The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1860-06-05
He who Betrays a Friend will BetKn1
the PeOnIe.

He who Betrays n Friend will BetTny
the People.
The Volks5ote has refused to support
Judge Law for Congress, and one of the
chief reasons for its refusal is his betrayal
of Judge Hovey, when q candidate for Con-
gress two years ago.
We say emphatically that the V0lks6ots
is right in the charge it makes, and John
Law cannot deny it without classifying the
facts. We say it was base and deceitful
abandonment of a friend in the hour of
need, and for it he will reap his reward in
the same defeat he brought upon Judge Ho-
vey. To substantiate what we affirm, we
will give the facts as they were published
by US at the time, and which to this day
remain undenied by both Judges Law and
Hovey. At that time they knew them to
be true, and passed them over with a silent
approval 1t is too late now, when Judge
Law feels the force and reproach of the
deed, to deny it.
In the spring of 1858 Judge Hovey, being
solicited by many anti-Lecompton Demo-
Gratis to run for Congress, came to Evansville
to consult with prominent party men, as to
what course he should pursue He met
Judge Law on the wharf-boat in this city,
and had conversation with him, the whole
of which is known to the parties, but only
a part of it to the world. tits known that
Judge Hovey did declare to him his inten-
ton to become candidate, but proposed to
b,( 10 ba
The latter replied that it would be impossi-
BILE for him to run-because he was just
waiting for boat to go East to be absent
three months, and could not make the can
vass and to Hovey he said EGO AHEAD. =
The conversation was hurried and cut short
by the arrival of the steamer, but before the
steamer left, he told Mr.. DENLY that Hovey
was to be an Independent candidate, but
that he ,oould not support him. This Judge
Law stated in his Apollo Hall speech, when
he ratified his betrayal before handful of
the Lecomptonites Well do our citizens
remember the night. Flaming posters had
announced on the eve of the election that
Judge Law was to give in his adhesion to
Niblack, when everybody knew him at
heart TO be friend of Hovey. Honest citi-
zens who knew Judge Law in his earlier
days, and remembered the jovial friend and
boon companion, stayed at their own homes
that night-they were unwilling to witness
the doing of the deed. And bow much
like the thirty years party trimmer and Of
fice-holder was that act of his, when he had
I, =, Inns, IN,
approval and encouragement of Hoveys
course, than he hastens before the steamer
rings its last bell to the man who holds the
agency for Bright and Fitch's business
transactions in this part of the State, and
whispers to him, that it may he heard at
Washington, that he a9ouId not support
HOUeyi
In the morning of that day Judge Hovey
was undecided as to bis course, and request
ed the Journal not to use his name, but
after his consultation with Judge Law he
announced that he would be a candidate'
and soon after his arrival at home his adj
dress appeared. Judge Law on that day, as
before and after it, openly and freely repro
bated the course of Judge Niblack; declar-
ed that nineteen-twentieths of the people
were against him, and that he could not be
reelected by the Democracy. What more
he said to Judge Hevey is known only to
themselves, but the world knows it was
enough to fix his wavering purpose to be-
come q candidate. And to the people of
this District he was known as friend and
supporter of Hovey. 1t was not till Joe
Lane was sent ont from Washington as an
ernissary of the Administration, that Judge
Law was openly resolved on his betrayal.
What were the long aud persuasive appeals
made to him by the " Marion Of the Mexi-
can War what were the inducements
held out to him, we Of course do not know.
Perhaps the Coyode Committee, if they
would send summons for " the Marion
or for the Judge, might learn. It is enough
to know that the above facts are unchalleng-
ed truths, and that to Judge Law and his
timely support was Mr.. Niblack indebted
for his present cosy seat il the National
Congress.