Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-06-03
The Courier Prescribed |!


The meeting on Saturday at the Court
House, prolessedly to consider the New
Code, was guilty of the very silly at
tempt to array little Democratic OPP
position against the Courier, thinking,
(sagacious fellows y that it might be
profitable investment. We are able TO
lay copy Of the resolution before our
readers little in advance of the mail, a
liberty we feel justified in taking in the
exercise of our righ. of self-defence.-
'fhe following is a copy of the resolu-
ton as passed by this professedly Dem
ocratic (!) Mass Meeting of consultation,
composed, with some slight and honora-
be exceptions, of Office holders, ex.of-
flee holders, and present anxious expec-
,an,s of office, and who had in conse-
quence thereof, an interest in fixing
things all right:
Resolued, That we the Democrats Of
Wapello county, in mass meeting as
sen. bled, are determined TO support our
friend and paper the Des Holmes Repub-
he and recommend all Democrats TO give
il a cordial support, and cast from them
that filthy, free soil sheet the Des Moines
Courier.
The resolution in its latter clause,
where the Des Moines Courier is pro-
scribed by name, and grossly misrepre-
senled, is most extraordinary produc-
lion for the nineteenth century, the
meridian of the United States of Amer
lea, anu the State of Iowa, being no less
than deliberate attempt Of certain de-
signing politicians of the dominant par
y in This State, to bring the iron rule of
party TO bear upon the freedom of speech
and the press; to destroy the private right
of reading and examining both sides of
pofrics, where Democrats choose to ex-
eFcise tina. right; saying in effect, "open
your mouths, you poor. simple, ignorant
and credulous locolocos, and swallow the
dose we prescribe for you. You have
no right of private judgment, you are so
ignorant tina. your friends-(who are
very smart and wise and know all about
these things, )-don't consider ii safe for
you 10 read the Courier"
There are great many precedents in
8 favor OF the necessity Of adopting this
course on the part of those who seek to
retain power by any and all means
The first step Of oil such invariably is to
a. prescribe the press, except such as SO
far forge. their high and noble mission,
as to render themselves for pay and Of
flee, the subserrien, tools of aspiring ty-
rants, and unprinciped demagogues.-
Louis Napoleon is a recent instance in
point. He prescribed the independent
press Of France and made himself Prince
President. and will eventually make him.
self Emperor! lie too recommended
his own papers and prescribed all oppo-
sed to him. He could no. have succee.
ded otherwise! The spirit Of this reso-
luton is precisely the same; the power
TO carry j, out, thank God, is wanting
here. and we hope always will be want
ing. The resolution of course, so far as
il will or can affect our interests, is a
farce; j. is important only as showing
the spiri, which prompted it. Ii is as
every one knows, entirely unprovoked.
We have never thrown straw In the
way of eur nelghbor of tine Republic;
on the contrary have sought at all times
10 maintain amicable and neighborly re-
lations with him. We would not be un-
derstooc as Directing to the frs, par. of
the resolution recommending the Repub-
lie TO party patronage. That is right
anG proper, and the Republic probably
stands liz great need of it.
We don, think much of such en-
dorsements, We must say, and never
sought one, and never will. II we can't
succeed on our own merits, by pursuing
an independent course. and advocating
independent aad judicious measures, we
don't deserve. and Gon', wish patronage.
We dom, want any forced support from
any quarter. We are entirely indepen-
dent of all Cliques, County Seat combi-
nations, and political schemers, and spec.