Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1847-04-14
A POssmm Speech .-.Great I,,o,,.
~ Aasd Political CuriOsiav

r . IA.
; 'uiiy rehearssd to VA perbatim ct liierat;,,
e Pancfuatin,, Immediately after its de,iv
cry by Young member who is blessed
q with an excellent memory and great DOW
ers OF imitation, and who, moreover. has
an acute perception Of the ridiculous wsy
!, delivered in democratic caucus held :,
Iowa City, in the early par, Of last session
oy a vsrltable "Possum," one Of the REG.
ular smooth tailed, slippery politicians FROM
Lee county. We have preserved the
manu-, cript carefully, FOR the purpose, "a
soon as we could find room, Of exbib;,;n .
faithful specimen, or at least giving some
faint idea, by this production, of the kind
OF creatures who, most unfortunately for
The country, held the balance of power
or rather, were Mro,rn in 10 turn the Seal.
IN favor Of the Federalis,s-in the fret
General Assembly Of the State ofIow,
We are aware that the speech must ,oss
much Of its effect from the absence Of ,bos.
grotesque and inimi,able positions, pes.
lures and Recommendations, which wsro
to the speech what the filling is to verv
coarse p iece Of linsey woolsey. We have
only re 'carp, and the Imagination Of orr
readers must supply the filing to suit
themselves. They can not expect US to
transfer the unwieldly orator bodily into
our columns. No man but cur friend
- can begin to throw in the ra,;o.
lions with any degree of success: bu. all
VINO have been at the capital and enjoyed
sight Of this embodiment of possumry, as,
starting suddenly from his seat, he ran half
~ay up to the Speakers desk, his body
bent forward, both arms extended, one
finger pointing at document which h.
held in the other hand, excaining-"see
here, Mr.. Speaker! want TO suggest ,
idee !"-or as, stopping in The midst of
one OF his ioitiest and widest flights Of
'ncoherent eloquence upon the subjsc, Of
1.-THE old dispensation,' he reared his form
TO Its most majestic height, the thumb of
his left hand thrust, with an air of ST..
preme Indifference to all around, in the
arm hole of his waistcoat, the right hand
thrust to the bottomless recesses of bjs
oreeehes pocket, and his eyes intensely
fixed on vacancy, he vociierated in tone
which indicated that his arguments had
settled the question beyond all dispute
"THAr's THE 1DEE, Mr.. SPEAKER :" then
rolling his orbs of light slowly around, and
lowering them by degrees until they rest.
ed on the form Of that by brid animal from
Burlington, from whose swinish propens;.
ties no expected sympathetic expires.
sion Of couatenance, an affirmative nod or
at least an answering gruat ofapproval. he
made sudden dive with both hands full
into the face Of that kindred spirit, as he
excIaimed-"7he QUESTION is, is this bill
all, we say, who have 90.
we'd him in those moods and seen him
figuring in those performances on the
floor Of the House, will be able TO con-
ceivc tolerable correct idea of tie
personnel, the figure Gu, by the old
'Hs Possum" in the speech published
below.
Let all who may have been dipped by,
or lent willing ear to, the specious pro
fsssions Of those protsssed democrats w..o
are prone TO amalgamate with Federalism,
and who are forever figuring in the poIil.
'cal world under the imposing title Of
"Indepenaents," "Me Peoples party" or
'Retrenchment and Reform party, read lie
following definition Of principles by gen.
nine P"ssum, or "Relrenchment an Re-
torm' candidate "fresh from the people,"
Ii any honest man injected with this spe.
cies of mongre!ism, can read it without
effecting radical cure upon him, his case
must be given over as indeed hopeless
Ii will be observed that one OF the hob
bies rode by the "Retrenclment and Re.
form" candidates, was opposition 10 hr
caucus system. Some Of them, including
our orator, protested to be democrats,
elected to carry out, indepen, ent OF part!
a LEGAL object had in view by a portion Of
the people of Lee county; but in all other
things they protested that they were true
democrats. 1t was therefore the duty Of
the democratic members to pursue a
conciliatory course towards them, and II
possible, induce them to obey the will OF
their constituents, by voting for democra,
ic U. S. Senator'S and Jedges. With Thu
view, two of Them were induced TO a'te'G
an informal caucus, or ':social meeting
but no sooner were they there, than they
were found laboring with might and MALI
to accomplish the ambitious projects d
their party leaders by electing them to the
U. 5. Senate. But to the speech.
Definition Of Position and Principles, by
an Eminent Postum Retormer-Pos'
ton OF the TRACK" Nth reference 10 The
"Ropids- Taylor at one end and .ucCm
IN nj {ho oJhn~ IN ,,IF