Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1854-01-20
For the Journal.
Anarchy and Confusion VS.. Order and
Good Government. -WapSenonOc and
NusCatinc,

MESShS. IDirOhS Ill your paper VI idsC
week, appeared an article headed "Freedom
of the Press in which you take some po-
sitions worthy the conductors of a public
journal, and which places you in the right
position as editors.
Among other things you say-"How can
any man be certain of the correctness of his
views until he has carefully examined q
question on all sides -
The above, as well as the balance of the
article alluded to, seems to give assurance
that your columns are open for free discus
sion of all subjects of general interest to the
public.
This determination, most sincerely trust
in conducting the Journal You will ad-
here to. Free discussion and candid inter-
change Of opinion, is one of the bulwarks of
our free institutions. Your sentiments thus
fearlessly and manly expressed, have en-
couraged me to offer few remarks for the
consideration of your readers, on subject
just at this time ayitatins the public mind
in this county to some extent. | mean the
railroad tax, which is now in progress of
collection, and the Wapscn onoc resolutions.
You, in common with many Of the worthy
citizens Of Muscatine, seem not to UNDER
stand the views of the people of Wapseno-
noe, as expressed in their resolutions. They
think they have gathered some experience
amid the dust and rubbish of the past,
A. kbat Il IL, co.
public works is a ruinous policy, either for
states or lesser municipalities. Of this, the
past history Of most of our sister States af-
fords abundant proof.
There are always to be found few per-
sons in every community, who claim the
privilege of judging of the interests of the
masses, and would willingly act as guard
ians, and should not ready assent be given
to the wishes of that few, how common it is
to hear the cant of those wiseacrcs-s' The
narrowness Of your views, '-"Your mcm-
bers bear about with them ideas covered
with the mold and rus of half century,
SO Your wealth should prevent you from OPP
posing your own interest with shuch blind
and suicidal ZEAL"
CuCl are Tue cApTcSSiouS uSeu tOW1TuS
those who venture to Judge Of their own in
terests Individually or collectively, even if
they should be said to be 60 among the best,
most intelligent and wealthlest of their
county," .sNeither excuse nor palliation"
can be invented for such. O! the beauties
of the ssFrecdom of the Press - freedom
Of speech these don't include freedom
to act. e
Your citizens become excited whenever
the subject of railroad tax is mentioned,
without the confines of your corporation.
No man has right to SPEAK Of the propri-
ETY. or the legality of any measure you pro-
pose, without subjecting himself to all the
cpithetical vituperation and ridicule your
vituperative vocabulary contains, and is
held up to the gaze Of the public, as being
bought up, or belonging to some other inter-
est, and opposed to the interest of Musca-
tine. Thus the Enquirer, in Commenting
upon the nrocee.i;ng.cs c. meeting recently
held by the citizens of Wapsenonoc:-"We
suspect that the secret Of this whole matter
lies in nut. shell. The Davenport and
Iowa City road is located through Wapse-
nonoc," &c. Hence, you are to believe that
1.-THE people Of Wapsenonoc haYe no interest
lin anv other than the aforesaid road !;
therefore it is not strange that they oppose
all other roads. The Enquirer also says =
s Here is new application OF the Higher
Law doctrine touch Of the spirit that
tears up railroad tracks at Erie.'' And
thence heads the ar,icle : Opposition to
Railroads. .i.
Your article upon those proceedings also
insinuates that there is opposition to rail-
roads, and also to law and order, and asks
the question - Do you want to set up a
principle that will stop the wheels Of gov
| eminent? to substitute confusion for order?
anarchy for good government? .o5 ~
Now please " re- eruse" the resolutions,
and point out, if you can, what there is that
savors of Higher Lqw-the spirit that tears
up railroad tracks at Erie - that would stop
the ,oheeis of gurernment, or would substitute
confusion for order, or anarchy for good gou-
ernmenf.
s.Resoieed, Unanimously That we will
resist the payment of said tax by all honor
able and just means, considering such re-
sistance not only no crime but a duty, and
will only pay the same when compelled by
law" 49, a
Now, if to oppose, by all honorable and just
means, and pay the taxes only when compelled
by law, are just grounds for apprehension
that the people Of Wapsenonoc are for re-
DclllUus tHCu yOu HdNC I've Ous ~ 40 piON
su,ned that the mere mention of tho term
ssillegal," in the preface to the resolutions,
is the cause of all your suspicious. That is
considered to be delicate subject, and very
few persons il any out of Muscatine should
pres ume to mention it. 1t was considered
sacrilegious to mention anything connected
with iaw and railroads, as early as last
March, and those who were foolhardy and
had want of discretion enough TO allow
themselves to speak Of the legality of the
measures, &c., called down upon themselv es
denuncations from the people and press of
Muscatine, sufficient to have deferred re-
currence to the same by amy body of citi-
zens in the county, for all time to come ;
that, too, was when no sensible man in the
State supposed there existed any law au-
thorizing counties to take stock in railroads,
even majority Of those who voted for such
questions, thought it all farce.
If such was the case then, il man should
refer to the legality of the question, it GER
tainly is more objectionable and presump-
tious in any man or set of men, in any capa-
city, to speak of the illegality of n railroad
tax, since the Supreme Court of Pennsyivania
has decided the question, and since the
county of Dubuque has confessed judgment
to fpo of the Supreme Judges Of the State
of Iowa.
But you say Wapsenonoc is opposed to
all railroads chat wall benefit Muscatine.
4