and, without having gone over more than
~two.thirts Of the ground laid out by him in the
programme Of his speech which he had an
nonnced in the beginning, no had to take his
seat, honorcd with the hearty and heartfelt ap-
plausc Of his friends and with the surprise Of his
opponents at the power, force and brilliancy Of
his effort. Col. Hopkins replied in his usual
courteous, kind, gcntlemanly manner-but it
was soon apparent to all that Douglas was a
dead weight, which none-not, certainly, one
Of the Colonel's proporlions-could elevate
over that solid and high wall that had just
then been planted before him. DIR. John ".
Wake next took the stand, and had just got
ten through with 4 very truthful and eloquent
preface TO q speech, when the proceedings were
suspended, and this party Of neigfsbors and
friends, met together in social discussion Of
their great interests and duties, were dispersed
by a terrible rain storm. We will meet them
agnin and often.
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