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

democratic institutions, II the voice OIL
the people, expressed through the ballot
box, and upon which all our constitutions
and laws are based, can be tempered
with, stolen, or suppressed, by candidates
for office. Verify, our democratic can
didate in his definition Of democracy,
wisely absiained from all allusion 10
the voice Of the people, the ballot box,
and the Kanesvlle poll books!
The conclusion, and like young ladies
postscripts, the most important. as well
as the longest part of the sitting men,
bers speech, was devoted to the matter
of the poll books, in which he made it
appear as clear as mud, that Bill Thomp-
son was a much abused and injured man.
Verify, the subterfuges. and subtle dis
tinctions, which Mr.. Thompson made
use of in his discussion of this moment
Gus question, might be tolerated BY some
pettifogger before country justice; but
not in a candidate seeking the free suf-
frages of the people for seat IN Con-
Hess. There are honest and independ-
ent democrats in this district, over
whose eyes the wool cannot be pulled
quite SO easily! Why did he not meet
the question in all its bearings, manly
L =
and boldly? Why deal in sublerfuges,
suppress the most material facts, and
present only the exparte testimony ia
vorable to himself, il he did not feel
conscious of being in bad scrape; and
that art, cunning, deception and misrep-
reservation only, could save him from
the just indignation OF an injured, and
offended people!
Having concluded the principal part Of
the play, the convention produced the az
ter piece, which may with great propri-
ETY. be denominated the farce. This
was no less business than the expul-
sion of Delazon Smith Esq, from The
democratic party. Having elevated the
meanest man in the District man
resting under The imputation Of dishonesty
and falsehood, with which he was bran
ded by the Congress of the nation, TO
the position Of standard bearer: as if la
boring under that infatuation which usu-
ally precedes dissolution, they went TO
work TO cut off and Danish from their
communion and fellowship, the most gif-
ted and eloquent member of their party,
! and all for whaf? because he would not
bow the knee to Baal; because, as every
true democrat should, he had dared to
think for himself! Because without a.
hardening, or violating one of the prin.
ciples Of his party, he had dared to exer-
else the prerogatives Of a MAN, and op-
pose and expose the intrigues and cor
ruptions of cliques, juntoes and conven-
tons! For this, without giving the ac-
cused an opportunity to be heard. altho'
he was present, inquisitorially they went
to work, and with malice, tyranny
and an expe dition, that would have be-
come the star chamber of the greatest
tyrant on earth, they proceeded 10 pro-
scribe far better man than any OF them;
SO far as they could to politically kill.
and forever destroy a man who had
fought with an eloquence, power and
an efficiency unexampled among the po-
liticians of the State, the battles of his
party; to bury, in political grave so
deep that they hoped he could never rise,
the man who had bearded the royal Ces
sar in his very citadel. We should do
injustice 10 several members of the con-
vention who possessed, if not more hon.
esty. certainly more sagacity than the
rest, did we represent this shameless act
as unanimous. The resolution was in
troduced by Mr.. Shocks of LETTERS on
county. Mr.. Geo. May of Wapello, mo-
we'd to lay il on the table. This DISPOSE
ton OF the matter was advocated by Mr..
Negus of Jefferson, and others, but the
majority Of the Convention, led OH by
one Halsey, beardless boy from Keo-
kuk, smart youth from Ohio, and not
yet voter in the State. trampled down
with scorn all opposition of the wiser
and more moderate, and passed the reso-
luton.
Now we have no particular Partially
for Mr.. Smith; he has given us too ma
ny hard ticks; but we have for the posi-
ton he occupies. We believe him to
be in the right; we hope he will receive,
as from present appearances he seems
likely to do, from the hands of the peo-
pie Of this district, a flattering testimoni-
al of their sympathy and approval.