Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-13
Hon. Daniel #. Miller,

AAOns DaAnhcl H NnAhlcE,
| Our candidate for congress, visited us
last Friday, and addressed a large collec-
ton of citizens, convened to hear him
at the Court House. Mr.. Miller has
not been formally nominated by any
Convention, but is run by common con-
sent, by those who approve his past
course. and condemn the fraudulent and
dishonest means by which he was chea-
! ted out of his seat at the last session of
Congress.
/ Mr.. Miller was evidently in feeble
health, and we learn in fact that he had
just risen from sick bed but he SEEM
ed conscious that he had an important
| work 10 do, and he went about it in a
a manner that animated his friends and
carried discomfort 10 his enemies. His
| appearance was prepossessing, his air
that of ST raight forward, business man,
of hon est purposes, and talents of an
order veil adapted TO the position he
seeks to occupy. Although by no means
descending to unmanly complaints, Mr..
Miller evidently felt deeply the injus-
tice and wrong inflicted upon him,
and the slanderand abuse, and the shafts
Of malice which had been heaped upon
him and aimed at him, during the last
canvass. He manifested, however, a
confidence in the honesty of the people
of all parties; and seemed TO anticipate
favorable verdict at their hands, which
we trust and believe he will receive.
Mr.. Miller in his speech dwelt at con-
siderable length upon the evidence in the
contested election case between himself
and William Thompson, and without re-
sorting to any unfair concealments, gar
bled extracts, or perverse INVESTIGATIONS,
as his competitor had done the day be-
fore in the same room, boldly came out
with the whole truth and nothing but the
truth, sustained and fortified by evidence
Of the most authentic character; presen
ting such case of damning fraud and
injustice towards himself and upon the
freedom of elections, as was never before
heard of in a country profes sing TO be
free, and we.hope never will be again.
He made to some extent, the Republic
and Sentinel his text books, and showed
up the Misrepresentation, and false
hoods of those sheets in manner they
well deserv ed. We refer our readers to
the extracts, from the evidence printed by
order of Congress, in another part of
the paper. Read it carefully-ponder it
WELL After this say, if such things can
be tolerated in free country, and that
| country long remain free!
Mr.. Miller treated with becoming scorn
the attempt of certain small politicians,
among the old Hunkers, to mix him up
with the Des Moines River Grant ques-
ton. He stated that, although deprived
of all official power at Washington, he
yet, after the decision of Mr.. Ewing,
sought, if possible, to have the case re-
heard, and reversed; that failing in this,
he determined at all events that the peo-
pie of his District, and of the State,
| should know, from the records, the histo-
ry Of this grant from the beginning, that
the blame might rest where it ought
He accordingly procured copious extracts
from the files of the Departme nt, and
sent them home. From these, whichh
exhibited to the meeting, and portions of
them read,it appeared thar Gen. Dodge
who procured the passage of the law
making the grant, and wrote the bill, did
not understand or intend the extension Of
| it further than the Raccoon Forks; that
Gov. Clarke, several Democratic CON-
missioners Of the Land Office, including
r. M. Young, who sold $4,000 acres
above the forks; President Polk who
ordered the sale; Gen. Shields who
computed the amount of the grant; Col.
Williams and his Democratic associates
who selected the same, and the whole
uninterrupted series of official acts con-
nected with the grant, emenating from
democrats, under democratic admins
tration, understood and proved just the
same thing and nothing more; that Mr..
Walkers OPINION which he was very
careful not to put on file. SO as to give it
any sort of force, or validity, was SIM
ply Mr.. Walkers opinion and nothing
more; amounting TO about as much as