The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1856-08-21
To the Public.

To the Public
I have been much surprised by the appear.
ante OF i card in the STATE Sentinel on Mon
i dav last. over the signature of nv eompeEl-
/ tor, The Hon. \ P. Willard. The purpose Of
! this card, - lar as il be collected from is
contents. seems 70 be to make the IN preston
thai have declined IL meet him IN discussion.
and renders Il proper Tor ME 20 make state
ment Of Tie facts as | understand them 10
exist. Il $ true, stated III the card. that
on the evening Of the first OF May-the
dav | received he uominalion-Mr- Willard,
bringing with him a witness, presented NE
ulth written Invitation 10 a conference 70
make arran .emenks tor eanvasslng The State
wiki him l. must have been obvious 10 him
that | could make no such arrangement 81
that time. He had been nominated nesrlv
four months before. and had already canvass
ed larg. portion OF the Safe, and IN reply
10 him that evening | stated that my pllvaEe
affairs would require a large portion of the
lme for the coming Two months, and that |
could not begin 10 convsss regularly until
about the first of July that he had been IN
the held several months. and that whatever
time | could devote TO the canvass between
that and the first OF july | should visit i'm
portant points and places where he had
spoken, but that when | entered upon the
{ L
The ABRAMS cement suggested in his communica-
ton. Some time in the latter part of MAY
| met him at indianapolis and made with
him a joint appointment at Newcastle for the
9Th OF June, at which place and time we
met, and just before going into the discussion
had an interview, IN which the subject OF the
Joint canvass was discussed. | here quote
The statement in his card in reference that
interview
Accordingly. on the l2th of June, l
quested him 10 make appoin ments Tor tbs
month OF July This he declined doing. bur
assured thai during August, We should
70 ,ogether.'
The construction put by Mr.. Willard Gu
our conversation Is wholly inadmissjble. [
stated 10 him that | had several appointments
out, and had accepted several invitations 10
address conventions and mass meetings. and
before making other appointments mus; re
view my engagements III order To avoid con
fict. | understood him to say distinctly, that
be was in like situation; and the crowd be
ing already assembled without further con-
ference We repaired 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 informed, returned To Indian
apols. On the following Saturday morning
il being the day but one after the discussion,
an editorial article appeared in the STATE SEN
ttnef, pufportlng 10 give an account OF our
meeting at Newcastle, and declaring among
other things, that | was no match for Mr.
Willard and had refused to canvass the State
with him. Under the circumstances it was
hardly possible 10 doubt the quarter from
" hich this article emanated. On my return
home near the end OF June. from a series of
appointments in The south western part of the
State which were made before the meeting At
Newcastle. | found a number OF letters in
forming me hat Mr.. Willard had declared at
Gospor and other places that | had refused
To canvass the State with him. Il clearly ap-
pears from his own card that these state
ments v re unauthorized. Continuing to re
eeive adyices OF the repetition OF this decar-
alton. on the ol of July in pursuance of my
original plan, and to place this matter in a
position In reference tc which there would be-
"a. r.A.na E,r ar.or. 1 Addressed to Nj. willard
man of the Safe Central Committee note
of which the following is copy:
IsDrASAFoL1s, July I'd, 1856.
DEAR Sir Should it meet with your APP !
probation, | shall be pleased to make some
appoin tments with You for the mutual discus
Sion of the questions at issue in this canvass
| am to conduct the discussion upon the terms
proposed by the joint committee OF cur re-
speetive friends at Newcastle or If they do
not suit you. upon terms 10 be agreed upon
bv similar committee selected in this city.
The opening aud closing to be enjoyed alter
nately.
Should this proposition meet with your
approval the bearer of this, Mr. Defrees
will arrange with YOU the times and places Of
meeting.
A speedy answer is requested. which may
be handed to Mr., Defrees. directed to me
al CeHtrevIile
Yours Respectfully
O p Moron
Mr. Willard di1 not. as desired. send tire
written answer but verbally informed Mr.
Detrees that he lad appointments out until tire
9th of Au gust, and thai b. va8td not make
Joint appointments before that Tune pointing
out ~ Mr. Defrees. however several sf HiS
appointments that ] might attend, bas which
could not without sacrifice Of time end
Ierau cement Of my canvass Further %
ppnsments were then msde for me. teFnla-
sting the 18th Of -duzust. a. BIoonIoG-ta
10 order that | might have 10 engagement
after that time to interfere with anv arrange
nent that might be concluded with hr VII
ard. On the 10th OF July Mr.. Willard, De-
rees, and myself. met a. ire Bases House
and the subject Of mutual appointments was
discussed. and as | WAS compelled 10 leave for
acme after dinner, Il was agreed that Willard
md Defrees sGouId meet and arrange The times
and places fer our discussion.
am informed By Mr.. Defrees that Mr.. Vii
ard Ieft the city without seeing him. and Eba,
le has no; seen him from thai dav to this