The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-08-16

C9t 1ailp gournal
From the tate Journal

- TO THE PUBLIC.
] have been much surprised by the appear
ance of a card in the State Sentinel of Monday
last, over the signature of my competitor, the
Hon. A. 2. Willard. The purpose of this
card, so far as it can be collected from its con-
tents, seems to be to make the impression that
! I ave dt ciined to meet him in discussion, and
renders it proper for me to make statement
Of the facts as | understand them to exist. 1t
is true as stated in the card, that on the even
ing of the first of May-the day received the
nomination-Mr Willard, bringing with him
a witness, presented me with written invita-
zion to a conference to make arrangements for
ca1tassing the State with him. 1t must have
been obvious to him that could make no ar
rangement at that time. He had been nomi-
mated nearly four months before, and had al
ready canvassed a large portion of the State
and in reply to him that evening | stated that
my private affairs would require a large por-
ton of the time for the coming two months
and that Icould not begin the canvass regular
ly until about the first of July; that he had
been in the field several months, and that
whatever time I could devote to the canvass
between that and the first Of July | should
visit important points and places where he had
spoken, but that when | entered upon the can
1 L
arrangement suggested in his communication.
Some time in the latter part of May l met
him at Indianapolis and made with him Joint
appointment at Newcastle for the 18th of June,
at which place and time we met, and Just be-
fore going into the discussion had an inter-
view, in which the subject of joint canvass
was discussed. | here quote the statement in
his card in reference to that interview
Accordingly, on the 10Th of June l re-
quested him to make appointments for the
month Of j uly. This he declined doing, but
assured me that during August, we should so
together
The construction put by Mr. Willard on our
conversation is wholly inadmissible | stated
to him that / had several appointments out,
and had accepted several invitations to address
conventions and mass meetings, and before
making other appointments must review nv
engagements in order to avoid conflict I
understood him to say distinctly. that he was
in a like stuatonj and the crowd being already
assembled, without further conference we re-
paired to the Court House and entered upon
the discussion. This was on the afternoon of
Thursday, and shortly after the discussion
terminated, Mr.. Willard without any further
interview left the town. and on that night or
the next morning, as | was afterwards inform
Gu, EtluTHeu " Oil ttiC OLlON@
ing Saturday morning, it being the day but
one after the discussion, an editorial article ap-
peared in the State Sentinel, purporting to give
an account Of our meeting in Newcastle, and
declaring among other things that | was no
match for Mr.. Willard and had refused to can
vass the State with him.
Under the circumstances it was hardly pos
sihle to doubt the quarter from which this ar
tice emanated. On my return home near the
end of June from series of appointments in
the southwestern part of the State, which
were made before the meeting at Newcastle, [
found number Of letters informing me that
Mr. Willard had declared at Gosport and 9TH
er places, that | had refused to canvass the
State with him. 1t clearly appears from his
own card that these statements were unau-
thorized. Continuing to.receive adyices Of the
repetition of this declaration, the I'd of
July in pursuance of nay original plan, and to
place this matter in a position in reference to
which there would be no room for error, ad
dressed to Mr.. Willard by the hands of J. D.
Defrees, Esq, Chairman Of the State Central
Committee, a note of which the following is
copy: aa
INDIANAPOLIS, July I'd, 1856.