The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-09-06
Mr.. Willard and his Speech.


From our accounts of Mr.. Willard he is a
good stump orator. one of the best in the State
but when that's said he has received the
highest praise his abilities deserve. We have
yet to hear of one man whom he ooaeSnced by
his speech here. He drew a large crowd, |
which was presided over by gentleman who
advocated at one time, as we well recollect, |
and before "Know Nothings' were known ON
the earth, doctrines very similar in one res
pect at least to that advocated by the warmer
Know Nothings He was then of very deci-
ded opinion that it would be great outrage
to elect to Office foreigner over an Ameri-
can, when foreigner and American were OPP
posing candidates. 1t is probable, however,
that he was somewhat influenced to the forma-
ton of this opinion by being then candidate
for the Legislature, and having foreign born
citizen as an opponent! Probably Mr.. Venue
man, the German candidate, can tell us wheth-
er or not he was not electioneered against by
the Doctor on this ground. However, as the
Chairman was an unimportant matter, we don't
suppose his antecedents are worth troubling
ourselves about. He has good government
office now, so his Democracy is reliable--at
least till he is superseded.
We have been informed by several gentle
men who heard the speech, that Mr.. Willard
took up an article charging him with having by
his casting vote placed in the Prohibitory Lii
quor Law the most stringent provision in it
and accused us of being Know Nothing for
not knowing that there was nothing in the
new Constitution giving the President Of the
Senate casting vote-that he had given no
such casting vote-that the amendment allu-
ded to by us, which he read, was passed by a
vote of % to 18, &C., &c. As regards his
statement about this casting vote we shall
take occasion tomorrow or next day to nail
upon him borefaced decepton-a base and I'M
ty. He was in such condition at times du-
ring the session, or towards its close, through
the absence ola Prohibitory Liquor Law, thai
forgetfatlaess on his part was quite excusable-
but in this case there is scarcely possibility
thrown up to him as this vote has been from
thousand sources, he could have entirely for
gotten it; or if his memory were weak, it i
scarcely probable he has failed to Investigate
the little matter of that vote. We shall Civ
the records
But what does Mr.. Willard mean by attempt
ing to excuse this vote, by telling an audi
ence ofat least ordinary intelligence, that h
was not empowered as President of the Senat
to give casting vote? Why in his speech
and we hope his forgetfulness had no sucl
cause as that alluded to above-he alluded t
one casting vote he had given, and we we
recollect another by which contested seat i
the Senate was given to Democrat who ha
not the slightest honest claims for it, an
which he, after he had occupied the seat some
time, himself admitted, and permitted the dc
posed Republican to take his place. We car
not whether there is anything in the new Con
stitution or not giving the President of tn
Senate the power of casting vote. 1t make
so little difference, thot we would not tax
ten.steps to lay our hand on the Statutes to in
vestigate the matter. 1t is enough to know
that it is general Parliamentary usage, unnt
csssary to be stated in Statutes for a rule of an
Legislative boby-and that there is no legisls
tive body in the country in which the usage c
rule does not exist. This was most cor
temptible trick on the part of Mr. Willard
and unworthy of his position as man, a
though perfectly compatible with his charaC
ter as a politician We are necessarily brit
to-day, yet it is not required to farther allud
to so infinitely small matter as this. on
readers can only form their own impression a
to how far the public statements of such
man should 60 with the people, and how e1
cellent are his qualifications for the Office
Governor of Indiana to secure the nominato
of which he is now exhibiting his party devC
ton, by travelling over Southern Indiana NAL
ing speeches.