Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1849-02-21
r nc Keukuk Dsspuicil, VS.. the De :
snocracy Of the ''Lcsfs1attv. As
AcsnbDy."

mocracy Of the Legislative As
AcmbIy.''
An article from the Kcokuk Dispatch, headed
"Legislative Assembly, and inculging IN general
and wholesale denunciation of the democratic pof-
sion Of fhe Gen. Assembly, and Of their acts mas
been going the rounds Of the wing press OF this
state. Knowing, as we did, and as did those who
adjourned at the capital during the session. the Sc
cret cause which induced this abusive TRADE at the
.inerattude of repubcso we treated it, at the time
OF its rst appearances as abusive denunciation,
(the result Of disappointment and chasrln) The IN
Justice and ingratitude of which had little doubt
the author, as soon as he had time for cool renee
ton, would be Of the first to repent of. Wheth
er we are to be disappointed in this expectation,
time alone can determined. Late numbers OF his
paper seem to discourage this hope. But this ques
ton it is not our purpose now to speculate upon
The matter which we set ourselves down to dis
cuss is simply this. The article from the Dispatch
above alluded to has, as we before remarked, been
copied ilto nearly every wing paper IN this state as
dtsinteresfed condemnation OF the acts anu doihSs
of tho democracy Of the General Assembly general
IL made as the whig organ OF this city remarks, BY
a astaunch and uncomrromising democrap' and sin
the honesty of his nature.o Whether our friend is,
or is not ga staunch and Incorporating demo-
crat we leave to be determined from his past acts,
by his future conduct, and the spirit with which he
has seen fit to rebel against the decisions Of the
democratic caucus, after having fairly submitted his
claims to it. How far sthe honesty of his nature,
thus voluntarily disclosed, should entie his denun
Citations of the democratic members to crecence, or
even to the shadow of respect, though foreign to
our desire, may become our duty, under the sgsra-
waited circumstances OF the case, slightly to touch
upon. We do not wish voluntarily to come into
collision with men ostensihly acting IN the demo-
cratic ranks. But when those who wilfuliy Or ig-
norantly lend themselves, through motives Of per-
sonal revenge, to the Vaccinations of the enemy,
and play into their hands becomes duty to ex-
nose the motives which prompt their actions. Such
we deem our duty ia the present case; so that the
Of the witness who pretends in this instance, to tes
y voluntarily to the people Of the conduct of their
representatives.
And first in relation to the charges made by the
editor Of the Dispatch against the democracy Of the
Legislature, it is little remarkable that they
all general; not one is specified. Why is this?-
Surely the editor was .slooker in venice!''-
He fingered at the capital during the entire sessions
AMI although the wing members OF the Senate cid
conspire, through their unanimous vote, to occupy
his valuable time in the duties Of Secretary of the
Senate, still the democracy, deeming his time
valuable TO the party correspondent for his pa
per, imposed the arduous duties Of that Office upon
another person. He cannot therefore complain that
Ne had time, to sound the tocim Of alarm to the
people before and during the pendancy of those
numerous outrageous measures at which he OBJ
securely and ominously hints, but which he cannot
specify. Why wait until ten days af.sr the close eli
the session, to sound grave and omnous alarm
as the following:
ssBut we are wandering, and as our woes are bit
our own, obtrule them only so far as they bear
part filing W the catalogue of lll-advsed acts
Of the past session, for which the innocent Demo-
cracy Of the State held accountable, and which
they expected 10 defend and sustain, as :.Demo-
cratic measures" To wind up this portion of the
alter, will venture the prediction that before
another contest is euded, Democratic friends
will find out that far better would it have been for
them and the cause had no session been held, and
that they will conclude that another such, composed
of such mhers, would place the state irctiieva-
bly, IN the hand OF our opponents"
In explanation OF the .woes' Of the editor OF the
Dispatch, well Of the poor opinion with which
he affects to regard the democratic members of the
Legislature, it may not be anss to allude at this
time to Of the circumstances attendant upon
his Intercourse with those members during the ses-
sion. For this purpose we will state, that in the
disposition OF the printing Of the laws and journals
OF the late session Of the Gen. Assembly, it was de-
termined that one of the journals should go to al
press in the South, to the North, and tie laws
20 the Centre. AS TO which Of the papers il these
different Localities should receive these Jobs, the
question was cheerfully submitted to the decision
ola democratic caucus which cnnseAed for that
purpose The friends of all the democrtic presses
cheerfuily to this mode Of deciding the question:;
and none were better pleased with the arrangement
than our friend Of the Dispatch i: being generally
thought that he would be The successful competitor
But II appeared upon going into caucus, that those
who knew him best were the first TO oppose him.
HIS enemies were those OF his own households; for
even majorityof the six members from Lee county
cast their votes for the Statesman, also Lee county
paper. Whether their conduct in this matter was
the result of lack of confidence in the Dispatch.
or was induced by conviction that the sum of be
tween nine and ten hundred dollars paid its editor
for services as Secretary Of the Senate at the last
two sessions, amounted to cancelng OF his claims
for preference, care not now TO enquire. 1t isl
sufficient tn state, that he defeated by a few
votes, and was generally underst that dark
and eninous threats were made by him, TO the effect
that he would make them repent it. by the time the
got through another election-a threat which. fror,
the last few numbers of his paper, he seems DETER
mined to do all he can 10 make good. This failure
10 give him the JOB of printing the House ournalw
undertake TO say, constitutes the sum and substance
OF the ssil-adrsed aets' alluded to in the Dispatch
as 1t evidently docs the burthen OF the awoes, oil
the editor OF thct Sheet and it is this act Of The
democratic members, and this alone, that induces
im 70 come 10 the sage conclusion, that ssour DEM
friends viii find out that far better would
nave been for them and the cause had no session
Deen heid,' and that aanother such, composed o.!
snca members will poce the State irretricyaLly in
tne hands OF our Ihisl opponents" The truth OIL
the latter prediction it is not for us to gainsay,
we have the most Abiding confidence in the triumph
OF the true democracy of this State; and as the on
poncnts OF the editor Of the Dispatch, are not the
wing party Of Iowa, if we may Judge from the avdi
" with which their press have copied his senti-l
ments denouncing the representatives of the demo-
csacy of this State, and also from tho f.ct or IL