Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-06-03
The Republic and Ourseif

Baltimore Presidential Convention, left
on Monday for the Fast. During his
absence the business of the River Land
Office, it is said, will be attended TO by
his step-son. There is not much busl
ness probably in the office at present,
and this young man, inexperienced as
he is, may be competent to transact what
there is; but il is melancholy to know
that great Improvement so vitality i'm
portant TO all our interests, is reduced to
such condition, that the Commissioned
and Treasurer can thus abandon its en-.
tire control and management to such in
experienced hands.-Des Moinos Cou.
rier of the goth uh.
1--WE are authorized TO pronounce the
above statement wilful. malicious, and
base LIE fabricated for the purpose
Of stabbing in the back one of the sop
position" who had just taken temporary
leave of town, and for the purpose OF
creating false impression in the coun-
try, where the facts ir the case were not
known, nor likely TO be through that I'M
scrupulous half wing and half abolition
sheet, against the democratic party
Had the new editor of the Courier, who
presides over the "dark' portion of that
paper, been less hasty in his determine
ton to attempt TO cast odium upon an
opponent, and thus to shock the moral
sensibilities of wings as we'll as the sop
position" and made inquiries of others
than school boys on the streets, he would
have acted the par. of high minded
and honorable gentleman, and would
have learned that Thomas G.. Given,
Esq, had charge Of the River Land Of
flee during Mr.. GiIlaspy's ABSENCE
DIS Moines Republic Of the 9Th I'LL.
How flippan, he gets off the LIE!-
How naturally and heartily he uses this
kind of language, appropriate only to
the lowest specimen of humanity. Blu.
read the following:
THIS is TO CERTIFY that on
Monday the l7th day of May. 1852,
had conversation with Col. George
Gillaspy, Secretary of the Board Of
Public Works, which was as foliows:-
| asked MIR. Gillaspy whether Joseph
Leighton would attend to the business of
the Land Office during his absence a,
the Baltimore Convention, and he replied
as follows: mo sir! William NJ.
Rooms, will attend to it while am gone"
[ then asked MIR. G.. if he (young
koons) could attend to il. He said,
"Yes, there was nothing to do, except to
hand GU. Deeds" .
This conversation took place before
the Store door of A. Nudge q Co., on
the same morning tina, Col. Gillaspy
started TO Baltimore. II. Ill. Warden
was present during the conversation, and
was conversing with Col. G.. when
asked him the above questions. .r
JOSEPH w. CALDWELL.
Nav 3lsl, 1852. .. ...
We are fully authorized by Joseph
Leighton, ESQ.,, and DR.. G.. G. Warden,
10 state in this connection, tina, Mr.. Gil
laspy, on the morning of his departure
came into their Store, and requested Mr..
Leighton to inform anybody wishing
Deeds, that they could be had by calling
on William NJ. Rooms This step-son.)
The declarations of the Col. himself,
taken in connection with the fact that
young Rooms has invariably called for
the mail matter for the Board of Public
Works, since his departure, seemed to
us to be quite sufficient to justify US in
announcing, in connection with the de-
parture of the distinguished gentleman,
on his political mission, which we did
partly as matter of courtesy, and part
ly as an item of political news, that the
office was left in charge of the young
man in question. We certainly intended
no disrespect TO either. The language,
except to the prejudiced eyes of the ed
itor of the Republic, imports none. We
could not design to deceive any one, for
the declarations of the Col. were made
publicly, and above board as his dec
larations generally are. There is really
nothing of it, except an exhibition cf the
spirit which actuates the Republic to-
wards rs and the readiness with which il
seizes upon even the flimsies. opportuni-
~ to stab us, and injure our reputation
with the public.
But, since the editor of The RepuJHc
has forced the ma tier before The public
in the light in which it now stands, and
proclaims itself the especial defender OF
all negligence on the part of the Officers
of the Des Moines River improvement,
we will take the liberty of asking what
right Messrs Gillaspy and Van Antwerp
have to be running over the whole coun.
try TO attend political Conventions, while
they are paid good salaries by the State
to attend 10 the improving Of the Des
Moines River! What connection has
the making of Party platforms and the
nominations Of candidates for State Of.
| icers by the Democratic party, a, Iowa
l (Nit,y tho nnn,.nnt,a., 81