Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-01-21
ORGANIZATION OF THE HOUSE
sPEECH OF HON. RoB,T HATToN
IyrHE House or REPRESENTATIVES,
Januo1y IS, 1860.

OF TENNESSEE,
ISrHE House or REPRESENTATIVES,
Janu0ty IS, 1860.
HATTON. Believing. sir, that the dis
cussion which has been progressing IN this
House for nearly six weeks, has been. so far
as en- organization is concerned, wholly pro-
fi,Iess. Ii has been my fixed purpose not to
p.rticipate in it, This purpose has been
we'll known to gentlemen upon this side of
the House and Was not changed until after
leas - s---sh Of a5y colleague, Mr..
Wright think proper now to submit a
few remarks to the House.
Who is responsible for the delay in the or
Qanizatiou of this bOdy2 / am not. The
party With which it is my pride and pleasure
here 10 act is not Those gentlemen, or a
number Of them, who have undertaken TO
speak for the Democratic party, have round
Nv asserted that their party was not response
bic for II. The distinguished gentleman from
Mississippi lMr. NcRael struck the keynote.
and il has been caught mp by other gentle
men, and two Of my colleagues have repeated
Is. Distinguishing, Mr.. Clerk, between the
arguments of these gentlemen and the gen.
slemen themselves, am sure they will not
consider me discOurteOus when l say that
their reasoning has scarcely risen above re-
spectacle sophistry.
What is the object which they claim to he
80 anxious to attain. The defeat of Mr.
Sherman. That, they would have the CONN.,
try to understand, is the paramount conside-
ration with them. Their deuunciations of
his party and its policy have been bitter. In
the contemplation of his election they have
grown indignant and eloquent. The triumph
of Republicanism in bis election will, they
say, put in peril the lives and property of
our constituencies The rights and honor of
the South. they declare, must be INDICATED
by his defeat.
Now, if they desire to accomplish this
great end; if the defeat of the Republican
party is their great obj ct: 1 submit it to them
that they should adopt the means by which
that object can be effected In the common
affairs of lite, when men decline to do the
only thing by which they can attain given
end, the world is apt to think that they do not
iOda 10 accomplish u.
Now, Mr.. Clerk, can Mr.. Sherman be de-
feated? If he eau, is there more than one
way by which that can be done? II there De
but one way, and Democrats decline to fol
low in that track. the country will say that
they are not mnch in earnest. Can any regu
lar DemOcrat-one OF the ninety on this side
of the House be elected? 1t is admitted in
argument that the votes of the regular Dem
ocracy and of the southern Opposition party
cannot elect.
Mr.. Smith, Of Wa. just desire to say that
the southern Opposition aud the Democratic
party proper combined do not constitute a
majority of the House; but if they unite, we
viii be certain to get enough from the other
small party to elect.
kr. Hatton. Ahal [Laughter.1 Meaning
no disrespecl TO the distinguished gentleman
from Virginia, repeat "ahaI" He indOrses
what have said, that the regular Demoera-
cy and the Southern Opposition party can
not elect. The gentleman from Mississippi,
IMr. hcRae,1 in his argument addressed to
the Hou. some weeks ago, stated such to be
the case. But be said that, if the friends of
the South would join their shields with the
regular Democracy, some refractory mem-
bers of the Democratic party would be brought
into position. i do not intend TO make any
remarks that will render it necessary for any
one OF the anti-LecomptOn Democrats to in
terrupt me; but vii! suggest that, when the
gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Davisl rose
in bis place the other day. aud said that.
soon as the southern Opposition party took
position with the regular Democracy. those
anti-Lecompton men would come Instantly
and take their position with us, and make an
election, one OF those gentlemen got up and
said
Without meaning any disrespcct to the
gentlemen, he is assuming what be had no
right to assume"
The House will recollect that.
L wish to make another suggestion. When
the gentleman from Virginia Mr.. Boteler1
nominated his Colleague, tMr. Millson, it
was supposed by many members that there
Was about 10 be union of the regular De-
mocrscy and the southern Opposition party.
II was then announced by one of the anti-Le-
compton Democrats, lMr. Clark. of New
York. that an election could not be had on
that gentleman. Now, l say To the honorable
gentleman from Mississippi that be must ex-
cuse Us from going into a series of expert
ments on members of bis OIL party. To ascer-
tain how they will vote. When some gen.
tleman of that party can rise in his place and
say, BIZ authority. hat be Can promise votes
enough. with ours, To elect Democrat. then.
and md III then. can there be any propriety in
The invitation which they extend TO Us to Join
our votes 10 theirs.
Now. Mr.. Clerk, there cannot he an cleo
ton by the union of the southern Opposition
and the regular Democracy: and 10 far as
our going to the Democracy IL conceI ned. |
until there can be an election by their party
% receiving our votes, for my single self, |
no unkindne~s TO anybody. | decline !
10 vote with them. have reasons which are |
satisfactory to myself, for this course with |
which. for the Present, il is unnecessary To
r0uule
The southern Opposition cannot elect |
regular ID mocra, if they give him their en-
ire vote. This is TACT, about which there |
= no necessity OF srgum.ut. But is there |
INV way by which Mr.. Sherman. the candi- /
late of the Republican parry. en- be dcfaitsd? |
rh-Te is no way, Except for southern aud !
rational men to rise ia their majrsty,o as a |
)rnocraic member has told w. to do. and. |
Ii-regarding petty political distinctions. To
mite upon Mr.. Gilmrr, or some one OF the |
ouIhern Opposition patty. Now, when a
nan comes to me, many have done, and |
ays "wr are all south, I'm men; between us
here Il but Sigh, d fer ence OF opinion. and |
hat upon immalerial que-tions,n meet him
Iiudly: but when IL is announced In argu-
uent that IL will uut do 20 elect a southern 4
Know Nothing, to use the courteous aud elc-
ant phraseoIogy OF my colleague. doubt
cry much--
Mr.. Wright. want 10 know OF my col
"a que If h;s party in Tennessee are not
npwu by that more than by any other namt:
Mr.. Hatton. IL wa stated to my colleague
be othsr day that We Ignored that express
ion. end that the name we have applied 10
urselves. Is the 20 Ithern Opposition. Now.
our party is sometimes called the Locoieeo
arty. tut do not, on the floor, ehooSe 30 50
it.
Mr.. Wright ask my colleague il, befare
Ia party made its last change OF name, IL was
os known a. The Know Nothing partyl
Mr. Hattan-l will have no argument with
~ coll, ague about tn; expression 10 which
have made reference. i alluded in pleas
niry to the name h. chose To give M; /.
are nothing about 10; certainly have 10
.eling about il; AMI Il he will Just keep qai-
/. viii proceed nj my rrmaiks.
Mr. wri, h.-I desire simply to say that IN
ersing my colleagues parry with the Know
Ioshing party, m ant no d srespecs At all.
itber 10 him or 10 any member o. his parity
ad | interrupted him now only because /
,oughi be did not treat inc with proper eur
81 in referring 10 what be termed my eie-
ant snd eoarteaas phra-e, la a sneeFiag way.
Mr.. Hatton-yrry we'll, l hope the gentle
an will in future class as as The Southern
opposition. Nov, cir. ~ reisTn % the arga-
,efst, which has been slightly broken in upon !
= nv c.,ileagae's interruptious- ] repeat