Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1854-06-15
Correspondence of the Times.

Mr.. GREEN:-Col. Flournoy, the Democratic
candidate for Congress in this District. addressed
our citizens to-day at Utica. Knowing that the
numerous readers of your valuable journal will be
interested to learn how that gentleman conducts
the canvass, especially as his Wing competitor,
Mr.. Lindley, is absent al Washington, in the dis
charge Of his public duties, I take plessure:.i in
communicating such items as may be of interest.
In the outset LEI ME say in all candor, that Col.
Flournoy makes poor shou as candidate for a
seat in The Congress of the United States. In
point of talents, he is far below Clab Jackson,
whom our gallant Lndley vanquished so trium-
phantly during the canvass Of last summer. As a
speaker, Col. F. hardly rises TO mediocrity. It
occurred TO me that scores Of Democrats could be
found in almost every part of the district who /
would equal if not surpass him on the stump
But TO the points of his speech.
He was a friend to Internal Improvements, and
always had been! Surely he had forgotten, or
presumed his audience had, that as State Senator
some years ago, he voted against an appropriation
to improve Grand River! He also protested to
have been, from the start, devoted friend of the
Hannibal and St Joseph Railroad; yet he did not
choose to remember that he voted Nay on the bill
appropriating $4,000 for the preliminary survey
of that road Wonderful consstency!! But he
is s.eadfast and consistent on that head now, and
no mistake He believes the General Government
has ample power to build Railroads through the
Territories Of The United States-even "to COM
mencc and carry on general system'' of such i'm
provements there;-but discarding the idea that
the power of Congress over this subject was TO be
used for the benefit of the people ,riihn the
States, he was opposed TO improving the naviga-
ton of rivers, and otherwise facilitating the
trade and commerce of the country. But mark
HIM well: He thought Congress had the right to
assist, but not commence and carry on railroad
Improvements within the States by the donation
Of public lands Just here he evinced his sur
passing liberality, by saying that he was opposed
to the principle of raising the price of government
lands along Railroad lines TO So so an acre, and
he was for reducing the price 10 ST 25. Well,
that doctrine may not be so bad in Missouri or
other new States, but opine it will require man
of more decided ability than esteem Col. F. to
be, if the General Government is soon induced to
make such concession. Hard work we know it
was TO get grant of lands for our railroads on
the terms we did, and then it was only obtained
the transaction.
Col. F. was in favor of graduating the price of
public lands, but was still more in favor of dona-
ting them TO the States in which they lie. But he
didn't tell us how soon he would bring these
things about, nor how he would induce the older
States, who have the power, to favor this be-
nifcent scheme without any corresponding re-
turn for their own lands, which have long since
gone to enrich the Golfers of the General Govern
ment, and which fund has been shared by the new
States as well as the old.
Lastly, in regard to the slavery question, &C.,
Col. F. denied that it was the duty of Congress to
interfere in the settlement of the question in the
Territories, but did not deny the po,rer of Con-
gress over the subject-an omission doubtless in
tended to gull the Benton men of our county into
his support. He justified his position on this
point with some new and striking iustrations.-
For instance, he maintained that Congress had no
power 10 impose a constitution upon the State of
Missouri without the consent of the people there
in--as though he could find any one who ever as
sumed or commended for such power. He also
insisted that the citizen, when he passes out of the
limits of the United States, has the power and ca
pacity of seIf-government: An argument at once
conclusive and overwhelming!
But fear grow tedious. In conclusion may
remark that from the thin attendance of Demo-
Gratis at Utica to-day, we may well presume that
Flournoy is not the man that can rally them 10
the polls in August. But you may rest assured
that The skies are bright for Lindley in this re-
gion. Yours truly, HAMPDEN.