The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1854-02-01
From the Linn County Register.

ed last week in the Progressirc Era, of which
paper you are the proprietor, communication
addressed to me personally and signed by
Yourself The time when the communication
was placed in the hands Of the c"'npnsors,
prevented me from replying lally in the same
number, and simply took occasion 10 say al
the 81 Sc Of brief valedictorv 10 the readers Of
the Era, that your inputlions upon my char
ucier v ere g unjust, untrue, and uagenerous :
Rest assured sir, tina, the appearance of your
charges in public print, is all that induces he
tn arl swer them.
Tiiht may not misreprescnt you, will
quote few sentences which ncern me ind
sdually
"J J CmLp Esq-DEAR SIR IL am not |
a little astonished atyour editorial attack in the
last " Era" upon our Senators in Congress -
You were employed by me to take charge of
the paper with the understanding, that it should
be conducted upon Democrr tic principles, and
sustain with dignity the usages and policy of
our tmc honored party =
" Bot tn my utter surprise in the Sth No,
appeared severe and unprovoked attack upon
our distinguished Senators This article as
you know was not seen by me until after II was
published, aud then it met with my unqualified
condemnation
i" In order 10 set myself and paper right,
prepared an article disappearing the course you
had pursued, which would have teen published
had you not come out with an explanation, and
give the private pledge that you would utterly
desistirom similar attacks in future =
6 Your remarks in theaiast paper upon the
subject Of the bill introduced in the Senate OF
the United State by Gen. Dodge for grants Of
land to aid in the construction Of Railroads in
Iowa, are uncalled for, unjust, anti democratic
and in utter disregard of my views and your
repca'e ed pledges to me.
If it was your design to intimate that there
wns any verbal or written understanding be-
tween yourself and nue. before my connection
with the Era, as to the manner should con-
duct it, the intimation is entirely inconssten,
with truth. | entered the office unpedged ard
uninstructed, with no monitor but my own
judgment and sense OF duty. The connection
was bref,e xendng at the ta-thest 10 the first OF
April next. was in fact a temporary Editor,
receiving trfiing remuneration, and expecting
to be mainly benefited by the opportunity Of
forming acquaintances in the county. Had you
at that time insisted that | never should alude
20 a public servant Of the democratic faith, ex-
cept with meay .mouthed alteration, conf IS
il would have struck me as novel in paper
which had subj cited Judge Clark, while IN. m
Der of Congress- to the severest crltlcism.-
Had you required that / should become CO.
worker with those whose Tercenary interests
il is 70 deceive the people of Iowa as to the
official services Of Messrs Dodge and Jones,
would have told you, Mr.. Greene, to hun,
somebody else to fawn and hatter that you
might thrive.
Now, sir, as to those" repeated pledges.
When the article appeared in No. ), which
you now call an unprovoked attack upon our
distinguished Senator's but which call an
effort to harmonize the party by maintaining
that Democrats were free TO choose between
men and should not be stigma'ized as disorgan-
izers because they preferred that some one else
should succeed either of our distinguished
Senator's" when that article appeared you did
object 10 il, as afterwards, stated publicly in
the paper. Your grounds Of objection were
all for reasons personal to yourself, except one.
But you made no objections as Democrat OF
member Of the party. ! do not feel at liberty 10
state more fully this portion ef the conversation
between ourselves at that time but it resulted
in an understanding that should avoid wri
ting upon any subject which involved recess
sity Of referring to Dodge and Jones.
That understanding would have been per-
formed to the letter by me, had yos not yourself
waved II in the most positive manner When
the Burlington Gazette, in its character Of
Dodge organ, assaied you and near relative,
you called upon me and stated that | was at
full liberty 10 reply as saw fit That should
not be mistaken in your meaning-that | should
aim in reply at the grand solar himself, and not
at the satellite merely, you threatened Dodge
with your personal opposition on account of the
course his organs were pursuing Besides, sir,
you gave to others in Cedar Rapids, mysterious
hints Of what revolutions you were likely to
cause in that gentleman 8 political fortunes
When replied to the Gazeue's attacks, and in
doing SO held the principal responsible TO. thu
approved acts of his agent, you expressed to
myself and others your entire and unqualified
approval of my article. Compare, sir some
pl1nages in that article with your pre- sent obse-
quions bearing towards Mr. Dodge, and ynu
win stand astonished at your capacity to sacr-
fee a friend at the shrine Of patronage.
have but to add cne more item, and will
then have stated the substance of all the con-
versations we have had respecting the editorial
department Of the paper, except the last which
took place at the time left the office. Some
five or six weeks ago you expressed to me an
opinion that it was ADVISABLE to stop further
newspaper controversy. had no hesitation in
complying; especially as my connection with
the paper was soon to cease. That did com
ply, the MHscatine Enquirer, Miners Express,
and Burlington Gdzctte can bear witness.
These, sir, are the facts upon which VOC
have to base your charges against me Of VIC
iaing pledges. They do not sustain you.
The remainder of your article is made up of
ed shrewcly. Eulogies are Whist they stand in
need Of !
will close by a reference to my article Of
December 25th, on the s. Iowa Land Bill, =
which you made the pretext of your onslaught.
That article describes the route running across
the State for which the bill proposes grants Of
land, to wit: from Keokuk and Burlington,
Davenport, Dubuque, and McGregor's Land
ins-some thirteen hundred miles Of railroad
i Was apprehenslve that the objection of asking
too much, which or delegation had previously
found fatal, would be made by a majority in
Congress to this bill. What further wrote
you call an editorial attack upon our Senat-
ors;" but will quote my remarks that the pub
lie may determine whether they not such
as good citizen, and Democrat who inteiec-
tualy understands the relations of representa-
lives and their constituents, could properly
make; and whether you have not displayed
more eagerness Than common sense in sezing
upon that article as the ground Of assailing me
and putting Messrs. Dodge and Jones.
The past is far from iustifying any expec.
tation that this bill will become law La
framing il the Memorial of the last Legislature
has been strictly followed. But we trust that
the delegation will not adhere to this bill any
longer than there is prospect of its pas age
that they will not shelter themselves behiad it
and make il the lazy pretext OF accomplishing
nothing at all. Now is the time to make a
strike for Iowa. Public feeling and Congress
sio, al feeling are favorable TO railroad grants
Illinois, MissoHri and Arkansas entered the race
with US, and haveswoa magnificent prizes. while
poer Iowa has had.to be content with the liable
and eloquent speeches of her representation.
Messrs. Jones, Dodge, Cook, Hem, give us
hereafter more consolation than this, or else
dispense with the mockery of railroad bills.
The delegation should remember that their
intelligent constituents have not instructed
them for the purpose of elosiog heir efforts
They nsve not been dealt with as if they were
ur.thinking machines-we expect them to do
something the bill introduced by Hon. Sen :
ator Dodge is not likely TO pass both Houses,
then let not the whole session be exhausted
upon it, but another bill be franed which will
secure approval Railroad grants are wha,
the people want. Norailroad can be built across
the State, east and west, which will not attract
the eye of the country, and induce the emf
grafton and the introduction Of capital through,
A