The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1860-11-02
Messrs. Peyton, Polk and Haynes
of Afbapo

at Athens.
On Wednesday, these gentlemen, Elec-
tors for the State, addressed large crowd
at the Courthouse, in Athens. 1t was
Col. Haynes day to lead. He came with
the reputation of a very pretty declaimer
and so he is. In that respect, we have
not the least doubt, he met the fullest
expectation of his most ardent friends.
But If there was much else than declama-
ton in his effort here, weconfess we were
unable to comprehend it. Like every
Breckenridge orator who has passed this
way in the present canvass, he consumed
the larger portion of his time in painting
up what terrible fellows the Black Re-
publicans are, and the mischief they in
tend-and then trying to pursuade his
audience that the way to defeat them
and their schemes, is to vote for Brcckin-
ridge. Oh, most lame and impotent con-
clusion. We all agree that the Black
Republicans are bad fellows-quite as bad
as the Disunionsts. But the idea that
Breckenridge is the man to beat Lincoln
is really laughable. Col. Haynes was APP
plauded occasionally by the Breckinridg-
ers present-more, we presume, on ac-
count of the manner, than the matter, of
his speech.
He was followed by Col. Polk, who
went into an able argument to show that
his candidate is the regular nominee OF
the regular democratic party, and candor
compels us to say that he was pretty ef-
fective in doing his work We are in the
habit of expressing ourselves quite freely,
yet we feel a little nervous in recording
anything in favor of Douglas orator.
| The Breckinridgers are so sensitive on
that point. A Douglas man may get up
and appeal in patriotic manner for the
Union, and if a Bell man gives an APP.
! proving smile or word, ooh" exclaim
the Seceders, don't you see how them
chaps are .fusingP" as though it was high
of our fathers and the Constitution
Col. Polk has the facts and the argi-
ments on his Breckenridge competitor,
and he used them to decided advan-
tage here on Wednesday. In his rejon-
der he got his brother of the cratic
branch of the family, down very badly
so much so, that we felt little sorry,
not particularly for Col. Haynes, as he is
used to it, but for two or three members
of the Breckenridge wing. who when any,
thing hurts them can't help letting every.
body in the crowd know it.
Col. Peyton appeared next. He has
long enjoyed the reputation of being
among the ablest and most eloquent de.
baters in the land. We heard him TWEEN.
ty,three years ago, sin liles morning
march when his bosom was young" lie
has lost none of the fire and fervor OF
earlier days, while mature years has adj,
ded strength, depth and breadth to his
clear and logical mind. He took up the
subject of Disunion, and ventilated it
thoroughly. He went back to 1882,
when notification first reared its gorgon
crest in South Carolina--traced Disunion
in its tortuous and persistent course down
to the time when it entered the Charles.
ton Convention, and rent the great dem
ocratic party in twain; and demonstrated
that it was now openly and boldly APP.
preaching the object of its long labors:
the destruction of the government and
the establishment of a Southern Confed.
eracy. Col. Peyton closed with an earn.
est and patriotic appeal to good men of all
parties to stand by the UNION, and as
the most efiectual way of preserving it,
to go to the polls next TUESDAY and
| VOTE THE UNION TICKET.