The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1856-09-18

lev uasls ysAA Dtegias Let his 1slisisz.
We cut the following morcsau from the
Mareuoo (Ill.) Journal. The "Uncle john
alluded 10 10 an old democratic stager, for
twenty years past q wheel-horsc In the par
~, always doing great service for the cause.
Col. L., who 10 mentioned, was in lStS q
Cass Presidential Elector, and in that caPa-
city made como Of the ablest and most elo-
quent speeches Of the canvass. He Is son
OF an eminent Presbyterian divine, Patriarch
Of the denomination, now residing in Brook
lyn, New York. Col. L. iaherits large
share Of the genius OF his illustrious father,
and be is, withal the prince Of good fellows.
Both Uncle John aad the Colonel are new
ardent aud influential supporters 0! the
pathfinder OF Empire" Iae a1acle will
amuse As we'll as instruct our readers:--
fCAicaoo Dsmardf
aEsery body knows Uncle John. His
broad, good humored face is welcome at all
times and places. Let a knot Of citizens be
having q setto on political subjects in the
street, If Uncle John joins the crowd, the
battle on one eide 10 by common consent
turned over to him, and he opens upon his
adversary his batteries Of fact, sarcasm and
wiz onu Ills luuu 10 ~ tuCAueucdbtC Shos
very few men have any particular disposi-
ton to be Uncle Johns antagonist a great
while.
For years Uncle John and Col. L.
have been great friends, attending democra-
| tic meetings, caucuses, conventions SC, -
doing their share in saving the country,
| aud having some fun for themselves. The
| only stumbling block in the way oil their
perfect friendship was their religion. Uncle
| John was a strong Uniyersalist. and the
| Colonel a staunch Presbyterian so much
| so, that Uncle John, when in pet, used to
| accuse the Colonel of travelling east on
purpose to stand on the original Say brook
platform and rub his d.basket with a
bag of indigo. Things run on in this way
for a long time, until finally Uncle John be-
came rampant ireesoiler. and then he and
the Colonel, having neither religious nor
political sympathies, did not "run together"
as much as formerly.
In 1883 Uncle John was very sick-also,
| in 81; and sent word to his old friend that
he was very happy, that he could not live
long, but that he was sustained by hisIeli'
gion and could plainly see the steeples Of
the New Jerua alem, and hoped that the re-
A
sustain him under similar circumstances
but privately did not believe it would.
| Uncle John escaped that time. but the nexl
winter be was taken down again; aud about
| the time he was at HE worst the Douglas
Kansas-Nebraska bill passed and became Z
| law After this news came to Uncle Johns
ears, he was observed to be unusually seri
GUS, to toss about in great uneasiness AND
be unable to be at ell quiet. At his request
his wife would read Interesting portions o.
the Bible 10 him, such as the story of the
rich man and Lazarus, but even this did moi
drive away the uneasiness of mind thai
hung over him.
However, he recovered but il WAS obser
we'd that be had not cracked up his religion
IS was his wont on almost every occasion
where opportunity offered, and when th'
subject Of religion was conversed upon, I'm
Gle John said nothing. When he had re
covered sufficiently to ride out, the hrs
Journey that he took was to see his frien'
the Colonel. After the SITUATIONS an,
congratulations had passed between thu
friends, Uncle John said
Colonel sit down and listen without say
ing one word until finish. You know
have had three very severe spells OF sick
ness within the last three years. During
the first and second, | was happy in m,
mind, at peace with all men on earth, am
hoped, also, with my Maker did no
fear TO die: rsth er wished to depart an'
be at rest, as felt sure of spending an eter
nifty of happiness with the great and goo'
who had passed before me. But during thi
last sickness it has been different; the ter
rors Of death have been al. about me; ever!
thing has been dark and gloomy. wa
unwilling to die. | had learned Of tn,
passage of Douglas Infamous Kansas.Ne
braska bill, and it caused me TO reflect lonI
and very seriously. ] believed that Their
was God, infinite in wisdom, purity ant
justice; that he must in just ce to the integ
rily OF his own character, punish such a
violated the great principles Of right ana
justice. Douglas had done this in forcing
the Kansas bill. Ii would be no more thar
right that God should make he'll for him
and If there ought to be and is he'll FOL
Douglas, Uncle John, in 'bobbing around,
might chance to get into it! Colonel, for
merly cursed your religion and liked YOU
politics, but now | curse your politics and
admire your religion"
The Colonel informed him that be loo
had changed his political associations, but
not his religion.