The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-09-10

eminent and they are ready to vote for John I
B. Haskin, or for John Smith, if they have |
confidence in the man; and Mr.. Buchanan |
would have suited the country as well as
any other man, if he had but fulfilled his
pledges; and, therefore, it was that when
his inaugural address was published, they
said one to another-we believe i'm Mr.. Blu
chanan-we are sorry that we have not
voted for him; but we are willing to trust
him and stand by him to the end
Buchanan had before him future which
Washington, if he had been living, might
have envied--a future which, if he had
walked resolutely in the path he had mark
ed out-the path Illuminated by his resolu-
tons and pledges--would have allowed him
to go down TO the grave with the acclama-
ton of the people. Posterity would have
pointed to his Administration as a model
and example 20 all generations; Pennsyl-
vania would have had no cause to be
ashamed of her favorite son. No, my fellow
countrymen; but he did not stop here. As
if for the purpose of accommodating pledge
upon pledge, as if for the purpose of piling
up pyramid of promises upOnSthis ques-
ton, what did he do next? He looked
around to see who he should get to 90 to
question which had rendered Kansas, what
il has been graphically termed, ''the grave
yard of Governors" He sought no inferior
man; he would not be tempted to take an
ordinary man. He selected q gentleman,
statesman, who had been presented by
large portion of the leading and prominent
men of the South for seat in his Cabinet,
who had for many years represented his
State in the councils of the nation. He Sc
lected Robert J. Walker. And when he CALI
ed upon Mr. Walker, and asked him to pro-
coed to the Territory, Mr.. Walker said to
him, "Why, Mr.. Buchanan, that would fin
ish me forever; it has ruined every man
who has gone there; it will ruin me. l
have reached that time of life when | can
not afford to risk all my prospects, and pro-
badly the peace aud happiness of my fami-
ly." And he said further, as If gifted with
u knowledge of the future, "I cannot run
the risk of being, most probably, betrayed
and deserted by the Administration that ap-
points me-" Mr.. Buchanan said to him,
]'Mr. Walker if you will go there, you will
settle this question in a few weeks. Every
thing is ready; here are your instructions.
pledge you my word that everything you
desire you shall have" .-.
Mr.. Walker, as if inspired by a sublime
suspicion, said, Mr.. Buchanan, i will moi
go to Kansas until you allow me to meet
your Cabinet face to face, and ascer.
tain from your Cabinet in person, wheth-
er they will agree that shall 60 there and
carry out the pledges of the campaign of SO.
Accordingly meeting of the Cabinet of Mr.
Buchanan was called. At the meeting every
member of the Cabinet was present. Mr.
Buchanan and Mr.. Walker were present
Mr.. Buchanan in the chair. Gov. Walker
said, /" have desired this meeting because
have determined not to 60 to Kansas unless
have full instructions to carry out thos,
pledges and those principles; if there is an,
opposing voice, / will not go; do not waa
togo; it is by no means an enviable posi-
ton; but if have the permission and con
sent of you, gentlemen, for this have ask
ed, will CO." The Cabinet was polled
but one member of the Cabinet objected t
the programme laid down by Governo
Walker. / need not mention his name
Gov. Walker said, That settles the ques
ton, gentlemen; i do not wish to SO; sin
gle negative is sufficient and will retir
from the field But they took that membe
of the Cabinet into an adjoining room, an,
there they convinced him that Gov. Wake
was right. They returned and gave Wake
his instructions. He went to Kansas wit
his instructions in his pocket, and accompa
MED by a man well known to the country
Mr.. Stanton, who went out with simila
pledges. .
Now, gentlemen, this is the plain state
ment of the facts. Without going into de
tails, will come down to my own part i
this campaign. My ambition was to assis
and build up my good old State, to push foI
ward her great interests, to assist in the dc
velopment of her industry, to do that whic
we must all do at last-for the older gro,
the more certainly l come to that couclusio
to try to be strong at your own home an
build yourselves up IN your own commun
ties and your own States, and when you
that, you will be respected and strong at tn
seat of government. Applause and cheers
Therefore it was that in 1851 started iii
newspaper which now bears my name q
its masthead. And did this for the pur
pose of advocating Mr.. Buchanan's polio
throughout. i bad had, as l have sal,
abundant pledges as to his course, but b.
fore publishing that paper took care I
write to Mr.. Buchanan,s Cabinet, and I
himself, and told them on what ground
intended to stand on thisquestion of Kansa
They were so good as to send me sufficien
written testimony strengthening me in tn
position had assumed. / went on wit
Walker and Stanton, until the Oxford an
MCGEE frauds took place, when there was
burst of excavation throughout the countr,
The whole Democratic press had argue
constantly the policy of the Administrative
up to that time, but when Gov. Walker r,
jected those frauds, there was silence
pail fell over the columns of the Washin,
ton Union. Nothing was said of the o.
ford and MCGEE frauds. No voice was hcal
in Washington against it; but suppos,
some malign influences, for the moment hs
surrounded that Journal; that il had had 1
attack of some peculiar insanity, which h
lately become chronic with it, and allow
ed it % pass by. But when the dark, dam
ing decd of Lecompton was perpetraie
then saw, for the first time, that those ga
liant men in the Territory, Walker and Sta
ton, and those who acted with them, h
been deserted. saw that Democratic pri
ciples had been carried out by them, and v
were now ca'l,d upon to turn our backs up
our pledges and betray our manhood. IA
plausel.
Gentlemen, there was something too mu
II ~. tbs Al