Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-20
DeIazon Smith, Esq.

day last, in explanation Of his position
before the people, and of the quarrel be-
tween himself and the Hunker leaders
Of his party, and we must confess, that
high as our opinion of his talents as an
orator was before, the half had not been
told us. To do him justice, we think Mr..
Smith has no equal as an effective opu-
lar Speaker in the State.
Without any disposition to NEEDLE
with family quarrels, or impertinently in
terfere with other folks business, we
may be permitted to say, as disinterested
spectators, that for the life of us, we can.
not see any reason or policy in the
course which the leaders of the Democ-
racy adopted, in expelling Mr.. Smith
Smith from his communion with that po-
ltical Church. In fact, the principal
charge against him, as we understand it,
is, the position he assumed in acceding to
the request of large number of the
democrats OF Van Buren, county, to be-
come Democratic Candidate for Con-
gress at this special election, and also,
his opposition to Conventions as con-
Quoted in this Stale for the last five years.
Mr.. Smith entered largely into the his
tory OF his. party for the five years past,
and we must confess that we were as
founded at the amount of unfairness.
legerdemain and corruption on the part
of the Dodge clique or faction, as it is
called, although we have long and strong
ly suspected that there was something
rotten in Denmark. Mr.. Smith stated
and prolessed to have. the documents to
prove it, that there is political combina-
ton in this State, composed of few in
divlduals in each county, whose object
is to parcel out, share and monopolize
among themselves the offices of the
State; that all the important conven-
tons for many years past have been
packed or controlled by this clique, and
nominations of persons in their interest
or under their influence, secured; that to
effect this object, in numerous instances
which he mentioned, delegates chosen
by the people, known or suspected of
adverse feelings, by one means or anoth-
er had been suspended, and tools of the
faction substituted in their stead; thai in
many instances, persons had assumed
and exercised the Office of delegates to
conventions, without any authority what
ever from the people OF their county;
and that in every case those who could
not be relied upon as tools, or whose tai
ents were feared as rivals, were beaten
il possible in conve ntion, or if not, be-
fore the people.
Now, if all this be true, and certainly
Mr.. Smith has had good opportunities of
knowing. we think he is perfectly justi-
fable in the position he has assumed,
and we would not regard him as an honest
man if be had notassumed it. He saws
he has not violated or alb andoned one of
the principles of his party; he question
ed only the jurisdiction and power of
those who read him out and sought to
prescribe him, and secuted at the idea
that he was not now democrat. We
are inclined TO think that goodly num-
Der of democrats are also of the opinion
that Mr.. Smith is yet good democrat,
and has just as good right TO read out
his prosecutors, as they have to read
him out, and that, if he perseveres, he is
just as likely to succeed as they are
He has winning eloquence, well calcu-
lated TO 60 TO the hearts of the people,
who naturally sympathnze with men,
who, like him stand forth solitary and
alone TO battle for their rights, and The
rights Of the people, against fearful
odds.
The peroration of Mr. Smiths speech
was truly splendid and belongs to the
highest efforts of eloquence. After sta
ling that party issues had changed and
we're undergoing changes; that United
States Bank had become an obsolete idea;
ha! the Distribution of the proceeds of
IF the Public Lands was no longer in
dispute; that the California question had
,een settled and the Union saved; he
vent on TO show that now the true Of
ice of the statesman was to develop the
Internal resources, and advance the pros
oeriiy of The country; that great works
# improvement should be pushed on,
md the two great oceans of the world |
,-ought into connection. Then Iowa
would be in the centre of the world, and
he commerce. of The Fact apd of The I