Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1854-04-15
WEDNESDAY, April. IL, 1854.
- James w. Grimes Circular.

7 Mr.. James w. Grimes, the Wig candi-
date for Governor, has issued an able and
comprehensive circular, addressed "to the
People of Iowa. Accepting the nomina-
ton of the Convention, he addresses the
people in this manner, because he will be
compelled to be absent from the State dur
ing portion Of the summer.
/IIe is in favor of the speedy amendment
of the Constitution of our State. One rea-
son is, that he thinks judges should be elects
ed by the people instead of by the Legisla-
tive Assembly. He says
sEvery body admits that the character of
the inferior tribunals Of the State is supe-
rior to that of the Supreme bench. IT, there
fore, it is important to elevate the charac~
| ter of the Supreme Court, as ! believe it is,
| the Judges of that Court should be elected
by the people, as are now the Judges of the
| District Courts. If learning, frmness and
| impartiality, are superior as qualifications
1 for Judges, to party fealty and partizap SER
| vices, the selection Of those important Of
fcers should be left with the people instead
Of being made the subject for corrupt Leg
| islativc bargainings.
! Mr.. Grimes refers to the issue between
| Wings and Democrats on the banking ques-
ton in this State, and favors change in
that part of the Constitution which prohib-
! it's banks and BANKING institutions, so as to
allow them to be established in the State,
under proper restrictions. He asks Iowa
to profit by the recent experience of the
ncighboring States of Illinois, Indiana,
Michigan and Wisconsin.
II In regard to prohibitory liquor law, We
make this extract:
| s.Should, therefore, an act be passed eth
er prohibiting the sale Of intoxicating
| liquors, or licehsing their sale, would Of
elected approve the law, unless, in my
| Judgment, palpably unconstitutional. 1t
would be a violation Of my own principles,
MS we'll rs of the party to which belong, to
endeavor to thwart in any degree, the wishes
of the people Of the State as expressed
through their representatives. The friends
Of both the prohbitory, and of the license
systems must bear in mind that the execu-
tive Of the State has nothing whatever to do
with the preparation of the laws. To the
members to be elected to the General As
sembly, therefore, they must look for the
consumation of their wishes IN this be-
half.'
On the subject of Internal Improvements
he says:
"It has ever been the Wing doctrine, that
70 the General Government belongs the
power and duty Of increasing and protect
ing the Commerce of the country by works
of internal improvements that are general
and national in their character. Hundreds
IF Of Anli !
by the General Government in the improve.
ment of rivers and harbors on the Atlantic
seaboard, and now when they are complet-
ed, and the commerce of the western rivers
and lakes has increased to $50 900 900 an
ually, we are told that the ystem of inter-
nal Improvements is improper and uneonsti-
tutor1il, and that if We wish to Improve our
rivers, We must ascent to tonnage duties on
1ur own commerce. After draining the west
! to perfect the improvement Of eastern har-
bors, aud whilst voting annually, millions
Of dollars, to build light houses, and break
waters, and to support navy, all for the
protection OF eastern commerce, the west is
told that her commerce must LAM uish unless
she commits feio de Sc by voluntary taxa
ton.
Mr.. Douglas has introduced a bill into
the United States senate, by which the nine
States bordering on the Mississippi river are
authorized to bind themselves into a con-
federated commercial community, for the
purpose Of levying these duties and making
the necessary Improvement. How he dis
DOSES of the first clause of Article l, Section
10, Of the Constitution, which declares that
mo State shall enter into any treaty. ALI
ance, Or confederation is not known. Or.
how the section Of the celebrated ordinance
Of 1887, which declares that the ssnavigable
waters leading into the Mississippi and St.
Lawrence, and the carrying places between
thu same, shall be common highways and
foerrer free, as well to the inhabitants of
said Territory as to the citizens of the
United States, and those of any other States
that may be admitted into the Confederacy,
tcitaout arg mr, impost, or duty therefor" is
to be evaded, have not learned.
/ ! But, in whatever way these and MANY
iothsr very serious objections are overcome,
Lit is enoegh for us to know that the pro-
posed plan is both impracticable and unjust.
1t is system tina: is calculated to iniure
the west by depreciating the value of her
agricultural productions and mineral wealth
+ To the extent of the tax imposed. 1t is
hardly possible to suppose that any one be-
iieyes thai the system is at all practicable.
Who believes that these nine States can act
/ 10 hirmony on single question How is
4 their bussess to he conducted? Is there
/ co bo Cons tuition to bind them together
-and new Congress to legslate for them?
Is there 10 be Supreme Court to decide
disputes arising between them, and new
| army raised and supported to enforce its
DEGREES? 1t seems to me that a more alb
surd and prepostereus project was never
presented 10 Congress, and a more suicidal
policy could not be adopted by the west.
Upon the Homestead bill he remarks:
il Ilcsard tns Homestead bill as benifceat
in its character, and as ealcuiusscd TO GREAT
~ advance tie material interests Of Iowa.
Bat cannot give my assent to all the pro.
visions of The bill recently passed by the
House of Representatives, and now pending
in the Senate. cannot assent to the prin-
ciple OF discriminating against foreigners
who come to Tire country with a bona fde
Intention to- become citizens. do not con-
cur in the recent promulgations of southern
politicians, that our institutions are in dan.
ger from foreign immigration, and abhor
tho sentiment announced by Senator Butler,
that Iowa would be more prosperous with
the institution of slavery, taan with her in
dustrious ard patriotic German population.
believe that the Homestead bill now un~
der consideration in the Senate, should be
so amended as to allow foreigners coming
TO our shores with the intention 10 remain,
and Who declare their intention 10 become
citizens, so enjoy tho same advantages un-
der the law, as though they were born on
American soil.