The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1852-01-28
WHAT OUR MUSCATINE FRIENDS THINK


We take the following able article, upon
present railroad prospects, from the "Muscatine
Enquirer
We cannot force ourselves into the convic-
ton, that our present delegation in Congress
| are disposed to give our railroads the 90 by, and
we think that our ncighbor will have his fears
al!ayed upon this subje ct before long. Indeed we
know that we have one true and faithful cham,
plon for these roads and as the people of the
ST havt repeatedly expressed strong desire
for their construction, we cannot think that any
national man would actively, or even tacilly
disapprove of them.
Should the sequel prove that cur ncighbors
fears are well grounded, he can record us as al
intexble adhcrent to his doctrine. For with
rs, principles are the basis of action and if men
cannot conform their acton to this test, let them
! fill
| 'sL,SDs TO lowA--A PLoT I'VE have watch
I'd with intcre st the letters Of MIR, Morgan, cd
tor of the Burlington Telegraph, now in
| Washington, To his paper. They have afford
I'd II curious, It not useful study. Our ST.
constituted lobby for all Iowa, seems hope
fully Lent upon task from which most mer
would have shrunk, either from a sense Of shame
or in d, SPAR.
Wee rl!ect that he is now toad,Gny scheme
he geters-up Of which lack the m0,0t courage
to patronlze it, and which requires or at cauti N
and unusual SIX Il in its development This is
no less than plot either to defeat entirely a
grant Of lands TO | wa, or monop lie il by Il
certain enterprsing and aspiring tcwn.
Mr. Morgan has so far conducted his task
with considerable ingcnuity--and his sores of
letters ar as insinuating "!et!ng down to the
hopes IF the people Of Iowa, for iayorte pref
ects, as could be imagined
The Generals too tender Of our nerves t.
shock us with Sudden and conclusive avowal
"that we can't come it or to cnligh,en Us as
t. the plots against us, and the scheme to which
we are to be sacrificed, our word,) all at ono :
Sep by step, with easy descent, here pin
there b. l., we let down to the conviction
that resignation to defeat will be best for our
peace # mind If not for eur pockets.
But we are only playing round The point.
10 those VIII have watched the recent man
GSers in our nei.hbor city Of Burlington-lst
the series OF letters put forth by her press from,
her agent in Washington and 2nd the sudden
awakening of her citizens to the Importance oil
a project of Railroad from Vincenn,s, or La
fayetc, Ind, via Burlington TO the Missouri
and the organization of company, and the
election of Directory TO construct such a road
let us at once declare, that at the bottom o
all this lies a scheme, to defeat alike every me.
mortal to Congress from the State, for grants OF
land in aid of public improvements, and to Sc
cure to point, which can at least claim the
merit of not having been very clamorous or i'm.
! Fortunate, to share with certain northern city
the sole doucienr in the way of lands, which Con
gre SIS may see fit to give to the State, and BY
degrees to prepare the public mind Tor a resul,
so contrary to the wishes Of the great majority
of the people.
1t is necessary that this matter should be
dealt with plainly, and as it involves local inter.
ests mainly, aside from all party considerations
Thus shall we deal with it, now and hcreat
| ter.
| In the first place, Mr.. Morgan, in his letters
tells US OF mammoth scheme to give the en-.
tire public domain to the States in which it lies
for internal Improvement purposes--and in the
same breath assumes, what every sensible mar
knew, that such proposition would tail. Next
we are told that the plan Of Lieutenant Lee
| for the improvement of the Rapids, is regarded
| as impracticable, and the Topographic Bureau
| recommend a canal, locks and dams--a work
| requiring so monstrous an expenditure, and SO
opposed to the wishes Of the country, that we
mus resign all hope Of that.
Thirdly, we are told that it is the settl, 1
P"l'cy of the Committee on Public lands, to
recommend no grant OF lands for Improvement
parallel to naylgable rivers, or to Improvements
to which lands had been previously granted
This "settled policy" of course, "setties'' the
hopes OF the friends of the Dubuque and Keo.
kuk Railroad, entire-or at least that portion
from Fit Desmoines to Keokuk, parallel with
the DesmoInes improveme But to console
them tor this, the Dubuquers are told of the
advantages OF a rout from their city via Fort
Dodge, to strike the Missouri, at point where
Its valley has westerly direction for hundreds
OF miles, all the products and wealth OF which
will in time be poured at their feet-and they
are told that grant for such a road mioht be
obtained. But the last letter throws light upon
the whole confused subject-gives US the key
to the mystery! We are told that project is
on foot, (and bill will shortly be introduced
INTO Congress t. grant lands in aid of it, for
Railroad from Vncennes, via Peoria and Bur-
llngton, to the Missouri Here we have it
and now let US prepare ourselves to see every
other grant asked refused, and bill making a
grant IN accordance with this suggestion intro
duced-not by Senator or Representative
ire M lowa-oh, no but by some Sucker or
iloosler-and passed, or at least given prcce-
dcnce
Mark cur words this is the aim of all this
intrigue. Mr.. Morgan is the mouth piece of
some6ody-who is it? Who is at the bottom
of this
For one, we declare, that regardless of all
consequences to men or party, shall follow
TO the death, with exposure and rxecration, any
man who shall dare defy the wishes of the
people Of the State, reiterated by their Repre-
scntatives, in the Gcn'l Assembly and Convcn-
ton; and for venal or personal reasons sacri-
nee the interest Of the State to the interest of
any locality.
We ask the Argos eyes of the press to watch
with sieepless vigilance the development of this
scheme, designed, Immediately or remotely, to
1efcat the memorials which have been sent up |
% Congress, for grant of lands to Iowa.
Mark the origin Of this scheme
Note the section to be benefited by it:
Remember from what localities our present
representation in Congress hail
We are truly glad 20 learn that Judge Grant
las left for Washington to look after this mat
cr. If his presence does not confound the
onspIrators, we shall at least learn the facts
elative to the plot.
In this connection we for one. MEND to
peak out, without regard to the consequences
0 men, or party-we have the interests of our
elbow citizens, in part under our guardianship,
nd this trust we never have, and never will
acrifice to any mans ambition, sr offer up on
he alter of party, or betray for any personal
Thank Goo, we belong to no man-our press
eur own-and its course shall be independent
long as are its editor.
AUL: PAUL! "WHY PERSECUTEST THOU ME,
We fad in the last "Capital Reporter very =