The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1841-05-13
Correspondence of the Hawk-Eye and Patriot
New YoRK. April 18th, 1871.

| N"'eS ho'h VIC CuulNy tilal pEOuuiy
claim as my home, l sometimes imagine
that the good people Of old "Des Moines'
will begin to think that | have really
absquatulatea. But, although absent for
length of time, hope ere long to give
the people Of Iowa tangible evidence that
have not forgotten, or proved recreant
to the country of my adoption; and my
highest ambition will be gra,iiied if am
so fortunate as TO receive their favorable
judgmen, upon the labors that | have been
for portion of The last year engaged in.
| At any rate | think can safely say, with
ont putting my modesty to the blush, |
have been instrumental in correcting many
erroneous impressions prevalent in the
minds of the people in the Atlantic States
concerning our interesting Territory, and
indeed the West generally. 1t would
often astonish, as well as divert you, to
hear what absurd questions the people of
the East put to a person--,hose iorsooth,
who are regarded as well informed and
intelligent, even from the legislator to the
peasant. For instance, all Intelligent
gentleman the other day, in the Sitting
Room of the "&slor House," says to me.
care there any churches in Iowa?-could
man buy any furniture in Burling,on?-
could a person travel in carriage, or
buggy, or wagon, in the roads across
your country from place TO place. -
"Certainly, Sir els it possible?" says
he. What would my old friend, uncle
John Lawton, say of such novice! l am
apt 10 think his response would be,
Stranger, you must be green" The
young sprig of nobility, with moustache
of formal cut gracing his upper lip, and
his pate surmounted with D'Orsay of
the latest fashion, thinks he would come
2 TO Iowa if The "barbarians' would send
him to Congress the second year, or
make him Governor the third -" he
: would, pom honor" Speaking candidly,
; the great mass of the people in the Allan
tic States are inexcusably ignorant of the
vast resources of our country, of the fer
,ili,y of our soil, and of the inteiligen,
:, character Of our population. We as {
nation are apt to ridicule the English fo1
q imbibing absurd and ridiculous ideas o
h our country, and our institutions. Ant
It often the very wiseacres that rail gu
;, SO about "John Bulls" ignorance OF Amer
is lea, could not tell you, for their lives
r whether Iowa joined on to Texas, Cana
da, or Oregon. find, however, grea
many informed gentlemen, who contem
plate, with clear foresight. the high, eS
n allied desiines that await us. The boo
1t that I have recently published is sougE
II for considerably. and l trust it may b
n productive of some good, in enlightenin
s. those DESTROYS of becoming better inform
't ed. The specimen of "lowa City Mar
r BILE" that brought on, has attracted
e great deal of attention among the learne
N and scientific gentlemen of the East. l.
lie my travels l have had occasion to exhibi
i !, 10 Professor Sllliman, Professor Een
is wick. Hon. J. r. Poinsett, Henry Clay
and numerous other gentlemen of intelli
&c gence and distinction, who pronounce
one Of the most beautiful unique speci
mems they have ever met with. 1t
>, pronounced by Biologists to be specie
). of the coral formation, i. e. metropordio
~ formed by animals which have been eS
:. tinct for ages--but once submerged be
meath the waters of the Ocean! Spec
mems have been occasionally found, nes
Bath, England, and some in this country
but none of SO perfect formation as th
of Iowa. The piece | exhibited we
>,f beautifully polished in Philadelphia.
You have undoubtedly heard, ere tn
u reaches you, of the bereavement tina. hi
:. befallen us as a Nation. Indeed, Il
scenes that have transpired within or
. short month appear to my mind like
pro,rac,ed dream, so solemn and so SUI
den have been the transitions TO which
&c have been an eyewitness. But five sho
&c weeks ago nigh, be seen little group {
~ the side walk of Pennsylvania Avenu
l. consulting about participating in the a
- rangements Of the pageant connected wi
H. the Inauguration Of General Harriso
-, That little group was the Delegate
!. from Iowa. then in Washington Git
l. They we'll remember how we all =
of sponded with one heart, oft and oi'
90, exclaiming, This is among the proude
days our country has ever witnessed"
Little did we then think that the vol
that was heard by countless thousand
~, l,.ootha.l fprtt, no mr.