Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1854-01-20
For the Journal.
"RaiIrOad Connections"


"RaiIrOad Connections"
''He does not ovn one square foh IF ground
in Miiseatine couniy--he has mol one dime of
stock in our railroad he has not been here as
many months as many Of our citizens hare years
and he can be moped wtth oil his baggage,
from Masculine to Moseow, for the trijfing sum
ga'V'n
sT am not doing CO., injustice when l
accuse him Of trying to SOW dissension be-
tween MIR. Farnham, the agent OF the NJ &
M. Co. and our citizens"
"He stands before you stripped of his
hypocrisy. He is then stranger
not even wife to maintain. have
correctly described co." and you will see
what interest he has in the prosperity of
Muscatine, and you will appreciate his mod-
esiy and morality, in telling us what is our
interest, when to follow his suggestions,
involves, in the outset, violation Of our
plighted faith"
repro Bono PubIico'' in reply 10 "O."l
MEssRs. EDITORS Surprised and aston
ished, yet with the deepest feeling of sym
pathy for my generous friend, ssPro Bono
Publico," respond briefly MS possible to
his last communication. When men so far
forget themselves as to cause such assertions
as those which head this article, to be pub-
lished to the world, as arguments against
an opponent in public debate, fell as
though they deserve our commiseration and
pity, rather than our condemnation and ha-
tired. Perhaps, if were as charitable as
ought to be, should consider that allusiou
to my pecuniary responsibility as an over
sight on the part of the gentleman /; but
we'll knowing that they are not words spoken
in the heat of public discussion, or on the
impulse of the moment without deiberation
orreaection but the result of CO u and dis
passionate thought, cannot with any de-
gree of justice to myself, forbear to pro-
nounce them wilful and malicious and cal
culated by the author to injurs AMI defame
his opponent.
The gentleman has lived to but little pur-
pose in this world-his little knowledge Of
human nature has all been learned in vain
if he does not know that such language
would, by the very momentum with which
he sent it forth to the public, be hurled
backw with increasing velocity, upon his own
head. He forgets that he is living in
the middle of the nlneteeth century, and
that he is surrounded by Christian civiliza.
ton and liberal humanity he forgets that
he lives in a country where the "Frcedom
of speech" is reco gnised as an ark of safety
to the institutions which have made him
what he is; he forgets that his country's
Legislators in their wisdom have drawn
no line of distinction between the high an |
the low, the rich and the poor.
Yes, Messrs. Editors, confess am poor.
The mantle of wealth never adorned my
person. Fate decrced that should travel
an humble path and murmur not at her
mandates. From early youth have fought
the battle of life almost unaidcl and alone.
While battling with the rude jousts and stern
encounters of world containing too many
"Pro Bono Publico's, could not lean
upon an arm Of wealth for support. While
struggling along year after year, with grim
visaged poverty rs my boon complnion I
was cheerei on and encouraged only by
bright glimmcrs of the little foun Hing
ohopc." When with my axeI entered the
forest and fcllea the pines that might pay
my )ard while Iattended the village school,
was conscious that to be p,or it was in
convenient, but not until read your paper
did | learn it was crime.
Tbon1b has n,n, e, "a tn o,,., h,,. |
by the sweat of my brow, and burn the mid
night oil that | might drink feeble
draught from the fountain of knowledge
yet as ungrateful as man might become,
never thought should be censured or con-
demned for my poverty. long since learn
ed that money was passport that would
conduct its possessor through the whole
world, though that possessor was as deprav.
ed as fallen Lucifer. learned, too, tina,
honest poverty, though it covered the viz.
tues of an angel, was often despised AM
trampled upon even by those who professed
to be worthy followers of the 'smeek ant
lowly Jesus" Still was unprepared to
believe that that person lived who would
ridicule and condemn, through the public
press, a poor man on account OF his poverty.
Would to heaven that for the sake Of s'Pro
Bono Puhlico, veil as dark as night could
be thrown over that uncautious act of his
But, Mr.. "Pro Bono Publico," what a
re ,ord you have inscribed on the pages OF
the past In after days and in after years
when your head is blossoming for the grave,
and when your children shall endeayor to
soothe and make glad your declining years,
will you not feel proud, sir, to have them
present the quotations which stand at tn,
head of this article, and enquire If you are
the author9 When you 60 out to join that
social circle which receives you as afrespec
table member, will it not be with con-
scious pride, that you can tell your friends
you have labored with all the influence you
possessed, both in public and private, to put
dewn young man because he was poor
As you turn over the leaves of your bible
to read to your family about that poor and