The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1852-07-28

1
| pass the ertraordinary speech of Mr.. Cook, by
withou, some comment.
In opening the subject, we may candidy re-
mark that this is the first occasion, in the brief
history of our lives, that we have ever known
man to address the people in behalf OF himself,
as candidate for purely political office, like
that Of Representative 10 Congress. without
renturing to discuss single political issue of the
times.
Had Mr.. Cook no political views to present,
| or has his party lost all hope of success with
the people, as party Of principle? Did he
fear to meet the just responsibility, of public
scrutiny of his fatll, as a party man, or was ne
apprised Of the overwhelming rebuke that await
ed him in this strong democratic latitude, ii he
ventured to breathe his political convictions =
These are qu stions pertinent, to the occasion.
Where are the Joasted theories Of Bank, Tar
| if. Distribution, Free Soilism, &c. &c.' lave
they no power left, to bring their re.reant friends
back into the pale ofth-ir first love- Are they
40 dead to the affections Of their former lcorshP-
1 ers. that they merit no breath of reverence,
from such, as once delighted to honor them p
| Where are the truant sons Of Hamilton, that they
have fled from their creator and seek to hide
| themselves and their nakedness, in shame ?
Has the venerable spirit, of that world renown-
ed and consecrated champion, who has been gath,
cred to his Fathers, lost its once potent charm,
TO save and regenerate Ga men of Federal
| ism, why have you forsaken your faith, your
| early recolections and vows, your great apos.
ties from whom you received your early politi-
cal nourshment, and consigned yourselves ir-
retrievably to the hated, bgoted and detested
policy, of AVAILABILITY?
All, we fear the Spells of Office and the desire
| to obtain and retain them, has undermined your
political constitution.
But we must notice other objections to the
speech of Mr.. Cook. His main effort seemed to
be, to appeal to the local prejudices of,he CON-
munity, upon the great prominent and exciting
Question Of the times in this State-the Rail
Road Although we are a strong friend and ad-
| vocate Of this policy, we cannot excuse the man
who will entirely leave the legitimate issues OF
the day and boldly take the stump as cand.
date for the high post Of Representative to Con-
oress. with no recommendation but an avowed,
desire aud determination, to obliterate the
politics of the State, by feeding the fumes of
local and sectional jealousy, war and disorgan-
cation We are aware that this fire originated and
has been famed, in the southern p rtion of the
| d strict, ard fr n the course that men in tina,
vicinity have pursued, that causes have been
multiplied for similar feeling in the Northern
! and Central portions of the State; still we can
not sanction either its Justice policy, and
may be permitted to hope, that it will be dis
/ countenanced by the rejecting portion of both
political parties. 1t is a question which has
| nothing at all to do with politics, and the man
| who makes it an exclusive question with the
people for their suffrages, merits defeat.
Mr. Cook stated in his speech, that the "Iowa
Land Bill was dead and under The table. This
is an entire mistake. From the best information
we can gather, the Bill, although much enfee-
bled from the shock it received, is gradually
| reviving and may yet be fully restored to health
and passed by the House, before the close Of
the session. We do not regard it a gone
"gooss" yet.
Mr. Cook stated, that he was not partial to
"Benne,s Land Distribution Bill, but If elected,
as last resort, might 60 for it. This we pro
nounce cqu;vocaI, and amply sufficient 10 re-
ject him in the estimation Of all thoroughgoing
and well conditioned democrats. He also sta
tod hat this tth,ll MT rol;t;c,l ,,oasuro
and that it bore no resemblance to the old Fed
eral scheme of Distribution Of the Proceeds
Of the Public Lands" among the States. We
deny both propositions. The bill was intro
duced by prominent wing Of New York, and
according to MIR. Cook own showing, received
the support Of every wing member of The House
and will receive the support ofevery whig mem.
Der ofthe Senate This is testimony conclu-
sive on this point. In reply to the second
point we would ask Mr.. Cook, or any Of his
Iii, rds, wha. a,Tv,..Se u.ers - eetseen
giving to the State, the proceeds Of the public
lands in money, or land scrip. The land scrip
is equivalent to money, as much as a bank note
isequivalent to money. Indeed il is more so;
because the holder in the one case, has the
guarantee of the government, while in the other,
he has but the guaren'ee ola State, corporate
body, or an individual. Both are paper, con-
ver,ihle into specie and subject to the caprice
of public opinion. The enc, protected by thu
faith of the Government; the other, by the
faith of State, company, or individual Will
Mr.. Cook, or his friends, have the kindness, to
~, l..,t:,~
Mr.. Cook also stated, as a reason, for the
passage of the "Missour Land Bill, and th.
defeat Of the "lowa Land Bill thrt, Missouri
was represented in part by wings; and therefor,
argued, that he as a Wig, should be sent to
Congress from this State, in order to secure ..
grant. Baseless foundation and mpo,ent con
c'usion. Was not Mr.. Cook aware, that an
arrangement was entered into, by which the
Missouri delegation, or portion of that d,lepa
ton, was to support proposition for modify
ing the Tariff, in the event that their bill should
be pass. d, and that the same identical propo
sition was made to the Iowa delegations Come
come, Mr.. COX, face the music, and let u
know what your good wing friends in Congress
have been about
One more objection and we have me- Mr.
Cook alluded to his course in the Legislature
upon the subject Of the New Code, and denied
that he was at all responsible, for that miserable
batch Ut Inconsistencies, and aLs1rdit,es
After repudiating the charge, HIT he had
voted for the Code, We felt mortified, that he
should have acknowledged, that when The sub.
Ject was first introduced into the Legislature,
he stepped frward and proposed that It should
be passed without looking into I, TO ascertain
what it contained Or, in his own professional |
and expressive language, hat he "pas ptiing T.
got blind" Can't be possible that man, who
so vnuntingly boasts of his negligence, stupidity
and inexcusable disregard Of the interests of
his constituents and the people Of the State, by
exultingly avowing, that upon subject of
such weigh:y and vital importance TO the public
= 1881 '0iiiixg to 60 IL uir1," can in the