Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1854-10-10
The Minnie sotian and its Ow5asi

&c The AAinneso.ian and its Owsssr. - So
Some few months since, as the most of our
readers are aware, the Hon. Henry NJ Rice, pur-
chased the Minnesotian, type, press, office, furni-
ture, and tools, among which was John r.
Owens. The object of the purchase was this.
MIR. Rice had certain purposes to accomplish, the
successful execution Of which, would require
large amonnt'Ot dirty, scavcnger work to beper--
Formed. Casting about for proper instrument
to be employed in this work, his choice naturally
fell on John p. Owens. In this selection MIR.
Rice displayed his usual tact and discrimination.
No man is more cinincntly fitted by nature, taste,
habit, and education, for the position of party
scavcnger, than John p. Owens. lie enters into
the work, not a matter of necessity but con
GmOre. He is only in his element while tradu-
cling and vififying the honorable and good, and
praisng and cxtolliny the vicious and corrupt.
The language of Billnsgate is his yernacular, and
with such perfect command, and easy grace, does
he handle the vocabulary Of the Fish markets
and Newgate Calender, that he "seems to the
manner born.''
You half excuse his vilcst assaults upon good
men, from the necessity of his nature. which inn
pels him to the act. He so far cXcels the Ned
Buntinc's the Scorpions and Flashes of the
press, which issue from the puriieu's of vice, in
the recklessncss and wickednesS Of his assaults,
that like Satan among the fallen angels, he COM
mandS sort of admiration for the gigantic pro
BY the terms of the purchase, he was to give his
genius full scope in tho business for which he
was employed, and was to receive in oonsidera-
ton therefor, bed, board, and pin-moncy, so long
his services should be required, with the privi-
lcge the part of the purchaser, of transferring
him over to some other party, on the same terms
when he should be disposed. -
In accordance with this arrangement, Owens
has since been scdulously employed in abusing
many prominent citizens Of the Territory, and es-
pecialy portion of the St. Paul press, which
dared to expose the shameful fraud which had
been practiced upon the Territory. The limos and
Pioneer, having efectualy and completely expos
ed the knavery, corruption and infamous motives,
which nstigated these insults, and totally nullfed
his influence in that vicinity, Owens has been
driven is change his warfare to. other quaters. IL,
The ST. Paul press, in speaking Of the asser-
tons made by Owens, in reference to matters
which he was purchased to defend, have repeated
ly had occasion to call him a liar, the prince of
liars, liar per excellence. In this, think our
contemporaries have been led into. a lie, accord
ing to Webster, sis to utter falsehood with an
intention to deceive, or with an immoral design"
The definition implies the idea. of moral and ac-
countabe being, one who is capable of discerning
the difference between right and wrong, and
acting, choosing between the two. No one who is
acquainted with John p. Owens would for mo-
ment consider him free moral agent. He is
simply the tool, an agent, an instrument, and No
more accountable for the falschoods he utters
than the type upon which they printed. He is
merely the ass which works the treadmill, at the
bidding of his owners, for the provender he eats.
He is amcnable to no divine Or human law, nor
regards any of the conventionalities and usagcs
of civilized society. 10 every sentiment of
shame, decency, propriety or honor, bis heart has
long been stranger if indeed, it was ever capable
of harboring such feelings.
A large and respectable body of christians en-
terrain the belief, that a certain portion of the
human family have been from eternity foreordain-
cd and prcdestinated to perdition. We have
always opposed this doctrine on the ground of its
destroying mans free agency. But since our ac-
quaintance with John p Owens, we have become
satisfied of the truth of the doctrine, for with such
a living, standing argument in favor of it upon
whose countcnance, demeanOr, and every word,
look and act is written the truth Of the doctrine,
all philosophical objections must fall to the
ground, leaving the calvinis, master of the field.
The Editor Of the Express promises further
developments, but we insist that he has said
enough. The friends of the ''Senior'' can scarce
ly find grease spot eft Of him.
POTATOES IN IrETAND.-Tho Belfast Mercury
says:
''The magnitude Of the crop for 1854 is GER
tainly very much beyond that ever lcfOrc known
in this country. Taking low average we should
say that the gross value of Ircland's potatoc
lands this season cannot be under 9!5, 100000.