davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-13

The Hon. THOMAS M. II. McKENNAN
has sent to the President the following
letter resigning the office of Secretary of
the Interior, upon which he SO lately
entered. This announcement will, we
doubt not, be received by our readers
throughout the country with the same
deep regret as it has been in this city
Washingtca Republic.
WASHINGTON, PA, Aug. &c, 1850.
My DEAR SIR: respectfully tender
to you my resignation Of the Depart
ment of the Interior, to which you did
me the honor of calling me.
This determination has not been reach
ed without the most serious and anxious
deliberation.
A consciousness of my peculiar ner-
vous temperament, which too readily re-
spends 10 causes of excitement and de-
preston, would have prompted me, IN
the first place, to decline the offer; but
the kind manner Of the appointing Mt, ac-
companied by the good wishes of the
Cabinet, and bac ked by the pressing ur-
gency of friends, made so strong an inn
preston upon me as to leave me no
alternative but to accept. A brief ex-
perience of the arduous labors and oner-
Gus responsibilities Of the position, in
conneXion with considerations of pri-
vate and domestic nature, which press
upon me with great fofce, has brought
me to the conclusion that a due obser-
vance of duty to my family and myself
require my withdrawal.
In thus dissolving my brief official as
sociaiion with you, permit me to say,
that cherish confident reliance upon
the patriotism, capability, and worth Of
every member OF the Administration,
anc hopeful assurance of its success.
To this end, no effort of mine, in my
retirement, shall, at any time, be wan
ting.
May | not also assure you of nv
grateful appreciation of the kindness ex-
tended to me by you and your official
associates?
With respectful and sincere regard, l
am, yours, faithfully,
TIL. M. T.. NEHEMIAH.
His Excellcncy WILLARD FILLMORE,
President of the United States.
Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-13
BE aforementioned,

That VIM. Thompson while occupy.
ing seat in congress, having large
majority in both branches of his politi-
cal friends, sat quietly by for a period
of seven months, in supine indifference
to this great Des Moines Valley, which
constituted SO large part Of his Dis
tric.. making no. solitary move, as he
might successfully have done, to secure
the extension of our Grant, while he,
and papers in his interest, .falsel, and
maliciously insinuases that Mr.. Miller,
having no seat and no vote, is an enemy
Of the improvement.
Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-13
News from santa Fe.

We learn from Mr.. Bertran Spratt,
who came in from Santa F'e, with the
mail, that a company of u. s. Dragons
had had a skirmish with the Apache In
dians, al Riau, within fifty miles of Santa
Fe, in which one OF the Dragons and
seven Of the Indians were killed.
The Indians have had frequent skir-
mishes with companies Of Mexican ham
tiers, but in none OF them was blood shed.
The Pueblo Indians report that they
have seen the child of Mr.. and Mrs.
White in the hands Of the Apaches.
They have been instructed by the au-
thority and citizens of Santa Fe, to trade
for it, at any price that my be demanded.
From recent Developments it. is be-
lieved, that Messrs. Flournoy, Shaw,
and others, who were murdered few
months ago, were murdered by band of
Mexicans and Pueblo Indians. The
proof as to this is said TO be quite con-
elusive. Mr.. s. informs us, that they
met large number of Indians at Coun-
Gil Groye-they seemed kindly disposed,
and said that they were waiting for Mr..
Fitzpatrick. from whom they expected a
large number of valuable presents.
Buffalo are quite numerous from Fort
Mann to Pawnee Fork.
The weather had been dry, and on
many parts of the road there was scar
city Of water and grass, not SO great
however as to produce much suffering,
among the trains.-O Occidental, Iadpe,a-
dence.
Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-13

The PAoIFc RAlLRoAD.-The follow
ing extract is from letter written by
Gov. BURNET, Of California, to GRAHAM
L. HUcHEs, Esq, of Liberty:
II have never supposed until lately
that Railrad from the United States 10
the Pacific was at all practicable, except
at a cost much beyond the ability Of the
governmnt to pay. But since the ces-
sion of California, the Importance and
practicabilliy of the work have become
apparent. The route | wen To Oregon
would be impracticable but the route
further South, think, will do. La iae
three forks there is plenty of timber ard
good soil; TO sustain fine settlement;
and this would be about midway between
the boders of Missouri and the settle
menls in California, jus, where you
want it.
/. The road should cross the Sierra
Nevada at or near the road helped 10
make crosses, which is entirely prac.ica
BILE.
2. II ought to pass through the mining
region, or as near as practicable; thas
the markets there, the best in the world,
could be open to the Western farmer end
Eastern merchant. The freight f.cm
San Francisco to the mines, by land ana
water, is greater and will be greater than
Missouri on the railroad to the mines.
3. The vast body of fine timber ia
the mountains, now inaccessible to us,
would be within our reach.
4. The greatest difficulties to over
come will be the want of habi,able coun-
try along the line TO sustain population
TO defend il from the Indians. and 10
make repairs, DC. You will have to
extermlnate part of the Indian tribes
nearest the route, before you will be able
to keep peace. The work will cost about
200 millions, and should be accomplish
ed if it cost five hundred millions, SO
great is IFS importance.
5. Unless this road should be made,
the Eastern manufacturers will find she
productions Of China banishing ihairs
from the markets of California. This
has already been the case here.''
Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-13

az An important case has been deci-
ded in one of the California courts, which
concerned the disposal of an estate val
ued at 5000, left by a deceased CAL
ifornia merchant named Diedersdorf. -
The Pacific News states that this deci-
sion covers the title to large amount of
land. He was foreigner, and his only
relatives were residents of the Danish
West Indies. He died intestate abont
the time of the annexation of California.
The decision is. that Diedersdorff and
his heirs being aliens. had no legal title
to property in the United STATES, and
that his estate is public territory. a
Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-13

The CALAMITY AT PENsACoLA.-The
Mobile Advertiser gives the following
particulars of the accident at Pensacola,
mentioned by us the other day:
A storm of great violence was expe-
rienced at Pensacola and the Navy Yard
on Friday last, which, it is supposed,
must have extended its destructive in
fuence for some distance out in the
Gulf. The waves ran higher, breaking
on the bar and beach as high as forty
feet, than they have done for years.
While the storm was raging, a schoon-
er to the west of the Round Fort was
observed to be dragging her anchors and
likely to go ashore. Seeing her danger,
Passed Midshipman Dyer, of the U. S.
schooner FIirt, Mr.. Hale, Engineer at
the Navy Yard, and four seamen, jump.
ed into boat and attempted to go to the
rescue. After getting outside the bar
they pulled towards the schooner, but,
as was supposed by those watching them,
finding the waves running high and their
situation becoming critical, they made an
effort 10 return. 1t was too late After
making every exertion in their power for
an hour, they were finally driven among
the breakers, where the hand of man
could not save them from watery grave.
Parties were out Sunday, but neither the
bodies nor the wreck of the boat had
been found when the Swan left the Navy
Yard on Sunday evening.
Ii was the swell left by this terrible
storm which the Swan met Saturday
night on, her passage, but she rode it
with ease and safety. Several vessels
were known TO have been wrecked, but
we did not hear of any further loss of
life
Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-13

DIPLOMATIC MovEMENTs.-The mo-
ton OF the Chairman OF the Committee
OF Ways and Means for an addition to
the civil and diplomatic bill of outfits for
Charges 10 Ecuador, New Grenada, Qua
tamala. and Portugal having given rise
to conjectures as to the causes of chan
ges IN those places, il is, perhaps, as
well, in explanation Of the action Of the
administration, TO give what we have.
heard respecting the presen, incumbents.
Col. J. l.. Van Allen, Charge d'Affaires
to Ecuador, returned home ia the last
trip OF the Cherokee City. He has re-
signed his commission, the state of his
health forbidding further residence in
Quito.
hon. Thos. M. Foote has asked and
obtained permission to return from New
Grenada. and will probably be associa-
ted with John o. Sargent in the editor
ship of the Republic.
Hon. James B. Clay, a son of Henry
Clay, is now at Naples. He, too, has
slgnified his wish to return as soon as
our difficulties with Portugal have been
settled
Hon. E. G. sqdisr, we had supposed.
came home only on a short visit
Whether it is his wish to return to Qua
tamala, we know not.
II is, perhaps, well to observe that it
Is the duty of the Secretary of State to
provide for probable contingencies; there
lore ne asks for appropriations which he
may not have occasion to use.-N. Y.
Tribune.
Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-13
1.eo,ue q. yyright ia LeG-Us.

Certain Locofocos are representing.
that Wright failed to get the wing vote
of Lee county. This is a base false.
hood. The wings of Lee were pressed
down by the river improvement and Lo-
cofoco strength, but they gave Wright
their WHOLE strength. And such is The
popularity Of Mr.. w. there. that he ac-
tually run one hundred votes ahead Of
all other wing candidates. Let that LIE
stop.
Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-13
KEEP IT BEFORE THE PEopLE,-tt

KEEP IT BEFORE THE PEoPLE,-that
William Thompson, in his Speech in
this place on Thursday the 9th inst,
confess ed that he, while receiving eight
dollars day as our Representative in
Congress, and having vote there, neg
lected the interests and business of his
constituents, offering only the strange,but
significant apology, the trouble and en-
barrassment occasioned him by the cry
of '.stolen poll books And yet, after
having been hooted at. by the very boys
in Washington, for his participation in
this infamous transaction, he has the
brazen affrontery, TO ask the people of
this district to insult Congress and the
nation by sending him back!
Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-13

sy The Republic could moi publish
the resolutions of the Loco Convention
this week. We arc sorry. Hope they
will be able to publish them next week,
together with those Resolutions at the
County Meeting, held the Saturday be-
fore which were suppressed or laid on
the table! Let US have them all, il pos.
sible. No concealments!
Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-13
Look ont for Eicctioneering
stories.

The Loco papers have started the II
diculous story that Miller joined the
Mormon church when ou. there taking
depositions! Would you believe il, that
Thompson and HEM have gone To
Kanesvlle chuck full Of this story, oStep-
sibly to tell the Mormons that Miller
had denied it in Lee county. Wonder
full 1! isn't il!
Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-13

most precious right, as free citizen, by
corruptly, deliberately and illegally steal
ing the Poll Books of aa important pre-
cinct vote.
Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-13
OTTUMWA, IOWA:
Friday Morning, Sept. IL, 1850.
FOR CONGRESS,
TO fill vacancy in the First District
DANIEL F. MILLER.
NOTICE.

The citizens of Ouumwa and vicinity
one and all, are requested to meet at the
Court House, on Monday the 10Th of
Sept, at Z o'clock, p. M, for the pur-
pose Of taking into consideration the ex-
pediency of fencing and laying out into
lots the Burying ground adjoining Town.
Sept. 18th. MANY CITIZENS.
Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-13
The Democratic Convention.

The locofoco Congressional Conven-
ton came off in this place on Thursday
of last week. The attendance was not
numerous, many counties having no rep
resentation. Contrary to general ex-
pectation, the notorious Bill Thompson.
the man who received the stolen poll
books, of the Kanesville precinct, pock-
e,ed as consequence of that theft, his
certificate of election; and who occupied
for period of seven months a seat in
the House of Representatives, from
which he was finally ANONYMOUSLY ex-
PEELED, branded ,cith a vofe of censure,
received unanimous nomination! A
more high-handed outrage and insult
was never perpetra.ed in fee country,
or more insolent and desperate attempt
made TO test the ability of an unscrupu-
lous combination of oflice-holding and
office.seeking politicians, TO force bitter
dose upon too con6ding party. We
know the force of party organization, and
the strength of party attachments; but
we also know that there are cases where
party leaders cannot force an honest and
independent people 70 sacrifice honor,
Justice, and honesty at the shrine of even
such a divinity. We trnst this is a
case in point, and that honest, pure and
indie pendent democrats enough will be
found in the District, to teach these lea
ders, who have arrogated to themselves
the office of dictators in politics. that
something else will be insisted upon be-
sides the undertaking support of nomina-
tons to entille man 10 the sufrages of
the democrats of this District
The nomination having been duly
made and resolutions expressive of the
the sense Of the meeting having been "a
dopled, Mr.. Thompson was hunted
up by a committee, ushered into the
meeting with the usual lormalities, and
proceeded TO make his speech. We did
not like this address, either the manner,
nor the matter. II struck us very forci-
bly, that the Hon. Candidate was greatly
waning in the principal qualifications O.
good speaker. His manner was wan
ting in dignily,-grotesque and ridicu-
lous. He wrilhed himself into all sorts
of postures, and assumed attitudes, such
as clown in a circus might have envi-
ed, but which wo,did not expect from our
sitting member, after polish of two
years and seven months in the House of
Representatives. He commenced his
remarks by returning thanks for The hon
or conferred upon, az well he might,
having undoubtedly been writing for
some time under impressions that his
sins would oyerwhelm him in the dark
waters of political damnation. Next in
order came definition of democracy.
This consisted, according to the Hon.
Speaker, in the possession or non-pos-
session Of capital, in other words, the
poor are democrats and the rich wings,
a definition which we should not quarrel
with if it was true. But seriously will
the people swallow such balderdash!-
Democracy, matter Of dollars and
cents!!! Did the Hon. speaker expect
to get off under cover Of such defnl-
ton, from the obliquy Of stealing the
voice Of the people, the Uor populi, the
BOZ Del, the free expression of which,
and public respect for which, has always
been regarded, in Ibis country, and just
Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-13


The Republic has two more long col
umns on this subjec, again this week,
too silly TO require anything from us
more than mere synopsis Of the ride
ulous positions assumed in it.
l. The Republic says 'the question
is still open and undetermined. Ii so,
why are they CHI argiag Mr.. Ewing with
cheating the State out Of portion of the
Grant.
2. "They say the conduct of Mr..
Miller was unju stifable, mainly for hun.
ting up FACTS prejudicial TO our inter-
ests.' The facts alluded to, were mat
tiers OF record and tile at Washington,
sent home by Mr.. Miller. We canno,
see how these facts can be more preiu-
dicial TO our interests, by being made
known to the People Of Iowa, than they
were when concealed at Washington. il
that can be concealed viii oh is regarded
by the law as universally known, as all
public records are. By "prejudicial to
our Interests the Republic means, pref
judicial to the interests of the leaders oil
The Democratic party. There's where
the shoe pinches.
3. They say "these facts are whoiely
immaterial." Why then make so m UGH
noise about them!
A. They say they shave not the pa
pers by them containing the discoveriesT
We inferred as much. Now, we have
to say, that the said papers are in our
possession, and we will show them to
any one who wishes to see them. If
you are disposed to write long-winded
articles. "without the papers" the peo-
pie may not be disposed TO pass upon the
matter quite so specifically.
5. The remainder of the article, a
column and half, means, if it has any
meaning. that although commissioners
of the Land Office, Heads of Depart
ment, as Mr.. Ewing was, repeatedly de-
cided against the extension, that it all
amounted to just nothing at all. The
whole of this we merely pronounce non
sense. II is incon sislent with the impor.
lance which you have attached to just
such an act Of Mr.. Ewing's, and contra
ry to what you know to be the fact, if
you know anything about it, that the
decisions Of the Heads of the Depart
ment. of questions properly coming be-
fore them, have the force of judicial de-
cisions, and are the laws of the land,
until reversed by higher tribunal, or
reconsidered by Congress.
The fact is our Democratic friends
have burned their own fingers, in trying
10 make this political question or hob
! by. II turns out that all the blame and
neglect of the interests of the State, rests
with them. They decided the extent
Of the Grant, long before this Admins
tration came into power and no Head Of
Department can now change it; nothing
short of an appeal to the Supreme Court,
or an explanatory act Of congress can
do it, Blaming Mr.. Ewing for it,
amounts to nothing; it is simply blaming
Gen. Dodge, Gov. Clarke, Gen. Shields,
James H. Piper, Richard M. Young,
and President Polk, whose decisions and
acts were precedents from which Mr..
Ewing could not, according to the rules Of
law and his Department, depart.
Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-13

D The testimony shows, and the
fact is, that Democratic Congress ex-
PEELED VIM. Thompson from the House
OF Representatives. Would they hay g
done that # he had had any title 10 his
seat there except the stolen Poll Books,
Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-13

u II is currently reported, thai VIM.
! thompson accompanied by Bernhart
HEM, has gone to Kanesville, in pursuit
of u. f. Miller, who by this time, is at
his home in Lee county.
Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-13

VIM. B. Ogden, Esq, has been NOM
mated by the Free Soil party as their
candidate for Congress in the Chicago
District, at the next election.
Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-13

The Grand Lodge Of Free Masons Of
Ohio have secured a block Of Dayton
marble for the Washington Monument.
Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-13

There was in the Sub Treasury Of
New York, on the 26tt ult., s6,s22, 0es.
Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-13


attorneys of the sitting member, in at
tempting to serve, at his own office, a
notice on the contestant, to take testimo-
ny in the case, accidently, as is supposed,
served on him the original pollbook of
the Kanesville precinct!-which the con-
testant, after duly examining it in the
presence of several other persons, re-
turned. This poll-book was, OF course,
never before the Congressional canvass
ers; but the committee think that, under
all circumstances of the case, the vote
of this precinct be received aDd>counted,
which will increase the number of the
votes given to the contestant to 6 1901,
and the number given to the sitting mem
Der to 6,5O7.
We have felt it to be duty we owe
10 every free independent citizen, to re-
publish this testimony, and these extracts
in fnlt,-they are the sworn evidence, of
the very highest authenticity. and can
tbe controverted. Fellow Citizens
read them carefully--as you love your
.country-as you value the right Of vo-
ting as you would preserve pure the in
stitutons under which you live, and en-
JOY SO many privileges and blessings
read them again. and again--and ask
your own hearts, ii they do not demon
strate deep laid plot on the par. Of a
few demagogues, to cheat you Of your
Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1850-06-10

/ Ircfx. he MaHHi " UftL1 amd Su9aI BET, HjcHd
81 for tho Us, Of Ssh sood hive bren diIrJ "a Il
IN nth but # hfre he any wh1 drsrs 10 rss efopfff
lihe NJ ch aud uher eaue thflt ahep aad lheii
Log bu were prevented ifom d4g shtl Ia. tls vii
> have time. up thu 10th OF tbs maoih. Of ting
them IN vi cveiy prospect 4 fais'fe moderately fe-
muneratitg ctrp; In uth nol Jerry unr they
eonld. had the, WED IN the c1dg pat Il May.
Cards be- dci IA dauHs NJ ~ wHok iu
tins MONTH lhoagh u would have been h1 II u dHue o
month ag' Il sau have na DON'T 'lteadY. pat 40 an
f acte Tor the ne Il your ulleh fphS mi "IutHr \
peek nj meal twice y. washed aud cut into s.na'l
pec. s. with the usual daWaHcr II lay fiddler. straw,
/ vii keep lheu well TO The psi aul enable u'm To
Weld find rvs u uilL and. consequence PM II IN
The power II ynt good lady 10 provide ,o1f Die with
rich and jceIous basi'', Throughout The coming
winter
Potatoes yuu have been pfcyeat H. lhus faf from
panug Pointers do "a within she lit len daysoi Tins
IN uih For The hol Of dong 81. and he genera
maaagem NJ Of The cef, we ItftT oar reader 10 T. 5ol
Mach number.
CONT, nillirg pteyeat yuu trpm keeping yaut
Com hed clcau from tlas up he period If my the
cop BY Wte- and grass rob the plants OF thrit led
aud II there oierraasuu Tins aune should induce
yso t. give them no. aflcf bui there IS nifhei peut
asnn. Whlch should ofcuc II utce canyirlun upln
your nds the ptpr,ty OF minimizing rcabllness
III your rofn fields Ii the surface oi the earth be ndn
rated. lis powers OF 6tiIarlI1n aud abotpu gfc5ty
less han when the earth is kept 81 red 81 and
fec. mhhc the eurieing ino-taro Of the air anil
hence 1t l., that. in the hrt cas-, the dew which nay
f hard safaee. /. chiefly exhalel by the sun, and
docs very lle benefit n the growing crop Wh'feas.
when the soil la, been nrenty sltted, aud is yised by
deHs II Al once attracts. cuudon cs, aud apr plates to
lac plat7 whatever may L. of yaua IN The Eases Ius
brought d1sn. II an admitted truth. thai plants de.
rive potion Il Their food from the atmosphere, and, #
such be The tas', II hccornes anoirrt Of drep moment
viii cuutss. 70 keep tlr stll o lsitcom Holds ~ the
best POS ine cudtI.u. H. ah-or5 thr ebuohiug gases
Wheh II at ~ air. Frequent surn2 nj the surac' and
Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1850-06-10
Large Framed DWefIin. HIM.,

Il In e1g lli OF ten rooms, Kitchen -,
GsSJl.i and Ice House, BAN, Stables T. a.',sss
N.1si,R well Of excellent water in The w., "l IN
49, - neighboreood is remarkably health Tho
society as good any in the ro,9, al" Tho
purchaser will be allowed 10 grain in tn, tm hs
will be given when the present ANA 'ui
TERMS. -Somueh oil the purchase none, v.,li t u
ed IN cash as may be necessary 10 pay the costs or
ioesaid and the charges OF ale for the residuc it
one two and three years, equal paymtnsA VIII 'u Oh
upon bonds with good personal security, and the M rNen
is unquestonablc, viii be Withheld until tb i e' which
purchase shall have been paid when the ., Tho
eeve deed with special warranty. Persons II, ts
information will address The undersigned at & IIt "h
Geo w lcliweh who lesides upon the pcmi.,s IN Is
pleasure IN showing the Land to any Who NAV desi,@
make an examination OF 1t. ~! ''s"e TO
June swiftly mo n :, ,,,,....