The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-09-01
The Candidates for Congress.

counties was drawn together yesterday, at
the Court House, to hear the discussion be-
tween Judges Hovey and Niblack, ths-op-
posing candidates for Congress. ThespeecheS
were spirited and trcnchant and the audi
ence were held in close attention for two
hours and half Judge Niblack had the
opening and defended his course in the
odious Kansas .imbroglio by all the tech
meal sophistries and special pleadings BY
which the measures were defended by the
Northera accompanies in Congress last
winter; arguments that are familiar to every
enc and are thread-bare by constant repetition.
He did not defend the principles of the
measures, nor deny the wrong-de voted
for them from motives of expediency-as
the best mode of getting rid ola very en-
barrassing difficulty, both to the country, to
the Democratic party, and to the Admins
tration. He voted for it because il the Le-
compton Constitution was wrong in princi-
pie, and did violence to the feelings of the
people of Kansas, and they were brought in
to the Union under il, by an act of Con-
gress, they could Immediately, on their adj
mission, change it. He did not tell his
auditors that by provision of that Consti-
tuticn no change in any portion Of it
could be made for six or eight years, and
that any change of the slavery clause was
forever prohibited. He admitted, as gen.
eral principle, that he did not agree with
Bright that it was vicious practice to
submit Constitution to a vote of the peo-
pie, as general rule it ought to be done;
and for the future he thought it best to fol-
low it; but his convictions of its necessity
were not so strong, but circumstances and
expedency-as in the case of Kansas
might require it to be disregarded.,
1t is pretty general rule but not an abb
solutely essential principle, to be adhered to
under great state and party emergencies.
Oregon would be admitted, he thought, at
the beginning of next session, with much
less population than Kansas had, and he
thought it would be no more than right to
admit Kansas also; buthe would not pledge
himself to vote for her admission, as there
might be some circumstances that he could
not foersee that would render it inexpedient !;
he wanted the privilege of exercising his
own discretion, and would not make pledges
to get votes. If she should come before
Congress with aperfectly legally framed con-
stitution, regularly adopted, he thought he
should vote for her admission, if she had not
quite "a, 900 inhabitants. But all things
must be straight and regular before he could
determine how he would vote in regard to
her. She had now population of $4,000
or more, and her legislature did not meet
till January, and it could not pass an act
calling convention-and people could not
elect one and frame a constitution in time
to present it at the next session. 1t must
therefore, go over till 1860, and before that
time there wonld be 100, 900 people in the
territory.
~ ""@ "SSANoSi NOA'SiucH'if1 W 'aih aoVu
the matter and ask pledges. Kansas wa:
out of the Union and could not even max,
knock at the door for admission under
two years. 1t was dead question: bye
gone issue-and ought not to be brought
into the Kansas issue. He did not acknow
ledge that it was by any fault of his LIE
compton associates that she was placed il
this predicament. Nor did he refer to tn,
Leayenworth constitution which has beer
regularly framed and approved by the peo
pie, and which is likely to be presented a
the next session. How will he vote wher
that comes up? That has all the regular
technical formalities for which he strenuous
ly contends VIII he vote to repeal tn,
Bill English bill and let Kansas in, that SIN
may have vote in the Presidential election
The Judge thinks there is a great deal o
unnecessary fuss about Kansas. Most PEG
pie in the wrong have the same opinion
about their own crimes. The speech G
Judge Niblack-we are obliged to confess
was less ingenious and able than we ex
pected.
We appeal to the large crowd who listen
ed to him, TO say if his speeches made q
other places has not been fairly reported b
our correspondents, Notwithstanding th
attempts of his friends to create the i'm
preston that he was misrepresented.
was evasive, apoIogetic and skulking. II
did not meet fairly single one of the grea
issues boldly presented to him by his or
Ponent. He practiced a.game of artfal bu
most ungrateful lodging.
The current Of popular feeling was az
parent upon the faces Of the whole audience
more distinctly marked, perhaps, than any
where else, in the chagrin and disappoin
ment on the countenances of the few 81
Lecomptonites present. To Niblack it wa
most Notifying defeat
If the impression through the district b
anything like corresponding to the effec
produced here, Judge Niblack is already
defeated candidate. 1t is difficult, howeve
to estimate the power of party drill b,
there is no installing the strength of Il
popular conviction. The applause tn.
sanctioned Hovey's closing remarks to-
Mainly tho imnression he had made