Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1837-09-09
To he Editor Of Tie Iora .Ne,cs:


Now, SIR. i, is not my intention to tell what was
done. in reference to tho building called the Meth
odist Ep.copal Church, prior 10 my coming to UNI
place. With regard to the statements made m inc
piece signed tsViany Citizcns,n l have nothing
as data, to 20 by, except the papers presented ant
others in nv posse ssion. 1t is true l have heard
the same statements made that you alludc TO, aiio
again have heard them contracicted, on PROBABLY
as good authority as the writer OF that piece.
think, judging from some part OF inc Ptouuc' y,
that either his memory is quite treachorous or else
he knows but little about the matter, for ne states
that the subscriptions wore taken by the then sta
toned minister, VIM. Michel; now Sir, there Nov
el was minister by that name III THIS country
There was one at that time by the name OF JOIN
4. Mitchell. who took tho lead Of the business, 81
minister; Surprising at that time that the papers
could NOT be found to clear up the matter, ~.
quifed Of him last fall, about the house, and told
MIN the same report that has been made to you
ia m iTned me Il was built for the same purposes
that found since specified in the papers. Az to
M. Massey. no died a few weeks before Ircach-
"a the place. As to the house being closed, il is
tr,,e. when Icnmc hcrc, prior to that, understand
M. johnson kept the key, and il was customary
at least 70 speak to him, as one Of tho Trustees,
about the use of the house for court and other pur-
noscs-but lately though the house has been lock-
al. vet other means have been used to open the
oor. 20 that Il has been thoughts be court house
and called accordingly. As to the house care bu,
littlo for consider il Of grert value any way,
and have always felt rs If it was no great favor to
lake care of the house, keep It in repair, &c. and
hero 1 will just say that all ever pretended 70
wish for the use of tho house, whom used for a
school, was enough 10 keep the house in repair.
AZ 70 the MANY Citizcns'' who know 60 much
abeut the affair, cannot conceive who they are /;
I can find only about fourteen or fifteen persons
now in the town that ever gave any Thing toward
tho building Of the Church, and the total amour,
riycn BY them 10 only about $50. Ithas been as
serted that we, at certain time, refused to let a
minister Of another denomination preacl, in the
church-this is Nh utter falsehood; said to tho
messenger that came to me, tlatI presumed there
would DO no difficulty in his preaching there, even
q tho hour Of my regular appointment, though al
that time did not know that he wished that
THE first year that came TO tho place, though, I
wa expected to preach every sabbath in town, yct
when the tho Rev. Mr.. Watson came i gave way
eysry other Sabbath, and accordingly went else-
Swhsrs, and Ipresume there 10 not a porson in the
universe that can make out that we ever denied the
~ Of inc house to any other ainistcr, whom no,
OccupipA BY tis, or even when it was, since have
6eeh In dis country. As for court house, and
bs public meetings, Fam sure the people have
done pretty much as they were mind about that,