The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1855-06-06

1 gard An SO, not ~ all improbabiy. II may b
ds ain bat never. trGly tope 10 the extent o
producing an snkjnd fe linz OF personal char
actet.
Il | should merit only contempt, for what
il Would most heartily despise in ano'her-a mer
PROGRESSED change, OF even snpnression of opin
ions honestly entertained sd ~ 10 conciii Z.
favor ii aoy d ttrer; aid shall ever pre.e, We
ameng nv most < MIXING recoIlections Of tn,
past the steady firud>hip Of many of your u'iin.
ber towards ne, with whom | have generally
differed, as well as that OF those whose views
hase accorded with my own.
Claiming for myself no speciHl exemption
from the passions 10 which men are subject and
which the sffifc Everywhere incident more or
less to public life --sui, a. party contests have,
Huiof;u a'ely. Gene to be conducted, not less so
m ons own country than any other--l only too
spt Ia call forth consplcuously, ran truly say
tnat have regretted, a. deeply as any one car.
tie aijena'io1s tia, have at times grown ont Of
them IN ny own case, with feiereuce even 10
some BY whom have leIt, in my hear, that /
was wr8ESed.
4 class OF beings there doubtless is, however,
encountered IA the path oil every man. both IN
private and IN nubiic life, whose open hostility
Is infinitely preferable 10 their profeesed esteem;
ani for whom, consequently, | have never
soQghtto conceal, nor ever wilt detesta'ion that
IS too deeply implanted "a my nature to be over
come. il is that Of The vile, smiTking migrate,
who, ~ seeking 10 slime over with dupiicity his
hateful. track renders II thereby only the more
revolving The sentiments Of every one Of
your number, gentlemen, in that respect, are,
very veil know, those entertained by my self, as
above expressed ard 1t is this knowledge tia.
gives to your communication higher value.
Enough, however, Of this md perhaps more
OF It than sheuid have been INDUCED IN; bat
have regarded the occasion one peculiarly dppro-
pirate Tor saying thus much.
repeat, gentlemen, the very kind language OF
your note, so full of compliment beyond the
measure Of any merit | profess my pen
for It's office 20 reply 10 il as could wish
AMI yet, highly commendatoty az are its
terms, IN regard to my supposed services to our
noble young City, have this TO declare 10 you
they are infinitely short of what have earnestly
desired to AID ia accomplishing, for the promo-
ton of us rapid growth, and soIii, durable pros
perity These will be permitted 10 claim to
have had constantly at heart, as deeply as any
man cam and one of the pictures familiar to nv
imagination, is the view that Keokuk shall pre-
sent 10 the eye when m comparatively few
years, her broad and long avenues, ever b sy
with commerce and manufactures, shall be EN-
heliished by successive blocks OF lofty buildings
tor business purposes; her numerous hills alorn-
ed with Attractive dwe lngs. and dot ed all over
with glorious public Institutions when, in
word, each one Of her citizens, 70 where he
q
IL proclsimlug him such
have SAID before. perhaps hundred times,
and | now repeat II, 4 no point on the great
MISSISSIPPI appropriately styled, among all the
noble rivers OF our country. the Father OF
Waters"-trom It's mouth 10 its source has Ma
1uRE, IN ny deliberate Judgment, done as much
-not more, but as mucd--in furnishing man,
through her various aud bountiiul provisions,
suitable point for the building up OF great city
Is " ha, ~
homes In speec. delivered by me some hing
over year ago, aud, al the request of some OF
lou, published at the lime, my reasons for that
oplnion were stated al considerable length
They need not be Fepc ted here nor, were il
even desirable, does a letter OF tn. character of
this furnish bic occasion for doing so
Suffice 1t to say then, thai proper degree OF en-
terpfise and public spit on the part OF her citi
zens. is all, in my opinion. that is requ red TO
make H. okak, ere The last years Of the pressit
century shall have been reach. q one Of the b If
dozea greatest among the great cities of II
Wcst
B.t. to secure 10 her 80 exalted 4 position,
that enterprise and public spirit should never ba
5 flered 10 sluab r, Over 'fancied security
against al competition, ia Consequence OF the
e eat natural advantages referred To- A policy
like the latier--in this truly wonderful age oil
r III roads ard projects OF various other descrip-
hons, made tributary TO the growth Of cities
such . policy, pursued even By New York
woul3, in twenty years, place her quite in the
rear OF a number of her competitors on the At
laniic seaboard despite her present wealth, her
magnificent harbor--one OF The nobie.t in the
wori, and all the other great sdvan ages so lay.
i.hly bestowed upon her bv hatase
Nei 10 make Keokuk what she ought to
be mali, aud eaH be mlde, her citizens, one
and all VIII most certainly discover If
they have not already done so, that constant
flgidace and energetic actor on their part are
required, and iatispensab'y necessary to accom-
Push II. To rely solely upon what nature has
dshe for her, as some few even vet seem to
think sufficient will never answer The enter.
prise AMI public spirit of every good ci,iztn
should be reused into action, and brought TO bear
as auxiliary ds and that too with no s.n.ing
or brgruoging hand-oi the grand prize in the
contest, the race Of ci'ies,'' may not be won!
Much as has, uiq es'ionabiy, been done for
keokuk, by her people-and few places have
more cause for satisfaction with their progress
and Improvement within FIVE years past-a still
holder, and different policy, on more points than
one7 peculiarly connected rHh her Interests, inau-
gurated at the commencement of that PERIOD
might, verify believe, have secured to her long
ere this, railroad coBnexion with the East.
and another we'll under construction TO the West;
and gwen TO her, to-day, population Of from
$4,000 to Is 900,
Keokuk is not more than half ~hat she should
have been. il is not yet 'too lac" by any
means, for the adoption Of measures that will
give ali Impulse 10 her progress ard improve
neuts, very Tar beyond any she has vet re-
ceised and We are now, trust, yast begin ing
10 discern the first glimmerings of tho dawn OF
that longed-tor era, which h.rbingers the com
inencement OF her trH growth IA growth that
If The pablo expectation IS not disappointeds in
regard 10 the arrangements at present in pro-
gress, with reference to her railroads, will as
ton,sh thousands, and surprise ALL
Such are my confident anticipations for Keo-
kuk. the realization of which | undertake to
preiet, If her citizens are bI. true to them
selves. That brilliant destiny is in store fer
l.. 4 & q. !.