The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1852-06-23

HE tat. of he Bill bnt we do no. envy ihe
Mr. {. has acquired, by dissenting
$50, Tho entire G enarcssiona d. legation OF hi
.wn State, and the delegations Of every IVES
ern state. 10 his ungencrous aud unW"r hy
or.s 10 defeat that bill. Flrnncss III JUS
cause is a virtue; but bisot' d s'ubbornness
n adcring to an erroneous opinion TOR Pftde and
iignifics sake, is a qualification which should
ne yer bcons 10 pnblic servant
snompson CampbrIls Speech And The
secret Letter.
We have inst I'M she'd careful p'ru>as "i Tue
speech Of Mr. Thompson Campbell N the House
Of Representatives on the 18Th ultim", against
the "lowa Land Bill
After two hours study of til speech, wl'h
= natural bias in favor Of MIR. G. rs a man of
mental power, and disposed to be liberal IN our
views Of his eft 1T. however much we regret nus
impolitic, opposition to the West and Western
improvements. we must view this effort, as one
Of the f,.eb!.st, il point Of ability and research,
,L,t We have ever witnessed, coming from
gentleman Of his pretensions and reputation.
IN the forcpart of Mr.. Campbell speech, he
introduces letter from the Cnmsnittec, appoint
ed by The R,pids Convention, held at Burning
ION l,s, Fall. for the purpose Of collecting and
forwarding to Washington, statistics Of the com
mercc Of the Upper Mississippi, protesting III
the strongest terms against the passage o. inc
siowa Land Bill.
II il our purpose III ,hi, article 10 examine the
nature of that letter, deirfing review OF the
speech for our next No.
This protect az anst the Iowa lGnd Elll IS
most remarkable feature in the conduct OF that
Committee, and strainin.s OF Official power
which no state Of circumstances can pardon IL
is well known to every member of that conr>n
! ton. among whom were this committee, that the
subject Of this railroad grant was never moot"d,
that it did no, belong TO that converts N I" inter
fcre with il and that had it been brought i2rward
It would have been voted out Of the Convention
promptly, or the Convention would have broken
I'D in row We had our doubts about he object
oithose (BurHngtonians) who originated the idea
Of holding that Convention, and we freely s.atr'
them, as arising from well understood opp 81
lion to railroad grant for this Stat; hut VIC
were met al the threshold, hy every journal II
that City, and eau ioned not 10 allow either ou
zeal for our favorte railroad project, or ou
cupid.ty, TO lead US estray. Flaty did they
contradict that they had any such motive, Il
ret INC up that Cnnven.ion and yet, what d'
we behold in this letter, from the Committee
to Campbell, which viii be found in an othe
column, but most uilpaEdonab,c stretch
official authority, and a faregonc determination
4 to appropriate the influence and po"er OF tina
, Conyen,ion-pa participated in by four States an'
, one Territory, allot WHICH are N favor OF TN
railroad grant to feed the local abl'on OF Bur
linuton and Galena, and nou-isl the sp'e cen Q
Tom Campbell and a few hot heads south Q
u.s. 1t will be born in mind, that the signeF
Of his letter. are all residents Of Burlington
{ and although they were appointed ior one spec
, ific purpose, that of collecting and forwardin.
to Washington the statistics Of the Upper MIS-
, sissippi commerce and had no authority diree
from the Convention, or implied from the ohlec
. which called that convention together, to 9
behind the legitimate sphere OF collecting an
, forwarding such statistics; yet they have don
so and not only in effect, but il language throng
thei. letter, have failed to reflect the sentiments
and even msrepresented the known and pub
lished views of seven e'ghts OF the people, WI
were supposed TO have been represented III Una
. Convention.
, Not only has the state Of iowa almost unah'
, mousy commended TO the favorable attention 9
! Congress, the Iowa Land Grant, but Missouri
, Wisconsin and all the representatives. from III
noiS, except Campbell, have shown themseive
/ true friends and supporters OF the enter
, prise. Yet these wise acres OF Burlington, ms
{ representing the views Of delberatIve body
they were bound to respect and obey, proclair
that Io,oa and the entire North TEST ecere oppos
ed to THIS grant
When men will resort t. snch means, to sc
2 cIre the defeat Of great public improvement
t because they Imagine that improvement, Is
effect iniurously their local interest, 1t IS rcaii
: sad reflection upon their generosity, PRIDE
f character and devotion to the interests OF TN"
state. 1t is palpablc too, that from the cnurs
!, of Campbell, in reading that letter upon IN
aoor Of the House. and when requested an
: strongly urged TO produce the MINES OF the Con
mittce, refusing TO do it, stating as reason, thi
4 they might aots4 their names PRESCRIBED from
! public, that there was consci' usness on IN
part of both the Committee and Campbell, thu
D they had travelled out Of the sphere Of their 'e
climate duties in making use of any such lei
4 ter