The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-08-19
FAIR PLAY IS A JEWEL.
THE POLITICAL DISCUSSION BE-
TWEEN GARNET AND SAUNDERS.
Pandemonfum Broke Loose-.saunders
Hooted and Menaced-A Gallant Fight
and Moral Victory.

sand colored people gathered together, not
wlthstanding the Intense heat of the light, to
listen to discussion between the Rev. Henry
| Highlapd Garnet, Of this city, and W. q.
Saunders. of Baltimore, aryland, both COL
| ored, upon the relative merits and services OF
| u. 3. Grant and Horace Greeley. The debate
has been much talked of and long considered,
but after sundry disappoinlmenls and much
| correspondence the prel minaries were finally
arranged. Cooper Institute was engaged. the
expenses we're guaranteed, and the colored
orators were afforded an opportunity Of talK-
| iDg the matter out, much to the satisfaction Of
the negroes In particular and the public gen.
orally.
A BRAVE Tx.
Saunders, who, when the task he has
undertaken to convince q halfclvilized peo-
pie, may be called the leader of the forlorn
hope, espoused The cause Of Greeley, and Mr..
Garnet, The distinguished pastor of Shiloh
Presbyterian Church, had the much more coz
genial task OF presenting the claims OF General
Grant to an audience who were In entire SYM
pathy with him and his principles.
When eight o'clock came it was evident that
the audience was entirely one-sided, and that
the Liberal orator had not the slightest chance
OF getting ialr hearing, the feelings OF the
negroes being evidently wrought up to the
highest pitch of excitement BY The Influences
which have been brought to bear upon them
since the discussion was announced to come
off. the narrow minds OF the great majority
present being evidently unable to comprehend
what an orderly debate meant
THE GLAD1AToRs APPEAR.
Punctually to the hour the cOlored gladia-
tors came upon the platform, amid enthnsias.
tic cheering for the Rev. Henry Highland
Garnet. On the motion of the Rev. W. Butler,
the chair was taken by Mr.. I. ]. Yulie, cashier
OF the Freedmen's Bank, bullet-headed
negro, who presided over the meeting with all
the impartIality it was possible to exercise 10
an audience which acted like gathering of
Frjee Islanders.
Mr.. Hatton, a colleague of Saunders, was
appointed secretary. The articles of discus.
sion were read-whether the ascendency OF
the Liberal Republican party and the election
of Horace Greeley, or the re election Of Gene
raj Grant, would be most conducive 10 the
welfare of the country and the proper admin
istration of Justice. without distinction of race,
color OF party. The chairman announced The
terms of the discussion, an hour for Saunders
In opening, on hour aud a half for Garnet, In
reply, and half an hour to Saunders to close.
PANDEMoErUM BROKE LOOSE.
But the coored rowdIes took no heed Of the
action, and one hideous looking rulian struck
policeman for simple remUnstrance.
Saunders went on to show what the past re-
cord of Mr.. Greeley had been, and how, In
conjunction with Sumner-[terrlfc groaDs for
Sumnerl-he had borne the brEnt aud heat Of
the battle against slavery, when 1t was q
crime to be an aboIiLIonist. [Cheers for Gree
ley, counter cheers for Grant, cat calls and
waving of handkerchlefs by the ladies' and
flags by the visitors. 10 striking LANGUAGE
Saunders showed the incapacty of Grant, his
neglect OF the colored men and his Democratic
raea-d, hnt If ---.!
ence would have nothing against urant, and
celved with derlsive laughter. The white
men In the hall made good show for Saund-
ers, and for time succeeded In securing for
him q partial hearing; but the Wild blood OF
the Africans was aroused, and they soon burst
through the little decorum that had hitherto
been preserved.
According 10 the terms previously arranged,
the opening speaker was to be allowed an
hour, but more than half that Time was con-
sumed In wanton and uncalled.tor Interrupt
tons. AS an instance of the dlscernment dis.
played, the following will suffice: Saunders,
In the course OF bis speech, alluded to the fact,
which might be apparent to all, that God
freed the slaves, but this sentiment, In COM
mon with every thing else uttered, was cor
daily hissed. Had Saunders been Demos
themes, he could not have borne up against
such torrent of opposition, and before the
close of his hour he was visloly exhausted. II
was only by au extraordinary exercise of
| lungs that he could make the closing seu-
tences oil his first address audible to the re.
porters, aHd he resumed his seat amid ap.
plallse from the few friends he had In the
hall, and babel of shouts OF opprobrlum
| from the large majority opposed to him.
aARNET's RESPONSE.
Rev. Mr.. Garnet, full fedged African,
whose blood ls uncontaminated with any
white mixture, and who has the reputation Of
hair NJ fnlsu uhl ma m % IT rnl
10 reply, aud was greeted with enthusiastic
cheering, clapping OF hands and waving oil
handkerchiefs, which were again and again
| renewed. mingled with counter cheers for
Greeley ano Saunders. Mr.. Garnet COM
| menced by saying that no matter what the
! result OF the discussion would oe, he should
always treat Mr.. Saunders with the respect he
| entertained for him as friend, and iu the
same breath proceeded to give scaLhlng pic.
ture of his motives and character, TO The iu.
tense delight of the grinniDg ''ntggers," who
| thought the jokes of the gentleman replete
with Wit and numOr. Garnet showed an ad.
| mirable knowledge of the audience he had to
| deal with. and, IN speech replete with sar'
casm, oratory, mimicry and lincture OF buf.
foonery, held up Saunders TO the rldlcule o
his congregation, whose delight knew nc
bounds.
The reverend gentleman called frequently
/ for cheers for Grant, the Freedmens Swings
Bank, the memory of Lincoln and Stanton
and John Brown. whose soul la marching on.
| He did not attempt to answer the arguments e
Saunders, but treated him In manner which
considering the audience he had to deal With
Was simply admirable. 1t Is easy 10 under
| stand how his reputation as az effective minis
/ ter and revival stlrrer up ls 30 good, anu hls
| poliLIcal effort was In the same rallo Oh excel
| ience. OF course, lit was addressed TO al
audience capable of measuring IL, it would mol
| 20 for much, but as an appeal TO heated pre-
| iudIces rothing fercer has ever been uttered
| in Cooper institute. Mr.. Garnet has not muct
/ oratorcal style, but his powers as mimic
and his earnesLness amply compensate or The
defcleucy. He spoke for upwards OF an hour
| recalled The spirits of the Republicans gone Il
| plory, exhausted the great names which the
! party still contains, and alter an eloqnen
peroration sat down as much exhausted as
dancing derVlsh.
| WILD SCENE.
Long before Garnet had concluded it wa
apparent that the feeling OF the negroes wa
worked up beyond the power OF control, ant
when Saunders rose 10 make the final speecl
the audience ran OF him, many oil them rushed
70 the door, and the balance who remained
yelled like demons. Mr.. Garnet and the chair
man endeavored to secure order, but their e.
fort was unwatling. The undau1ted Saund
ers. however, would not be conquered. FL
threw of his shirt collar, flung hack his coat
and advanced to the front OF the platform &
encounter scene which would be disgrac
10 party Of cannibals. The police, slriOus
alarmed Tor his safety, graspeG their club
/ 4 IttS ,tx,n1 .