The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-07-12
Letter from Iowa.

unaoyed satisfaction II has been 10 the democracy
here sure guarantee that General Pierce in his seec
tons OF dsng ushed for Office makes fitness OF tall
enis primary necessity The duties Of the Patent Of
hee are In The nature OF things, peculiar and varied
Their proper administration required capabilities ranging
with this variety and completely. In the length and
breadth of the land there could not have been found
man uniting all the qualifications demanded by this Office
IN so eminent degree Mr.. Mason He has talents,
industry hrmness, integrity, and direcness OF purpose
seldom united In cqnilibo undIsurbed by eccentricy
other mutations OF thought Ills mind has two disn.
gushing traits, rarely found in combination quickness
Of thought and practical application In fact is Of
the few remarkable ntrllecls have ever known. lis
range is wide, embracing in its field every physical sci
ence Or these, he is OF the few OF his years who
may be styled MASTER" He grasPs his subecsNvith-
out the labor OF ordinary mnds and conpe their
relations BY projects oil synhess that iniuyey
TO exhaust every relation and embrace every bearing
This accurate habit OF thought belongs to but few minds
they generally Of high mathematical order Such pc
cuary the type Of his mind yet the eDlae sphere OF
It's range, compasses with The drectness ofaioci.
nation the varied and great topics of the day, He APP
proaches all SUBJECTS Sir lsaac Newton approached his
elescope-to ascertain The nature Of things not their
causeto fix the laws OF their order aud harmony, 10
inquire into the nys.ees Of their being.
Judge Mason has not heretofore been known 10 the
public. His habits and those OF the parli-
library ami at his profession OF law He is learned
schoar-sound and orthodox juris His decisions
have aempered mercy with justice, yet without impli-
eating the integrity OF that slernGr rule whose aegory is
the uncompassonae blind. He appointed in 1886.
by MIR. Van Buren,, chief justice OF Iowa. The reports
of the supreme court OF that State during the eight years
he presided are marked with ability, legal acumeD
clearness and uniformity, that bear favorable comPar
son with The standard and most accepted decisions In the
jurisprudence of The country AS lawyer and juist, he
never misook the shadow for the substance The epecia
ties of pleadnglhe Of mmatealities arrayed
acslhe through which the ingenuity and devices
of counsel carried their cases-neyer misled him. He
reached the main facts as by inion When he charged
Jury or decided point OF law, he cleared away the chat
and rubbish Of attorneys with the force OF the storm that
sweeps the sky Of the clouds and vapos that hide its
sunshine. His integrity and honesty of purpose were
doubted This conviction gave 10 all his decisions
such sanction and power that they wire seldom disturb.
ed by appeals, and rarely failed to give satisfaction
As advocate, he distinguished by dreclness
nes.ness and nervous energy characteristics o! strong
minds. He had but few words they were 10 the point
He gropei darkiy in his lie saw clear
way and made ii clear others BY few and eesr terms.
lie never appealed 10 the passions OF jurors He assaed
the citadel and carried il by storm. All his argu
mens addressed 10 the understanding, receiving the
axiom OF great lawyers when this is convinced passion
prepossessiuHs, and interests will soon capiialsie
Judge Mason educated at the Military Academy
West Point; lie wns graduated in 1870, in The lead
OF a class distinguished for great and varied talents He
is one of The few who have left tina, institution confess
edy far in the lead of His fellows is every department
OF the sciences and arts he alike prominent. Even
in the French language OF which be had never heard
word spoken when he entered the institution, he was
ahead. Whether in ethics. drawing. the laboratory Of
chemistry pyrotcchny-in the dry details OF mineral
ogy the spec nlalons of geoogyihe analysis OF Le
m nj Lam
nerylhe practice OF artillery The theories OF tactics,
he coniesscdis without bis equal
In The stern discipline and study OF West Point the
main traits of Judge Mason's character took root He
approaches all subjects there taught ITO 20 al them
be Their master As there there is tampering with
studesno indir cton by which books may be take up
and laid down whou, Their thorough analysis no half
way finish by the cutting OF leaves and turning
their pasesbe has satisfaction ia partial knowledge
but goes and their effects As there the research
OF others search OF his, he cannot accept the in
yesga tons OF others but analyses Tor himself II IS
OF his pasmes systematic everything about him His
farm is cultivated by system its appointments in the
order Of squadrons and plaoons and regularity and u
y In all ils arrangements the paramount consIea
ton The high tone OF officer, and the un.oed purity
OF the gentleman, mark all his Transactions with men
lie DISSEMINATION and deceit, and with unmlstskc-
able emphasis repels every approach by iDdrecuon aud
caiolcry The common fuesse and legerdeman OF poll.
cians are loeign TO his nature lie would never con-
sent TO be candidate for popular Office sought il TOO
generally Is al the cost Of .elfrespec and the sacrifice
Of the jecofum and ptopfiety OF genteman's pri.
vacy.
The mos, valued trait that marks the character OF
Judge Mason is the purity and integrity OF bis private
lie This is without bemsh ! There is not the mai
living who "cas the slone" al him. His brh.risbt
was net fortune but was OF higher vaue-an incor.
rup,ibe and upright manhood. These are things that
DO no, come and 90 with the ordinary baz ,rds and
chances OF life. They are the only foundation, Of true
fame. Without them The fugitive blaze and ecla OF suc
cesses and ampbs achieved by expedebts end chance
are as The 6u glare OF the meteor the undmned light
Of the fixed and living star
Judge Masonis a democrat OF the Jackson school lie
has preferred not 10 figure a politician He was
strong advocate OF the comuronsc measures and wages
war OF determination all agitaors OF those questions
He is opposed TO experiments our political system,
thai offers the sure guarantee OF great good IL let alone
lie is strict cons,ruconist OF the constitution, seeing
IN its execution in lis plain terms the promise OF liberty
TO the world. The impress OF bis remarkable mind is
ndeliby written in the constitution and statutes OF iowa
He was the main advocate for the reform Of constu-
onai abuses AS they existed in the Older States
OF which have found place in the laws eli his State.
There is probably State ia The Union that may boast
constitution 50 highly con ervave OF the integrity OF
Saerghts the rights OF lis citizens and it's relations
the federal powers of the general government. Under
lis bene6cen operations the State is wthoa, calendar of
crime, and its peni,entiary is ito rent"
The capabilities OF such a mao brought TO bear upon
the complicated affairs of the Patent Obcs must resu
in great good Its OF unfinished and confused bu-
sness must soon be brought mo method and order The