The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-08-23

" records, something tudt "Ouid,iI huutSu
up, throw some light, or show some reason,
or assign some cause, why this extreme Bit
ternesS of the journal exists against Mr..
Shoemaker; but the whole secret of this
and all former attacks may lie in the fact
that Mr. S. labored hard to defeat the Know
Nothings i'm 1854, and they have not for
gotten him. Canneiton Reporter
The Journal is not prompted in its allu-
sions to Mr.. Shoemaker by any a bitterness
towards the man, personally. Our only OBJ
ject, in wasting paper and ink on him, has
been to illustrate the manner in which
county political leaders, aided by packed
conventions, thrust into honorable and re-
sponsible positions the most incapable and
dishonorable men, and We have distinct
memory" that there exists at present, in
our possession, "some musty old docments
which will clearly, positively, and inexora-
bly, prove that Shoemaker is utterly incom-
petent and unfit to fill any position of trust
which requires, in the discharge of its du-
ties, respectable amount of intellectual Ca
pacity and political trust. Neither could
we be hostile towards him because of his
Herculean labors to defeat the Know Moth
ings in 1854, for the editor of the Journal
opposed that ticket. ave have an indistinct
memory" concerning Mr.. Shoemakers la
bors to abolish Know Nothingism, and re-
collect that they consisted in his joining the
order, advocating its doctrines, and then
leaving it, after failing to secure the nomi-
nation for county office; and we further
know that after his withdrawal from the
order, he did not oppose the Know Nothings
openly until subsequent to their defeat. His
efforts to defeat that party were in keeping
with his reputation for small trickery and
hypocrisy. We are not DESTROYS of devotirs
much more space in our columns to show up
the false pretensions and unprincipled ac-
tons of a mushroom politician, who can't
frame an address to the voters Of his District,
and yet presumes TO represent them in the
Senate; but circumstances may yet compel
US to give the honorable gentleman a venti-
lating that will tend to cool off his feverish
ambition, soften and subdue his newborn
Democratic ardor, and promote his moral
welfare and political good health generally.
The above remarks were written during
our absence by an assistant, whose acquain-
lance with Mr.. Shoemaker has been intimate
for ten years. The musty documents in
Perry county, alluded to by the Reporter, are
the tax lists of the county. In 1851, Mr..
Carlile's property and that Of Shoemaker
were assessed above their real values. The
Board of Equalization reduced the assess
mems of both to fair amount. Subsequent
ly, by some unexplained proceedings of the
county officers, of which Shoemaker was
one, Carliles property was restored to the
original exorbitant valuation but Shoema-
ker's assessment was kept at the reduced
value. For seven years Carlile paid taxes on
$4,000 excess of valuotion, while Shoema-
ker's properly was not taxed moo stIln hall
its worth. Some years ago, the County
Commissioners ordered part of the unequal
tax to be paid back to Garlic, and passed
an order to that effect. Shoemaker, who
was then Auditor, in his zeal to serve the
county, took an appeal 10 the Circuit Court,
where it was decided that though the act
might be just, the Commissioners had not
the power TO make the restitution. But the
point in the case is, that though the value Of
both properties was reduced at the same time
and for the same reasons, Carliles was put
back to the original assessment, under which
he has paid more than 81 900 excess o.
taxes, while Shoemakers has been retained
at the reduced figure, paying but half taxes
Mr.. Shoemaker officiously interviewed to pre-
vent the repayment OF taxes unjustly taker
from q citizen, while he MANAGED to reliey,
of good share OF his own assessment
These are the simple facts which the must,
records of the county will disclose. TIL
whole proceeding was so perfectly character
istic of the man, and in keeping with hi
official doings, that no other course was ex
pected of him, and the transaction did no
disturb our social relations, which have beer
courteous and ostensibly friendly, for fifteel
years; it served to form, however, genera
! estimate of the mans private and officia
character though it scarcely came to mind
in all that has recently been said of his in
tellectnal capacity. The township law, tn
authorship of which he boasts was prepar
ed in oil its details by Judge Ballard Smith
which fact we are prepared to prove.
The SPEAKERsHIP OF THE House OF REP
SENTATIvEs.-The Louisville journal Seems
to think the Speakership of the next Hous,