Wabash express. [volume] (Terre-Haute, Vigo Co[unty], Ind.) 1841-186?, 1860-01-18
STATE CONVENTION

INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. IL.
Convention met at 9 o'clock, A. NJ.
The Jackson county contestants, casting 2
six votes upon the Douglas side, asked
leave to withdraw the contest, which was
granted. The Hancock county contest
ants. casting four votes on the Administra.
tion side. also asked leave 10 withdraw the
contest, which was granted.
The committee on credentials reported
favorably to the Douglas claimants from
Lawrence county, and after explanations
made by representatives. on each side, the
Convention adopted the report by . vote of
III to l67. The Randolph contestants
compromised. by casting two Douglas and
two Administration votes.
James Gavin moved to raise committee
to be appointed by the Chair to report
names Of electors and delegates to the Ma.
tional Convention for the State at large.
John. L. Robinson moved to amend: that
such selections be made by vote by coun-
ties, claiming that for one he would not
give the power to the Chair to select a
committee to report Douglas delegates: and
would ask that the matter be settled as in.
dictated.
s. q. Buskirk said that the popular ex-
preston of Indiana was largely for Doug
las, and that four Of his friends ought TO
be selected to go TO Charleston and the
surest way to do that was to pursue old
usage by raising committee 10 select.
Il. W. Harrington contested that, as the
Douglas men had the power, they ought to
exercise it in the way indicated by the first
motion. The tables were turned now to
what they were two years ago.
Gov. Willard defended his course as Pre-
sident ofthe Convention of 1858, and ad-
vocated the amendment. Let fair vote
be now taken. 1fDouglas has a majority,
let all submit. II Douglas be nominated
at Charleston he would sustain him, and
asked his friends to do likewise if another
be the nominee.
Lewis Wallace replied, saying Willard
had admitted that usage, and had been for
committee, and not in the way proposed
by Robinson. Wallace denied that in the
Convention of '56 Gov. Willard as Presi-
dent, had constituted committee on reso-
lutions composed of majority of Anti-Le-
compton men. The reverse was true-not
one of that stamp was on the committee.
II, as Willard admits, there be a majority
of Douglas men here, and the result should
be to send his enemies to Charleston, what
will people at home say at such violation
of their willf
Willard replied, explaining the history
of the Convention over which he D ,esided
Ex-Gov. Dunning said all appeals made
for fairness were made in good faith, but
were outside issues. The report Of the
committee would not be final, but subject
to confirmation or rejection by vote of the
Convention. He wanted Douglas men to
show pluck here. If we are his friends,
let us do like Gen. jackson at New Or
leans, when he said "By the eternal Gods
we will fight them p
AFTERNOON SESSION.
j. G. Walker reported the names of q
Central Committee, TO which some excep-
ton was taken by Gov. Willard, and final.
ly adopted.
Col. j. c. Walker offered the following
resolutions:
Resolved, That while we pledge the sup
port of the Democracy Of Indiana to the
nominee of the Charleston Convention
whomsoever he may be, the delegates Il
that body from this State are instructed Il
cast their votes as unit for Stephen A
Douglas, and to use all honorable meanl
in their power 10 secure his nomination.
j. L. Robinson moved to amend, b,
striking out the name Douglas and insert
ing Joseph Lane.
Upon this, an animated discussion en-
sued. in which J. l.. Robinson and B. F
Mullen sustained the amendment. and ii
W. Harrington aHd Horace Heffren oppos
ed it, sustaining Douglas.
Robinson withdrew his amendment, witt
design to take naked question Of for o
against Douglas, stating that he regarded
the instructions for Douglas as dangerou
to the harmony of the party. and woul
jeopardize the success Of the State ticket
q But he would support and labor for th
nominee Of the Charleston Convention
even though it should be Douglas. Th
o Convention had no power to instruct de
egates from districts in opposition 10 HON
q instructions.
t Mr.. Develin, a selected delegate, sal
r that if this Convention instructed him |
;. vote for Douglas, he would pay no after
b ton to such instructions, claiming that hi
r district delegation could alone instruct hin
n H. Buskirk advocated instruction
:. and claimed that this Convention had Il
r right to substitute the name of any one
delegate, when the one recommended 7
Ie fuses in advance to ABIDE its instruction
IS Mr.. vandegrift denied the rightto stri
r out and insert the name of any delegs
= recommended by district delegation, "a
y in such an event his county would wit
d draw from the Convention.
ID N. Eddy advocated the instructions
70 Douglas, and claimed that this Convent
could instruct the whole delegation
ne Charleston to cast its vots as a unit
ut Douglas, and such instructions would
'ir binding.
Id Gov. Willard said that if Indiana is
be Douglas, the delegates ought to vote
IL him, but the true way was to let th,
re obey such instructions as might be Civ
81 by their districts, but would advise no
'e- structions from any quarter.
et p. G. Dunning said he loved Stephen
Douglas aud his principles. Gov. Wills
he had said he had advised an Administrati
ire delegate to vote for Douglas. and W
he should not this Convention do the sa
thing to all delegates7 By resolutions
instruction delegates selected here were
OK represent the whole State, not particu
dy portions of il, and as deleghtes for
re- whole State this Convention had power
\. a