Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1848-03-29
For the Reporter.
superintendent.
RIcuLAND, KEoKuK Co.,
MI

| .Mr. Editor - We had the candidates
for Superintendent here day before YES.
terday. had thought to give your read
ers some idea Of their speeches, but must
frankly confess my inability to ssdo Justice
Ito the subject" As to Mr.. Benton's eff.
fort, though his reasoning was honest
straight forward and irresistible. and
though what little he did say-for. after
his competitor had concluded, there was
not time for him to say much--was said
to the point, and with that modest dignity
and self-evident truthfulness, which in,
variable carry conviction to every unnre-
JUDGED mind; yet, how was it possible for
him to make aa impression after the hearts
Of the audience had been carried away
with whirlwind Of passion, and their
judgments carried by storm of sound
and fury? Alas, poor Col. Benton! As
well might modest Venus strive to shine
''when bright Aurora streaks the east ,,'7
The grandiloquent effort of the .sIearn-
ed Professor Harlan beggars description.
Never have / felt SO forcibly the poverty
OF language--neyer before been taught
what it was to shrink into utter nothing
ness before the towering height and over
towering brilliancy of a giant Intellect
AT defamation he does not fall whit be-
low Demosthenes or Cicero, In gesture
he is Misunderstanding his ponderous head
violently back and forth and sidewise, to
the great discontinue of his flaxen locks,
and striking vehemently forward at
empty air, as ITO demolish ga few nerve
less, heartless'' hobgoblins which haunt
his imagination; while big and thunder
| ing words rolled from the mouth Of this
Jupiter Tonans with effect similar to that
OF the gigantic effort described by the
Grecian poet:
| Sup the high hill he heave huge round stone:
The huge round stone. resulting with bound,
Thunders impetuous down and smokes along tho
ground" a.s- a~a.. ~
When the 'chivalrous' son of Mars
opened his raking fire direct upon the
scattered and retreating forces of "Uu-
mitigated Locofocoism," / can assure YOU
tile effect was terrific. 1t can only be
compared to volley of musquetry or park
of artillery, whose rafting din and deaten-
ing jar are too powerful for the delicate
ears of those not trained to ''brcast the
rugged front Of war;" Each man drew
his breath and sat dumb-founded with awe
and amazement, looking askance at his
neighbor and wondering ,how they all
''wiihstood the fatal charge"
Where was Col. Benton then-Oh
where? Often did this enquiry rise in
my mind, and as often did my eyes waa-
der fearfully to the secluded corner where
he sat demure and calm as if all uncon
scious that the mighty fabric of our institu
tons were being shaken 10 their very
centre, or that every word which fell up
on our ears was 'Ebig with the fate Of Cea-
sar and OF Romc,''
But when our orator came to the pc
hefsc, changing in the twinkling of an eye
to the melting ricod--oh, then il was that
he was truly great! Saving the air
thus" and g tearing passion TO very
tatters,' he went OH to tel! how once up
on time, there was man-a humble
and unaspiring inGividual-who, enjoved
the public confidence to such remarkable
extent That tie pc, p e,disregald re the die
tation oi partizan leaders, had called hr,,
all against his will-modest and retiring
man to the functions OF a high and res
porsible ofiice-that Of Superindcnt of
Public lnstruction--and that now the en-
ragged locofoco dcmagogues were seeking
to visit upon his devoted head their ven
geance for this sin Of the people. He had
been hunted down and caught, and was
now ''arraigned like felon" before the
bar Of public opinion! The ''sacrilici;l
knife" was raised, ready to lay the life
less form OF the innocent lamb 'quivcring
at tie foot of the aitar''
Public sympathy being thus wound up
to the highest pitch, you can form no con
ception OF the sensation which ran through
that audience when he came 10 tell that
the Individual sought to be '.beheadcd" in
this manner was no other than the ''chi-
Various" Jeems Harlan, who then stood
before them. You that have tears to shed,
prepare to shed them now. He told the
audience that he was 'ready for the sa-
crifice;s' he had come like an OK to the
slaughter! Then burst his mighty heart
Smiling his manly breast, he bid the peo-
pie, ''ii he had done any thing worthy Of
death, to plunge the fatal dagger to his
hearth" Then stood the big round drops
in eyes unused to weep.
The nasal trumpet bowed parley:-
His ''heart was in the coffin there, and he
must pause till it come back him." An
other nasal twang; his heart was restored,
but SO changed and chastened, that few
could recognize the Jupiter Tonans of
half an hour previous. Who could re-
cognize him in this melting mood that
man Of "chivalrous blood" whose ''moth
er's father served seven years in the rev
dictionary war"--whose s'progenitors,
on his mothers side, were all soldiers"
and with unfinching nerve withstood
the fatal charge? Who could believe
that the redoubtable son of mother
whose brave aunt sister soft mid clash
ing swords and cleaning steel, before the
cannon's mouth, breasted the rugged front
of war;" could be thus moved? Oh, what
a fall was there, my countrymen!
Mr.. editor; there was mt wet eve in
the whoIe a,fiepce- An awful stiffness