Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-08-28
SEVENTH CONGRESSIONAL DIS
TRICT.
5 ATKINS aua Travis az Paris.

AGaAMH Wa4L - y - - = e~2s8s
Correspondence of the Union and American.
PARIS, TENN, Aug. "a, 1S72.-Notwith-
standing the protracted drouth, and the
thermometer keeping up to 90 in the shade,
the political canvass goes on apace here.
But The public pulse throbs warmer over the
Congressional race between Gen. j. ID. g.
Atkins, the regular Democratic nominee,
and Col. w E. Travis, an independent or
better. Their first tilt, or ''passage at
arms" came Off at this place on the 9Th
inst. Several days before, the announce
ment was made in flaming posters that Col.
w. E. Travis, the "People's Democratic
candidate would speak, etc. At the time
the announcement was made it was not
expected by the Travis men that division
of time would be demanded, as 1t was not
definitely known then who had received
the nomination-Atkins or Thomas-in
the primary election of the 1st. But when
the 5th came, enough was known TO satisfy
Atkins and his friends that he was the
"lucky man." so division Of
time was demanded, and Atkins
would "measure swords" with the
modern Cincinnatus fresh from bis plow-
handles, standing still in neglected corn
patch hard by the classic village of Manly
vile. The day was ushered in with cloud
less sky and dusty roads, and ct 90 early
hour the good people OF old Henry came
fiocking In from every point of the COM
pass. To give ec1Gt to the first grand entrec
of this Gsmodern CincinDatus,n bis friends
hsving first ascertalned his exact gsograph-
ical position on q certain road leading into
town, impToUised band from the scatter
II <.f AiohanHaA horn6
of Paris, and went out TO escort him in
with music. We failed to see, when the
procession reached the square, any evil
dence of believing tears upon the cheeks of
the aforesaid members, or dripping off to
lay the dust by the way. But we do assert
in all candor th most respectable part Of
the procession in length, was the band
wagon, coupling sixteen feet In the clear
By one O'Clock the courthouse was
'spacked and jammed" by an eager crowd to
hear the opening discussion between these
two most distinguished sons of old Henry.
Travis led off in speech Of an hour and a
half. He is an able debater, of fine physi-
que, and commanding presence, but his
effort on this occasion was q labored one
reminding you of huge ship, with riven'
sails and broken mast, h0undering hope
lessly in heavy sea. Here was an old
Democrat and strict partisan opposing the
regular nominee of his party-hence the
great burden of bis speech was devoted to
the fraud, unfairness and trickery of con-
ventions generally, and primary elections
particularly, claiming that Aen. Atkins was
not the nominee of the party because he
failed To receive in the primary election
two-thiid s of the Democratic votes of the
district; but that he, Col. T was the
peoples choice, or that he, or Tom, or Dick,
or Harry lCGsfor such was the inevitable
deduction of bis logic) basing the sover-
eighty of his candidacy upon the call Of
eleuen of his Reighb0rS, and upon all the
votes that Atkins did not receive, he, or
Tom, or Dick, or Harry, might, could, or
would have received, had
either of them been party
to the ''fraud" of a primary cleo
ton. Then, touching briefly upon national
politics, denouncing the Fourteenth and
Fifteenth Amendments as frauds upon the
people, and being irreg1larly adopted,
were not parts of the Consttuition-he, af-
ter brief exordium to the crowd to stand
BY him-the peoples choice-took his seat
mid the cheers of his friends, who had
shown throughout his speech unmistakable |
signs of disappointment.
Then amid deafenlng shouts of applause |
Gen. Atkins took tbs stand, and for one |
hour and half held that vast crowd en-
tranced. Mastery and bold, full Of nerv-
oEs and fervid eloquence, surprising in ar
gument and scsthing satire, Col. Travis
went down before him as the little shrub
before the mighty tempest's breath. His
speech was grand and sigma triumph in
every respect-Yindicating the fairness and
honesty of the primary election; as to the
Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments,
they were received aud recognized as parts
Of the Constitution, and as such, let them
rest, for to distrust them now would but |
revive once again the glowing |
smbers of our recent bitter strife.
So Overwhelmingly complete and
crushing was the defeat of Col. Travis on
The primary election and amendment ques-
ions, that after the speaking, his friends
claimed that they were not his positions,
but that the Colonel was merely "feeling his
way" 1t is highly probable from the signs
Of the times, that, if the Colonel follows
Gen. Atkins over the district he will cease
'feeling his" or anybody else's Sway" by
The 9th of November next. More anon.
HENRY.