The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-01-11

meeting at Indianapolis on Thursday
evening, preliminary to the meeting OF
the State Convention. 1t is said to have
been the largest meeting ever assembled
in the Hall of the House Of Representa-
tives, and as it was composed Of the un-
disciplined forces Of the party before
they had been drilled for the manoeu-
yres of the Convention, the meeting re-
vealed the honest, spontaneous senti-
ments of the party. The Bright faction
managed to get one of their pets into the
chair, and the meeting was opened by
speeches by their adherent, among whom
was Judge Petit, who applauded the
Administration and reiterated the fiimsy
and specious arguments used to sustain
the Lecompton swindle. But the meet
ing was not in temper to long endure
such stuff. The Judge was followed by
Henry Secrest of Putnam, who, in an ar
gument unsurpassed by force and elo-
auence. demolished the Buchananites:
The State Journal says: 1t was the argu-
Yient of reasoner, as well as politician,
and if Mr.. Bright can answer 1.-THE deserves
to be Senator. He changed the apparenS
f-iipr of the meeting completely, and every
was received with storm or cheers. 2fe
never heard an effort that commanded such
instant and apparently unanimous assent
When he eornered John Petit on his former
views of the power of Congress over the Ter
ritories, the pillars of the Hall fairly quaked
with the shouting. When he declared that
civil war would follow the enforcement of
the Lecompton fraud the yell of assent was
deafening. And when he intimated that il
Mr.. Bright could not reflect the will of the
people of the State he should resign, Bright
might have heard the answering cheers clear
to the Palmer House, The great dictator
never received u blow so fairly in the face
before, and surely no Democratic meeting
ever saw the blood come with such undis-
guised glee. Douglas reigned "Lord of the
ascendant" from this time till the close of
the meeting. No eulogy fell on inattentive
ears. Every word that touched him kindly
was joyously received. There was no hesita-
ton or lukewarmness in the applause, where
he was concerned. Mr.. Hughes was called
for by the Bright men. He struggled hard
10 stem the current of the feeling of the
House, but his effort fell upon dull ears, and
rebellious minds. He most injudicionsly de-
clared that the contest now existing In the
party was premeditated and arranged at
fair, by those who had made hobby of the
Bank and of Gov. Wright, and that the
K nsas question only gave them better one
TO ride. there were several Kisses heard in
the outer circle of the crowd. He capped
the climax of indiscretion, however, when
he said ''that Gov. Wright was not yet con-
6rBaed Minister to Berlin, and if his friends
did not show a better feeling to other Dem
~ ha might NO ha rp,aA y oil
John g. Davis took up the threat held
over Wright's friends by Hughes, at once,
and brought down the House by well con-
ceived r9buke of the impertinenco of intro
ducing individual names into the contest
1t was well done, well deserved. and well
received. 1t made Hughes sore, for he
sprung to his feet moment after, at an al
fusion to the improperly of Congressman
interfering with State Conventions, to make
q bitt. T retort. A sort of running fight then
took place between these gentlemen, which
left Hughes decidedly worsted. He had as
sailed Douglas for associating with RepublI-
cans. Davis retorted 'that Douglas was
gentleman, and treated other respectable
men as a gentleman should, and it vi as much
TO be regretted that those who censured him
could not initiate him." This tremendous
jolt knocked Hughes upon his feet, boiling
with rage, "He wanted 10 know if Mr.. Davis
meant TO say he was no gentleman" Davis
replied THAT ne would give Hughes salts
factory account of his opinions before he was
done.n Hughes ''hoped that Davis would
not skulk from his declaration when the
time come" During this ''pstols and eof-
fee" reneounter. the cheering for Davis was
furious. Hughes met little favor, and most
EVIDENTLY felt that he was in the wrong
crowd. But he had not met the worst of the
storm yet. Davis, in abiding 10 the nom
ination of Buchanan said she wa an origi-
nal Buchanan men, and his friend who had
been badgering him so much, (Hughes) was
Douglas man ut Cincinnati" This raised
a yell of gigantic dimensions. Hughes,
irritated and sore, arose and said that
he was not a delegate to the Conven-
ton" "No,' said Davis, '.but you were
there working for Douglas" II was at
home when the nomination was made" said
Hughes Yes" said Davis, s'but were you
tfor Douglas against Buchanan, Hesita-
ting, and dreading the consequences, Hughes
admitted that he ''s0ds Douglas man at Gin
cinnati.'' All the yelling before was a whis
per to what followed this confession. s;x.
pound cannon might have been fred in the
dome and nobody have heard it. The equiv
ocation and effort to dodge direct answer.
was so ludicrously evident, and so bungling-
ly done, that the final owning up was hun.
dred times more damaging than it would
have otherwise been.