Wabash express. [volume] (Terre-Haute, Vigo Co[unty], Ind.) 1841-186?, 1860-06-27
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upon few friends that had 10 assist m
in raising the means TO establish my paper
Mr.. Buchanan himself, when he saw tha
was resolved 20 do it, said: you canno
establish Democratic paper iu fhiladel
phia, and sustain il" told him though
could; if had any ability 10 the worl,
it was for that. Up to that period we hs'
a good many papers, but we had not had
progressive Democratic paper there, an,
never anticipated any difficulty with him
| had hopes that might so conduct tn
paper myself as to be enabled to secure th
patronage Of the Administrator, and th
conSdence Of the party. The money .ha
was subscribed for that paper was raiseC
by gentlemen outside of the Administra
tion. Mr.. Buchanan himself offered through
Judge Black, one or two thousand dollars
which declined. not desiring to be unde
any obligations to him Now, that wa.
an applicant for public printing in the de
partmeuts, is wholly unfounded. That
would have taken the Post Office blanks al
that time is true. l am practical printer
| was reared in a printing office; and
thought il that we're offered TO me, as il
was constantly offered, it would be perfect
ly consistent with my. trade and my paper
to take it; but as to my ever asking for it,
or taking any steps to secure it, with my
present recollection the charge is most un
founded. Before starting my paper pre-
pared my introductory address, in which l
asserted the principles Of popular sover-
eighty fully and so cautious was not to
get into difficulty with the Administrs.
ton and the party, that ] submitted that
address to Judge Black in proof-sheets,
telling him that If my allusions to Mr.. Bu-
chanan were not strong enough, he should
make them stronger; and he did amend that
opening article; so I started my paper
Previous to the establishment of the paper,
which was started on the first of August.
1857. Judge Black wrote me letter, in
which he stated that should continue to
adhere to the principle of popular sover-
eighty, and that.ths Administration would
adhere to it. The paper was started, and
it's columns show how little was affected
by patronage or by disappointment, be-
cause stood by every measure OF the Ad-
ministration as fast as they were evolved 1,
continuing to make strong point upon
the popular side Of the Kansas question all
the time. We had Governors election
going on, Governor Packer was the Dem
ocratic candidate, aud David Wilmot was
the Republican candidate. Governor Pack
er planted him self firmly on the principle
Of popular sovereignty. and by that more
than any. other means succeeded in com
pletely defeating Mr.. Wilmot. | may say
that The Press was his most efficient .ad-
vocate in that campaign. Shortly before
the election-I do not recollect the date
but every body knowsthe time--the Oxford
and McGee frauds in the Territory of Kan
sas were exposed. / took strong grounds
for GovernoriW slker and Frederick P. Stan.
ton in my paper, and continued steadily
to sustain them. l..-..,.tsf...s.v .-sf..
Mr.. Robinson. And oppose those fraudsf
The Witness. Yes, sir; | opposed the
frauds. had at that time correspondent
in Washington, Mr. McElhone, who was
collecting information for my paper. and
he gave me the very first intimatIon that
NV course met the disapprobation Of the
Administration in that respect, by writing
me letter; but had become so fully com
mitted to that line of policy that to sbsudoo
il would be to disgrace myself This was
a source TO me of very great pain. because
I then saw that, unless 1 was tolerated in
standipg by that which / believed TO be
right, a difficulty with Mr.. Buchanan 5
Administration was inevitable. In the
subseo uent affair of Lecompton, which
regarded as a somewhat logical result of
the rejection Of these frauds-that is, the
opposition Of Governor Walker and Mr.
Stanton to the Lecomptou policy of the
| IAdmiuistration-I was on their side; and
I think may say that before Judge Doug
las had taken his position publicly. my
paper had announced ITS course, aud main
tained it steadily to the end. came to
Washington very anxious to te on good
terms with Mr.. Buchanan. This was,
think, after the Post o ffice blanks had been
disposed of; and told him that Ihad been
committed to this policy, and that it was
impossible for me to change. He said he
had changed bis course because certain
Southern States had threatened that if he
did not abandon Walker and Stanton they
would be compelled either to seceie from
the Union or take up arms against him.
told him that liberation as all that we re
ouired: he could maintain himself il
changing his course, but l, a single indi
yidual, could not. wanted to be perm H.
ted to differ on this, sustaining every 9th
er part of the policy of his Adminslra
tion, to which he responded, No; that h,
intended to make his policy test in th,
Democratic party. said: "Mr. Buchan
an, If that is the case, We shall have to de
fend ourselves in the best way We can
Subsequent to that we had what con
ceive to be series of prescriptions, such
as no civilized country has ever seen exer
cirsed upon independent uen; and tool
up arms in my State against those pro
scriptions That is about all that thinl
pertinent to my relations with Mr.. -Buch
anan The rest is public. Any othe
questions which you have to ask / an
ready 10 answer.
By Mr.. Robinson. [ will state that ther
is discrepancy between the testimony o
Jude Black and Mr., Webster-Mr. Web
sler stating that he held a conversation
with Judge Black, who promised that
you would take certain course in you
paper you should have the priating of tn
Post Office blanks Now, Judge Blacl
says he did not make a promise of tha
kind, but told Mr.. Webster that he an
you must RELY upon your own influence
obtain them. / want you to state wha
Mr.. Webster communicated To you, as be
ing the language Of Judge Black, when b
returned to Philadelphia
A. MIR. Webster telegraphed to me
meet him al the Broad and Prime street jt
pot; | went up there and took my frient
Mr.. McGraw, with me in the carriage, an
: when we got out there aud Mr.. Webst,
arrived, he said, II want you to listen
what have got to say" | was extremel
! sen sitive about my position; felt that
, was right, aud did not want tO be put
,, an attitude of abandoning that position :
Said he, "You can get all that Post OffiS
printing If you viii write an editorial I
long as your hand expressing your dete
mination never to become a Republican
Said to him, Instantly, "Webster, for Il
! seas worth could make no such declar
: ton; have done nothing that is wren
, aud if having spent nearly lifetime !
= the Democratic party is not sufficient a
surance Of my integrity can give no pledI
/ es." McGrsw said TO me, "You are righ
!, |, you have answered just as your friends 9.
! pectsd you to answer" And l unde
!, stood Mr.. Webster TO say that he was a
! tberized by Judge Black to make th
: = proposition, and always regarded Jud
, Black as having exclusive control of III
= Post Office printing. That IT was do
!, with the Knowledge of Mr.. Buchanan !
= through, have no manner OF doubt.
->.s.>-- ------
n p On Thursday last, we heard a gent
% man Of this city nse the following Ia
l. euage:e sIn 1856 voted for Mir. Fillmo
" and got nine others to vote Tor him
, the day of the election. Ihave been q Fl