The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1852-03-24
The Herald and the Railroad Nee ting.
For the Tribune.
Mr.. EDITOR ::

For the Tribune.
Mr.. EDITOR
Although the editorial of the Herald of Fri
day was mainly directed against Mr.. Rogers
and the remarks attributed to him, yet there are
illusions to the audience which have aroused
me, as one of them, to vindicate ourselves and
to cri,icise that editorial obstinacy which, in
spite of whitening rcbuke, still presumes to
dictate to the public. At the close of the edi-
torial appears the following language:
1--WE confess that he knew his audience bet
ter than did we. He appealed to their passion
" land was successful we to their reason, and
" for the present have been disappointed
In this he intimates that the meeting was
alive to ridicuie only, and impervious to
reason. The arrogance and presumption of
claiming reason as their exclusive property, and
denying it to body numerous and respecta-
BILE, might be censured but some persons lose
their peculiar characteristics when they are not
arrogant and presuming. They here offer
insult to the meeting, and one which the Doctor
at least should have hestated to offer; tor he
expressed his entire satisfaction with the COM
position of the meeting as large, intelligent, and
fairly representing the public of Dubuque.
party who Justly loses his case, always vents
his temper by decrying the understanding of his
Judges and however he may hatter them be-
fore, always abuses them after an unfavorable
verdict. The Doctor was disappointed He
deluded himself with the singular hope of being
appointed the organ to express the decision in
his favor, and came with :he expected judgment
in his pocket But the meeting saw the inn
proprety Invisible to him) of permitting an in
terested party to decide his own case, and there
fore dsregarded the parliamentary hint given by
HIM to secure his own appointme 1T on Commit
tee. He attributes his defeat to the asm of
MIR. Rogers, but s'the worst memories of the
most inconsistent persons cannot fail to remem-
ber'' that he stated in The commencement of
his remarks, that he knew he would be voted
down--and this acknowledgment was made
before Mr.. Rogers had uttered word. His
opinions seem to have undergone striking
change since the hour he 'sblistered his hands
in applauding his eloquent opponent. If incon-
sistency has any effect in blisterng the tongue,
his mouth must now be in highly salivated and
painful state.
Mr.. Rogers made but one, and that an ex-
ceedinrly indirect and indefinite allusion TO the
project of the Dubuque g. Pemblna Road =
This was contained in the statement that Rail
roads should have other objects than chasing
Winnebago Indians. His remarks were chiefly
in reply to Mr.. Mahony, and referred almost
exclusively to the Diversion West from Cedar
Rapids to Fort Desmoines, which he condemn
ed Other speakers discussed the Pemblna
Road but short-sighted anger and mortified
vanity nave directed upon Mr. Rogers the
reply which should have been pointed else
where.
There was very singular remark mace by
Mr. Mahony which was not commented upon
at the meeting, but which involved volume of
meaning, and which, if microscopically exam
ined, may contain the key explanatory of the
e
(the Editors) were accused Of political and per-
sonal motives in opposing the Dubuque & Keo-
kuk Road Now, as this accusation was made
by one at the meeting, but raised itselfspec
tre-like before the eye of the Editor, we may
regard it as the utterance of guilty conscience
"a verifcation of Scripture, that "the wicked
flee when no man pursueth
The Editors entirely mistake their own po-
sition and the opinions of the citizens. No one
here opposes the project of Railroad from
Dubuque to Pembina and Big Sioux. No one
doubts that it would be beneficial in is order and
its tmc But to press 1t now would operate to
defeat other roads of present necessity and
greater importance. We favor the Pembna
Road, but we prefer the Keokuk Road. Even
Senator Douglas, we think, would not enforce
the Pembinl project substitute, or to
destroy the other His large and sagacious mind
can see and appreciate the benefits ascruing
from both, while the Editors of the Herald mar
row and contracted in their vision, can perceive
but one, and that the least important to Du-
buque. The resolutions so literally quoted in
the Herald, do not sanction substitution,
which was and is the true issue between the
paper and the public. Until the Editors
prove preference @ ven to the Pembna Road,
they do not approximate to proving the position
they have all along assumed. A preference
h, pf., he tyyn dc
in conflict. To pass resolutions at time
approving one Road , and at subsequent peri
cd to resolve in favor of another Road, does
not cessarlly involve an alteration of opinion,
but merely indicates wish for both, without
deciding the question of preference in the slight
est degree The resolutions quoted, after all,
urge the Pembina Road on considerations of
National importance only, and not on any ex-
pressed grounds of benefit to Dubuque. SO
they prove nothing pertinent to the true
issue.
In conclusion, if the Herald wishes to be
the organ of public sentiment, it must doff the
garment Of arrogance, and assume the garb of
modesty. Papers must reflect the public mind
They should be the mirrors, and are not The
riders of the public The Herald disputed
with our other papers, as to which best indicated
public feeling. The issue has been referred to
the only tribunal that can of right decide such
matters. The fiat Of that tribunal has gone
forth in language too strung to be ms;aken,-
and yet this paper still, continues TO argue de |
cision from which in the nature Of things, there
can be no appeal. The epitl.ct ''crazy" seems
to annoy its editors. Do they not perceive that
their present course is every day confirming the
fitness of the appellation' They are classical
will recolect, that men err,
but fools only persevere i'll error. "Humanum
est errarc vero insipients perseverance in erro-
REM.
One OF THE AUDIENCE. !
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