The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1851-12-03
Deiaxon Smiths speech.

TIE last Valley Wing contains the speech
IF this notable politician, dchverd in keokuk
ast FALL during thu Congressional canvass lie
Tween ID. +. Miller, Thompson and Smith -
There are some disclosure i'll reference t. the
uses to which the patronage of the Sarveyor
Generals office have heretofore been put that
would no doubt prove interesting to some con
nected with the Office at The present time
There are, no doubt; many letters afl'ai at tins
time which could they be- procured would pr"v''
as rich as the ones disclosed by Mr.. Smith-
We shall publish some Of t.iesc disclosures IN
order that our readers may see how rrckl IS
Politicians will become, and at the same tune
they mus; recollrct that the same game If you
tickle me and ! II tickle you is going on IN
that office at the present time .-fat ftrfd
Ledy'r (Whg)
We have soInc reason for surprising, that tn"
from parties interested in the patronage Of the
Surveyors office, is correct; but we have yet to
discover, in Smith S address at keokuk, which
our whig cotrmporares have taken 81 much
pains to publish, any evidence, which goes 20
establish to the satisfaction Of an impartial mind,
that leading democrats have been gully OF cor
ruption, .vcn improperly, True, there arc
letters from Gen Jones, but they are m.re'y
friendly letters, desiring the sncc of Smith, in
his application for contract, aud en- rely free
from any rational suspicion of corruption.
And while upon this subject, it will do no
harm to remark that the address of Mr. Smith,
is entitled TO but litir, if any confidence at the
hands of the people of this Safe. Al the time
he delivered this address he was noisy, Draw
| ling politician. Wherever he has benin
New York, Ohio, South America and Iowa, Of
| fee and the retention of Office seems to have
been his pre-eminent object, ard whenever ne
has failed to crafty his excessive vanity in thu
| respcc', he has proclaimed himself the victim Of
intrigue and corruption. Possessing the char
actcr which he did, for political and religious
| infdelity, and for moral and social debauchery
before his reformation, and having sought fire.
quent opportunities since, Of attacking in low
and scurrilous language, prominent members o
the democratic party, is it asking too much, thai
the public should receive this speech with many
/ grains of Allowance We desire to screen
none from Just public censure, but when m \
knowlcdged responsibility and purity OF charac
ter are to be arraigned and tried at the bar OF
public opinion, we like to know who, and villa,
their accusers are. And when they are men Of
but brief residence among us, we like to be sat
isfied that they d not come to us, with doubtful
moral and political character.
Mr.. Smith reformation may be genuine
We hope it is But if lie desires TO leave nc
doubt upon the public mind in this aspect, he
should abandon for brief season at least, the
political arena, and endeavor to cement the pub
lie confidence, by moving along i'll the quiet
enjoyment of his profession, conciliating the es
TEEN, instead of bidding for the enmty of his
neighbors, and endcavoring to purify, in place Of
| corrupt.ng the souls of men.