The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1852-03-17
TIE DUBUQUE HERALD AND OUR RAIL ROAD

TIE DUBUQUE HERALD AND OUR RAIL ROAD
ugTHREST&
We are under promise to reply to an arti'
Gle in the Herald Of the Sth inst entitled "Rail
roads to Dubuque" and will commence this
unpleasant duty. BY stating, that We were as
much surprised, AZ mortified, to witness the cool
assurance and insidious effort, displayed in that
article b. the editors, to insult the intelligence
blast the hopes and defeat the expeditions Of
= large majority Of the people ofsshis State and
City, in behalf Of a Rail Road grant
This feeling proceeded from no narrow and
selfish considerations on our part, for they may
think and crite us, toady knave or fool; class Us
with all species from BORNE to ear"tror"; raise
the black standard Of corruption and intrigue
| and invoke kindred artillery from abroad, they
will entirely fail to disturb our equanimity, OF
diver, our attention FROM the great interests Of
our State and City, to subject Of so little i'm
portance, A. personal alteration with them.
We have met them too often upon this sub
iect. not TO be aware Of the utter impossibility
Of preserving decent respect for ourselves
and the feelings ofthe community anon. whom
We live, by such 4 course. Would any one
expect sap to be extracted from stone, black
made white, truth carved out Of error, or purify
from the fssted, atmosphere Of charnclhouse
If not. then we need no counselor to remind
us of our duty, or commissioned prophet I pro-
claim that their days, as journalists in Dubuque,
are numbered, their epitaph, written upon the
pages Of their own sheet and the public heart
prepared and patiently waiting, to perform the
last sad rights due TO the meanest creature call
I'd into being.
The last few Nos. Of the Herald display the
true colors, under which its editors sail They
are out against our railroai grant, plain, palpa,
bic and beyond the possibility Of cavil or eva
sion. We have known and accused them for
months Of being opposed 20 this measure, but
they have 90 stoutly denied it on every occa-
sion, that they have succeeded to some extent,
in binding the community into thu belief, that,
although not active friends, they were not en-.
cmies to the project. But now, they have
thrown offthcir disguise, proclaimed their enmi.
~ to the measure and opened their batteries
upon our State and City. Judas like, they have
betrayed their trust, to those, who have fed cloth.
ed and comforted them; il not for fec pieces
Of sil5er, at least for an equally debasing con
sderation. Where is the man, with the fccb.
lest glimmcrings Of common sense, or one spank
Of common honesty left, who would sound the
tocsin Of war in the very sanctuary Of his bene.
factor and from pure love Of the vicious, play
he part Of q spy and traitor in aiding and
abcttiny his enemies. Stand forth III u solemn
mouhers Of public virtue, 'hou pseudo friends to
the public improvements of lows, thou verriestin
cendiarics that FIRE the dwelling in the dead hour
Of night, that they may appease their mrrriless
ambition, or rcplcnish their empty coff:rs with
the spoils OF their drbasing trade, and tell u.s.
oh, tell W, where you learned your lessons OF
public virtue, political econe my, state pride and
fdelity' Certainly not within the pale Of an
invincible judgment, at the forum OF an unsulr
lied conscience, or the sanctuary Of an incor-
ruptible heart For there you would have
been taught to respect yourselves, your position,
the interests of your City State and country.
Your aim seems to be, 10 give TO the citizens
Of this place and region, false position upon our
railroad project You knew, when you stated
that majority Of the people here, were with
you, in your railroad sentiments, that you stated
what was not true. You know now, that there
are not twenty Eve men in Dubuque, who up.
~r
you stated that we were hostile to the Pembina
road, that you stated what was not true. We
have never doubted the importance and neces-
sity Of this work and the exped,ency Of urging
il before Congress, at proper time. You knew,
when you stated that we had made "insiiioms
and deadly stabs" at Judge CLARK, that you
stated " hat was not true. We doubted the policy
Of Judge Clark, first more in Congress, fol
land donation to construct railroad from Du
bnque TO the Big Sioux. and we give our rea
dera the benefit Of that doubt and for the same
reason, We would do the same thing over again
And had Gen. Dodge, Gen. Jones, or Mr.
HEM, given % the same reason, we would have
treated them in the same manner We are not q
bound up in party and party tactics, that we
close our eyes and ears to an error, simply be
cause the individual who commits II, belongs to
"osr" party. Questions of vital interest may
srise in the country, paramount to all part
considerations, and the man who is so welded
TO party That he will not expose when he be.
holds an error in his party, is no friend to tina,
party, unfit for Journalist and the most dan.
gerous enemy the country has. But it is basely
untrue, that we have attempted to detract from
the character Of Judge Clark. We have in.
variably spoken Of him in high terms and in a
spirit Of regret that he should have given any
occasion, for doubt, nr Misrepresentation, Of his
predictions upon the iowa Land Bill. And
we are gratifed,-yes deeply erati6ed, 10 be
assured, that he il now devoting all his energies
70 the success Of this measure. II will rebound
to his credit and reclaim that confidence in
the qualities Of his head and heart, which it was
his wont to enjoy.
Thus much, we have felt called upon 10 sal
in this connection; in order to put our friends
abroad, not enemies in Dubuque, right upon this
subject.
We tell the people Of Dubuque and Of the
State. now, a. we have told them for three
months past, that the Herald's motives for OPP
posing this important land grant, are purely
political and mcanly selfish. The secret lies
in bi.tes personal hostility 10 one -ef our Sen:
ators, whose political destruction they are deter
mined to compass, regardless ofthe consequent
ces to the State. It is every mans dntv who is
friend to the Improvement, contemplated in the
bill now before Congress, to set his face against
the suicidal course Of the Herald and to correct
any erroneous suppression which its articles
may have tendency to produce.
Democratic City Meeting.
Pursuant to notice the Democracy Of the CT.
~ Of Dubuque met at the Court House on Sat-
urday, the 18th Inst for the purpose Of nomina.
ting candidates for city officers.
Gen. John G. Shields was called to the