Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-10-20
SATURDAY,.@TOBEH 90, 1850.
The PolrticaI Disous.iOn Yesterday.

The Political Discussion Yesterday
Hon W. c. Whitthorne, Electoral candidate on the
Democratic ticket for the State at large Hon. Harry
H. Watterson. Douglas candidate for Elector, and
Judge John S Brien. substitute for Hon. n G. Tay-
lor Bell Electoral candidate, addressed the people
Yesterday at the Courthouse. We were glad to see
a good crowd in attendance.
Judge Bren led off on the old hobby of 1.-The
Union the Constitution and the enforcement of the
laws" charging that dissolution Of the Union
would finally result from the election Of either Lin
coin or Breckenridge and assuming that the election
Of Bell would perpetuste the Union. 1t was the old
song of the two sectional parties, the disunion ten
denotes o. the cotton States and the dsunon speech
es, sentiments, toasts, and resolutions of certain
leaders and meetings in those States. Any one who
has listened to a Union speech from one Of the Bell
speakers in this canvass, tOerably ampliied and
illustrated, can picture to himself the arguments of
the speaker.
Hon H. NJ Watterson, Douglas ElcctOr, next took
the stand HIS entire argument was directed against
Breckenridge and his platform. Boilers and boiling
secession and secessionists were his themes. He,
too. thought the Union was great danger, and
that John C. Breckenridge had committed unpar-
donable offense in not answering the Norfolk ques-
tons He did not even pay his respects to Mr.. Bell
eIcept to prosest that if the State does cast her
vote for Mr. Bell he and his party are not respon-
sible
Our eloquent able and gallant Elector, Col W. {.
WHrrHoRNE. followed Coz. WATTERsoN. The cheers
and shouts of welcome which greeted his appear
ance fairly made the building shake He commenc-
cd in tone of earnest and eloquent depreciation of
the character which the canvass had assumed IN the
81, nc mar the charge
Of producing the unhappy agitation that now threat
ems the peace of the Republic referring to the fact
that Mr. Bell had declared nhis Murfreesboro speech
in Is4s, that the slavery question, even then. had
superseded all other questions, and quoting extracts
from the Daily Patriot Of a few months ago sub
stimulating the same position. He also read from the
speeches of Messrs. Lincoln and Seward, and from
the Black Republican platform to prove that the
agitation against slavery was beyond the control OF
the South and that its ultimate purpose was to de-
srrov the institution Of slavery in the Southern
States. With this view, which is the only correct
and philosophical aspect in which 10 regard It, he
demonstrated has it is impossible to ignore or over
look it. The South is compelled to meet the grave
issues forced upon us and accordingly the Demo
cratic party has spoken, with no torked tongue IN
its platform and has taken issue on every Font with
the Black Republicans and asserted the right OF pro
lection To propcrty in the territories, and wherever
the authority of the Federal Government extends.
Vas not he right. then, said Mr.. Whitthorne, ~
onteuding strenuously and fearlessly for the con
stitutonal rights Of the South-was not the Demo
cratic party right in meeting the enemies to our IN
titutIon. face 10 face and it just and pat'louc
to denounce them Is disunoniss, because they have
L invaders q rights.
Col Whitthorne then passed to an able and logl-
cal yudication Of the doctrine OF Congressional pro
lection 70 slavery showing that the first duty of
government is to protect IFS citizens in their rights
but that the right to destroy property docs not FOL
low from the right to protect. He also proved that
the Democratic party in the South had given the
construction to the Cincinnati platform in 1886 that
they do now. They had then cOntended for the
doctrine of noninterventiOn and they had construed
il to mean that neither Congress or its agent Ter
ritorial legislature can exclude slavery from the
Territories but that exclusion does not mean non
protection Hcappealed TO the history of the last can
illustrate his position reading from Mr. Buch-
anans Sanford letter which was used in that canvass
70 show that a Territory had no right to legslate
against slave property until II forms its State Con
stitutiou and reminding his audience that Democrats
everywhere then repudiated the dogma of Squatter
Sovereignty In this part OF his speech. Mr.. Whit
thorne made clear satisfactory and Irresistible ar
Eumeut, elicitug repeated shouts OF approval He
sand that he occupied the position then that he
docs now. and that the Democratic party sustains
the same great principles that it then did and
that principle and truth the only reai tests OF
party loyalty and faith
After vindicatiug the Democratic party from the
charges OF his competitor Mr.. Whithorne proceed
Cd {" examine Mr.. Bells record and from his votes
demonstrated that he had never voted on the final
vote, for sny bill. containing the principle Of non
Intervention, that he had voted for resolution de-
claring that the Abolition petitions wen, mart of a
plan set foot to strike down slavery ia Tho s++os
and then voted for the reception of these pet,,io
that he voted against The Clayton comprouis, ,I
object of which was TO settle The question of l,,,
Nv in the Territories DC.
Mr. Whtthornc defcd both his competitors n
take .ssue with the Democratic plauoym on tb,
question Of protection. In answer to this ca, Wat.
,reon said he took issue u toto, because he believed
,he purpose Of il was 10 break up the Union. Judge
Brien failed 10 take issue Mr.. WhitthOrne also
asked his competitors whether they approved of
the Breckenridge Douglas platforms Judge BIien
said be stood on neither, but on 'the Union, the
Constitution and the enforcement of the Laws,
Col Watterson did not answer. Mr. Whitthorne
also asked ms competitors whether they
believed slavery to he local or national,