Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1847-05-19
The Fa,r6eid C,nyen,ion.

4 Ine Ea1fnel0 Conventions
/ We had been looking with some degree
Of anxiety for the proceedings Of the dem
Iocratic convention held at Fairfield on The
Both ult., to nominate candidate for Con
gress from the first Congressional District
both on account Of the lively interest which
we always feel and of which we can never
become Invested, the counsels and meas
ures of cur democratic friends, whenever,
wherever and on whatsoever occasion as
sembled, and on account, also, of having
heard vague rulnor concerning certain
dark doings perpetrated at that convention,
by some designing individual or individu-
/ ale, under the sacred name and garb Of
democracy. The mails between here and
Fairfield have been, for some weeks past,
exceedingly tardy; and hence, perhaps,
the delay in the receipt Of those proceed
ings. The first authentic information which
| we received from there, was by the letter
| which we publish below; in which, though
evidently written in considerable haste,
| prior to the departure of the delegates to
their homes, our readers will find pretty
faithful accoun. oflhose things hich main
| ly concern the welfare Of the democracy.
The information furnished in the first
! part Of the letter will be found highly sat.
isfactory. The contest for the nomination
was pretty close and animated one; but
the final choice of the convention was
cheerfuily acquiesced in by the respective
| friends of the three unsuccessful candi
dates-Nessrs. Kinney, Bailey and Smith
who all signitied their determination to
emulate each other in their cordial and ef-
iective support Of their successful Compel
itor. 3
The democracy of the second district
will, with US, rejoice at the bright pros
poets attending the efforts Of our friends
in the southern district. We are aware
OF no cause of discord among them which
can or should interfere with the success of
Mr.. Thompson; and we have not, there
fore, the slightest doubt of his election by
triumphant majority. And if, in reply
to the suggestion Of our correspondent, we
assure him, on behalf of the sterling de-
mocracy ofthe North, that they wiH edo
as WELL" and even better, in indicating
and sustaining the immutable principles of
the democratic creed, by the election of a
colleague for Mr.. Thomson in the thirtie,h
Congress, we have no apprehension of
their failing on the first Monday of August,
to redeem that pledge.
But the dark sideIof the picture, as re.
CARDS the Fairfield Convention, remains
yet TO be disclosed. This task we leave
to our correspondent, who goes about it
with such evident sorrow and marks of
grief, as well beft the task of removing the
veil from the scene Of moral suicide.
The circumstance to which we allude.
was blow aimed by concealed assai!-
ant, through, as our correspondent informs
us, passive instrument who was uncon-
cious OF what he was doing, ostensibly at
the editor of this paper; but which strikes
with equal force at the entire true democ-
racy of the state, and particularly at those
tried and faithful guardians of the public
veal, our democratic Senators and Repre-
sentatiyes, who SO manfully and gallan,ly
withstood the fierce assaults Of those infu-
rated vetaries of federalism, those YAM
pires upon the body polite, who, most un-
fortunately for the country, bore sway in
the first General Assembly of Iowa.
Every democratic member Of both houses
is denounced, though indirectly, yet none
the less elcctually, by that incendiary mis-
sile; all, save one--a Senator returned
from democratic district, to carry out
democratic principles, who repeatedly, at
the most critical moments to our cause,
fagran'ly violated his trust, and had well
nigh betraye the democracy into the hands
of their enemies: He was taken I'D and
fondly caressed by the authors Of the res
alu'ion alluded TO, by whom the most ex-
travagant and fulsome terms of prais
were lavished up n him.
The correct information, however, re-
iieves our suspense in one PARTICULAR
We knew that there must have been pres.
ent at that convention very many good and
true democrats, who never entertained, and
never could haye sanctioned, the senti-
ments contained in that resolves; and how
they could have sat mute and permitted
this dissertation of the name of democracy,
was a mystery which we could not solve.
But the mystery is now solved. The res
olution was secretly concocted, and the de-