Wabash express. [volume] (Terre-Haute, Vigo Co[unty], Ind.) 1841-186?, 1860-09-19
AN EYE WITNESS
For the Express.
SULLIVAN, Sept 10. 1860.

Mr.. EDITOR OF all the political discus
sions of the day. the Que that took place
between Messrs. Voorhees, aud Nelson, at
Fairbanks yesterday. certainly, was the
richest one ever had the pleasure of at
tending.
Mr. Voorhees, opened the discussion, aud
had thought, from his world -reuown rep
utation as a speaker, to hear an orator. a
debatcr aud a wit. but. like many that
were there. was sadly disappointed
His first effort was to prove. in general
way, that The people, not con6uipg 1t to
any particular locality. have the right to
govern themselves. fact that no one ever
attempts to deuy. And in the next place,
he declared 10 favor of State equality, in
an unlipited seuse-never defining what
he meant BY it. suppose he meant that
| if on had the right to. move to Kentucky,
and take with you your property, that the
Krntuckisn should have the same right to
bring his negro property into the State of
Indiana. aud as he could mt prevent you
from so doing. that you should not have
he power to prevent him
Then he read some from the Democratic
edition of Helper to prove the Republican
party an Abolition party and lastly, he
undertook to prove that the Democracy
held the same doctrine that Clay ad sOca-
ted. He read few garbled extracts from
L. Il IL. - Al
to prove that he was for non intervention
but it happiued to be non interference. upon
the part of Congress ith the Mexican laws
which excluded slavery from the territory
then in question.
But when Mr.. Nelson came to reply TO
these puerile arguments of his opponent.
he made them appear so ridiculous that the
whole crowd was considerably amused.
He showed that the Republican party
stands upon the same platform. with re
gard to the slavery question, that the fa-
theirs did, and he challenged Mr.. Voorhees,
to disprove it. He brought forward, in
proof of the fact the Ordinance Of 81. and
the policy of our Government from the
formation and adoption of the Constitu
ton down till within few years past. He
showed that all the great men. from Wash.
ington down to Polk, held to the idea that
Congress had the power to prohibit the in
PRODUCTION of slavery into the Territories
belonging to the United States, and that
all or nearly all had signed bills to that eff
feet. He called upon Mr.. Voorhees, to tell
The crowd whether the normal condition of
the Territories was that of slavery or free
/ dom. He showed that the Republican par
/ tv were in favor of a Homestead Bill and
/ that the Democracy ~ere opposed to it,
that they never legi-idted for the benefit
/ of the white man. but it always in ia
vor of the niger, that they had ridden this
nigger hobby till the nigger hobby was
about to ride them that they had split
on it, and that no earthly power could
unite them. He wanted Mr.. voorhees, tu
1 tell the people where he stood, to define
his position, and to debate the question in
dispute End not to strike out upon popular
sovereignty in so vague and unlimited
nanuer. He wanted him to tell them
whether he was in favor of making the
people of Kansas receive the Lecomptor
Constitution as he was once, and whether
he had forsakeu the old Democratic ship
piloled by James Buchanan, which he had
sworn he never would forsak e. even though
she should sink. Nelson drove him to th'
wall so hard that he even disputed the acts
of Congress. with regard to the North wes'
Territory, and had the hardihood to cal
upon him for proof Nelson closed, hav-
ing made SO good an impression that th
whole audience gave three cheers for him
Lincoln and Hamlin. and the enthusiasn
DISPLAYED on the occasion is indicative O
the intention of what the people are goinJ
7 70 do. The Democrats undertook to cheer
but il ended in fizzle.
, Old Sullivan will not be much behint
! the other counties in rolling up GOO,
vote for Nelson aud il is the opinion c
many that these discussions are dong
good work in that direction.
Yours, g.