The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-07-24
That Specch Again.
GARNAv1LLo, July 10th, 1856

Editor Of Express,
DEAR SrR.--I arrived at this place yesterday
about noon, in tour through this beautiful and
delightful county, and whilst resting my weary
limbs, and partaking of the Inequalities of my
Landlord, runner entered the room IN breath
less haste announcing the fact that Col. Hen
derson the Wing candidate for Congress in this
District would address the citizens in the after
noon.
Curiosity to see assembled together the big
men of Clayton, which county | had always
heard celebrated far and near for race of Giants;
and also to hear for the first time the competitor
Of my old friend Clark speak led me to stop
and listen what this great man of the nineteenth
century had to say to the mammoths of Clay
ton.
was not kept long in suspense, before it was
announced that the Col. was on hand, and all
hands ready. repaired to the Court House,
to take a survey of the crowd with both eyes,
and ears, open; and sure enough there were as
sembled some twenty or twenty-five sturdy,
hard listed, weather beatin looking fellows, that
would have done honor to Northumberland in
days that are gone by. With the exception of
two funny little fellows, whom the balance
seemed to take delight in tormenting on account
of their size; better looking set Of men could
not we'll be found. am told that it was in this
county that Capt Jack Turner raised his cele-
brated company of Rangers during the late war,
and that after keeping in check hostile band
of Indians, they returned again to the peaceful
abodes Of domestic tranquility.
But to return to the COL who mounted the
stand with very polite congce and must con-
TESS that could see nothing about the man that
denoted either talent intellect or ability there
was nothing remarkable peculiar about him ex-
ccpt he carries, with him the appearance of a
very fine fellow which have no doubt he is.
He commenced by telling the audience that
there was great deal Of party spirit in the coun-
try-too much of it; that it grew out of our in
sttutions and the nature of man; that he himself
was possessed of this spirit, which he very much
regretted: and concluded this subject by quo
tation from Washington Farewell Address.
He now made the announcement that he was
now going to touch upon the interest of the au-
dience. IL AIN III favor, said he, s'of giving to
every family 4 home on the public land, and |
like Mr.. Webster's plan the best, for Mr.. Web
ster's plan prevents the settler from ever sell
ing his farm after he has made it," What kind
of a country, Mr. Editor, do you suppose it would
be, covered over with beautiful farms that Meth
cr the owners nor any power earth could dis
pose of, sell, or convey.
Does not every man know that it is the sale
and traffic of farms and improvements. on lands
in this country that makes poor men rich. What
a State Of things would present themselves in
this country, if the farmers here were now pre-
vented from selling their farms-cven suppose
they were given TO them by the government
Suppose Mr.. Webster, Henderson g. Co., were
to pass a law giving to the settler one quarter
section, provided he would never sell it. Well,
our settler goes on, and makes good farm of
it. A man comes along, and asks, elbow much
sir, will you take leave your farm, and let me 90
upon it, Zone thousand dollars, sir" The
money is paid down, and the settler is off. Can
such as this be prevented? or, will Hen
dcrson & Co., make it penitentiary offence for
him to leave or sell? Perhaps they will station
dragons or rangers, to prevent them, and make
the settler stay on the land that has been given
him. There is peculiar class of men who are
always first to encounter the dangers and perils
of frontier life; and these, in few years, give
place to another class that follow in their wake
tbo hoe
and selling out to advantage to the class who
come behind; and truly, Mr.. Henderson, you
are "Webster man, if you can stop this spirit
of adventure.
Our profound luw-girer and legislator next
told us that he would 20 for another law, # elect,
ed; and that was, that person should ever be
allowed TO enter land, where another had made
improvements upon it. This knocks the sand
from under Webster, and his bill.
There will be no use for Mr.. Walker, Mr.
lands, after Mr.: Henderson gets into Congress
There were some three or four lawyers in the
house " hen Mr.. Henderson concluded his learn
I'd DISC uistions these two bills, and you ought
to have seen them acink at each other.
But, Mr.. Editor, if you have tears to shed,
prepare to shed them now! 81 am" said this
''Webster man, Of forty gears standing,' in ia
vor Of ''internal improvements; but am oppos-
cd to the Dcs !Noincs Rirer Improvement. -
Here he almost fainted.) THAT" said he, "is
a. scheme Of ertraoagance and fotly.' All nature
gave pause. Sand don't you think, continu-
ed this law-giver, 'that they are coming into
this Congressional District and taking the land
out gift to Improve Mat part Of the river achich
does not belong in this Congressional District.
acarn you, felo1o- citizens, Of the injustice that
the other Congressional District is heaping up-
on y0u. Come to the rcScue''
''The State will, in few years. continued
this "Farmer,' ''abandon the Des Moines river
improvement, because Kentucky abandoned her
river Improvements "There is no improve
ments that are good for anything, except rail.
roads, and they never be built" continued
this "Wcbster man of forty years standing"
"except by chartered companies. l don't care
if Congress does make an appropriation" said