The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1852-08-24
River and Harbor Matters. &c.

The Times of last Saturday, in comment
ing upon paragraph of ours relative to the
River and Harbor Bill, says we can make no
capital out ofLockhart's vote in favor of this
bill. We do not suppose, nor have we ever
supposed for moment, that Wing capital
can be made to any very great extent by the
proof of gross inconsistency in the opinions
and actions of prominent Democrats-and we
think so from the fact, that no matter what
Inconsistency be proven on such men, they
still receive the uniform support of their par
ty as though they were pure and unsupported
in perfect consistency. Yet, We love to show
up the inconsistencies of these gentlemen to
prove how disagreeably different they are
from Wings.
Last summer, Mr.. Lockhart ran against
Mr.. DeBruler for Congress. During the can
vass, the candidates were on the stump, and
of course hundreds of their fellow citizens
heard their speeches, and yet remember their
positions OH the River and Harbor Bill. Tney
will recollect Mr.. Lockhart declared that if
he had been in the Congress previous, he
would have voted against the River and Har-
Dor Bill, which was only defeated by base
manGuvre of minority. This bill appro-
prated over one million of dollars to the
West and South West, and large sum of
money for improving the Ohio river below
the Falls. Lockhart said the bill did not con-
tain single feature which had received the
approval of Democratic administrations.
Lockhart said in his speeches at the COM
naencement of the canvass, he would vote for
no appropriations for rivers running bet'ceen
States. He atleruards corrected this in his
own organ here, and declared himself OPP
posed to appropriations for rivers not running
directly TO the ocean. This was declaring
himself opposed to appropriations for the
Ohio and other tributaries of the Mississippi,
not running directly to the ocean.
Again he upheld Folks veto of the River
and Harbor bill, and the leading doctrine of
that veto was, Congress had no constitutional
po,cer to Improve The navigation Of any rirer,
,chether aJe tse Ohio or Mississippi or any 9th
er stream, or ,chetler 1t be connected pih dozen
States; and that if it should ever be deemed
necessary for the General Government to en-
gage in any such improvement, an amend
ment of the Constitution must first be OBJ
tanned.
We might 60 further, but this enough
Our fellow-citzens know we made public
these positions of the Judge fast as they
were taken, and that we warmly opposed his
election principally on account of his oppo-
sition to such River and Harbor bills as only
could pass Congress. Yet after getting in
Congress, and knowing that the Democracy
of this District would not risk him again if he
continued this opposition to sach measures,
he wheels around and votes for precisely
such Il bill, excepting it is not favorable
to the West, as he earnestly opposed during
the whole canvass of last summer! More
than this-he sends to his constituents cop
les of a speech he made in Congress sustain
ing this bill-a bill which every man who
paid attention to his speeches last year on
the stump, would have supposed the most OBJ
noxious one which could possible have been
presented to his consideration.
Now this speech of the Judges is good
one. We know it is, for our citizens have
heard DeBruler make the same speech and al
mostin the same words, in opposition 10 the
Judges speeches during the canvass! 1t is
singular and funny fact, that this speechis
almost word for word the speech DeBruler
made on number of occasions in opposition
to Judge Lockhart! He has revamped the
speech, adopted it as his own, and thus
changed sides with brazcn impudence truly
laughable.
Nowis not this a notable piece of Demo
cratic inconsistency! Yet we can't be ex-
pected to make capital against Lockhart in
exposing such inconsistency! We La6w
,Mir. l.. is not candidate now, but we give
his consistent course as fine illustration of
what may be expected of these Democratic
leaders, no matter what promises or opinions
they may give birth to before their election.
If any Wig dare exhibit one half this in
consistency, he would be politically damned
in and out of his party, and so deservedly.-
The Judge is on the right track now, and we
hope he will be able to keep there.
0@TThe Princeton Clarion says that when
Tho NOUS Of Doavi-, nomination 70 cbaJ "a n,