Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-09-30
THE CANVASS.



LEXINGTON, Sept. 20 1860.
Messrs. Biaors The Presidential Electors for
the Ninth Congressional District Gen. J. D. C. Ar
KNs and ALVIN HAWKINS Esq. are now filing their
appointments IN this Henderson, county your cor
respondent having heard them in three places, viz
Lexington, Centre Point, land Mtiin. had never
heard Mr. HAWKINS, the BELL elector, before, and
will take occasion here to remark that although he
has much tact and shrewdness as an advocate at the
bar, and although he is able for BELL speaker Jet
his sOphistries and inconsistencies were readily
comprehended and exposed in all their deformity,
by the gallant ATKINS My humble opinion is, that
HAWKINS friends did him very great injustice when
they urged him into the canvass against a man so
able, logical and overwhelming in his arguments as
the chiyalrous and gifted ATKNs. HAWKINS con-
sumes most of his two hours advocating the claims
of Mr.. DouGLAs, as the regular nominee, upon the
Democracy, saying but little about BELL any way.
Together with advocating DOUGLAS, Mr.. HAWKINS
rants and charges upon the BRECKENRIDGE Democrats
as disunlonists, and is particularly severe-in his
way-upon w. L. YANcEY & Co.; and to cap the eli
max, he insists that our time-honored doctrine Of
protection in the Territories, would result in break
ing up this fne eulogy upon the
then closes his harangue. ATKINS follows in with
ering. crushing manner: adopts HAWKINS eulogy
on the Union as his disproves in very few min
utes the assertion that DOUGLAS is the regular nom
nee of the Democratic party, and asks, with wither-
ing burning sarcasm, ''when did you ever hear an
Opposition insist on your voting for the regu-
lar nominee of the Democratic party before =
Never, never; but, Democrats, you are smart
enough to their policy in this thing. Their OBJ
lect is to keep you divided between BRECKINRDGE
and DOUGLAS, and throw this State to BELL, not on
account of any merits Of HIS but in consequence Of
the split which they hope to effect in your ranks.
Democrats stand fast to your colors and pay no at
tention to the cry of YANCEY, YANcEY, secession,
disunion, and DOUGLAS is the regular nominee, but
all come up like men aud support BRECKENRIDGE and
LANE the Constitution, the Union, and Equality
then says that as Mr.. HAWKINS refuses to tell you
who he is for, that he will tell you he is for JOIN
BELL, the candidate without a platform, and with
all sorts of record and says, furthermore that
BELL is nun. and won't talk, but refers you to his
record he will invite you to his record and what
sort of a man JOIN BELL is shows from his record
how he (BELL) stands in regard to the abolition Of
slavery in the District OF Columbia how he stood
in regard to the Mexican war, in refusing to vote
aid to Gen. SCOTT; how he stood on the Compromise
measures of 1850, &c, and then challenges Mr.
HAWKINS to endorse him. But Mr.. HAWKINS refuses
70 endorse him, and still refuses, suppose. Go
home then, fellow-citizens, says Gen. ATKINS, and
tell your friends that the BELL elector for the Ninth
Congressional District is asking the people to vote
for a man that he positively declines endorsing.
| Tall sN0--
that the BELL eector for this, the Ninth Dis
trict, won't endorse his candidate, JOHN BELL /;
and is it not remarkably strange that he viii
insist upon the people supporting a man that
he himself won't endorse? Tell it also that Mr.. HAw-
KNs insists that the doctrine of protection to prop
erty in the Territories would inevitably lead to a
dissolution of this Union, and when hard pressed
by Gen. ATKINS, endorses every word of Senator
DAVIS resolution which is substantially the same as
that clause Of BREcKNRIDGE's platform declaring
for protection, in explanation of construction of
the Cincinnati platform. Mr.. HAWKINS has never
yet told us what Mr.. BELLS position is neither has
he said where he stands in regard to this allab-
sorbing question in the pending canvass. These
BELL men certainly occupy very ridiculous posi-
ton on this question, no two of them that l have
yet SEEM agreeing on this vital question. ATKINS is
having triumphant march in this canvass, is win
ming golden opinions and making himself more dear
than ever TO the Democracy of this District. He is
unquestiona6ly one of the ablest leaders we have
He is bold and fearless in the advocacy of principle,
with none of the demagogue which attaches to so
many latter-day politicians. Gallant, noble and
pure with every element of the chivalrous patriot
he stands the merted champion of our party in this
District In tine discussion of great political ques
tions have yet to see his superior. We are justly
proud of him, and for his gallant and untiring SER
vices in this campaign we are made doubly so. May
he live long to enjoy the fruits of his labors.
In conclusion will state that old Henderson is
still true, so far as the Democracy concerned,
thsre being scarcely any division between them.
am satisfied that there are not fifteen DoUGLAsITEs
to be found in all the county, and on election day
doubt whether half so many can be found. So you
see the good work moves gloriously on in our sec
ton. If every county in the State will stand as
firm as Henderson, BELL will be defeated by ire
mendous majority. So mote it be. JUSTICE.