The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1857-07-23
Prom the Gate City.
Observation-Disclosures,


ers, having "conciliated" a majority OF TIE
Democratic press OF the State are now 6per !
ating through their agents on Democratic Couf-
ty Conventions, 10 pass resolutions against NE
amended Constitution Verify the Democra-
cy OF Iowa has come to pretty pass when it
permits ,Iselfto be used for the perpetuation
OF the reign of shiupiasters.
In carrying ont the Nebraska plan Of opera
tons, some strange things occasionally occur.
we instance the proceeding of the Democratic
Convention in Wappelo county.
The resolutions passed at this Convention
were deliberately drawn up at headquarters.
They denonnce the amended Constitution as
''deleterious to the interest of the State" and
saw, "That we pledge ourselves 10 use our
efforts to defeat the ratification of the Consti-
tuition at the coming clection,n and s.rhat we
fully endorse the course taken by our delegat e
in the late Constitutional Convention"
Hon. George Gilaspy was the delegate
from Wspello county. That gentleman vo-
ted for the article on corporations" and s:ed-
ucation," the two articles most violently as
sailed BY the Democratic papers, and when the
final vote was taken on the Constitution as a
whole, Hon. George Gillaspy led the Demo-
cratic column in its support
The Convention of Wapello county de.
nounce the new Constitution, pledge them
| selves to oppose it, and yet .'fully endorses
| the course of their delegate, who voted for the
Objectionable articles separately and for the
'deleterious Constitution as a whole Is
there no upright Democrat left in Wapello
county to require an explanation of this singu-
larly dishonest, and Inconsistent course Of the
| Convention? o.. P. @.
Mr.. o. P. Q. is not fully posted in relation
to the late and very memorable convention to
which he imputes inconsistency. The resou-
| lions to which he refers were not reported to
the convention until after its adjournment, and
conseq lently were not adopted at all. 1t is
doubtless all very true that resolutions of the
character above indicated were deliberately
drawn up at headquarters, and it is violent
presumption that the public abroad were duly
convention in subserviency to tie interests of
Nebraska shin-plasters, and in obedience to
the encyclical letter of the Hon. B. Hem.
But either circumstances were unpropitious,
or the managers shrunk from committing
themselves against the new Constitution, when
they come to the sticking point, or for some
other reason, the convention adjourned with
out formally adopting the resolutions. They
may have been reported as adopted, perhaps.
We have not seen any printed report.
1t is fact, however, that notwithstanding
the overwhelming majority in favor of re-
vision of the Constitution, and the pretence on
the part OF the Sbam-democracy generally, up
to a recent period, that this revision would
not he made aparty question, the entire absence
of partyism in the convention, and the hearty
support which the ablest and best democrats
In the State are giving to the new Constitution,
the leaders in this County are bitterly hostile
to it, and are leaving no stone unturned to
compass IFS defeat, resorting for this purpose
to every species Of Misrepresentation, and APP
pealing TO every imagined popular prejudice.
DIR. Flint, the candidate for County Judge, we
understand, has taken ultra grounds against it,
on the stump, and otherwise the impression is
sought to be created that the party as such are
against it. n
This is not true. The Democratic Party of
Iowa have not acted on the subject at all, and
the question is now spriDging up in the coun-
ties by party leaders for purposes best known
to themselves. There are Democrats in differ
ent parts of the State, whose talents and infiu-
ence entitle them to respect, and whom it will
be delicate and dangerous matter to read out
OF the party, who through the press and on
the stump are giving the lie to all such preten-
ses, claiming and proving, too, that the adop-
ton OF the new Constitution is not only import
ant to the best interests of the State but to the
Democratic Party also; and who shall decide
thelssae thus Joined between the State Journal,
at Des Moines, the PLAIN Dealer at Fl. AIadi-
son, Senator Coolbaugh, of Des MONIES Coun-
ty, Judge Johnson, of Lee, and other presses
and acknowledged leaders Of the party. and
DIR. Flint and Hon. Geo. Gillaspy, of Wapello
county. Itwould seem that they were trying
to deceive the people, by representing that to
be anissne in the canvass which is not.
One word in relation 10 the course Of Hon.
George Giliaspy, who is attended to in the
above article. This gentleman was sent to
represent this District in the Constitutional
Convention, where he advocated and voted for
most of the provisions of the new constitution,
voted for itupon its final passage, and represent
Ell himself to be favorable to it on his return
home, as We have no doubt be then was.
1t does seem to us that the Hon. George
Gillaspy places himself in nything but an en-
yiable position by this course. He admits tina.
be voted for the New Constitution, but says he
did II under protest Now it seems to us that
the people sent the Hon. George to Iowa CITY
to vote right, and not to vote wrong under a
protest. IL he believed the constitution either
m is preliminary stage, or on its final passage
Objectionable and detrimental to the interests
of the State, why did not he denounce it then.
and then fight tin all its stages, and Oh its final
passage record hisyote against it. If the Hen.
gentleman is right, now, perhaps his influence
and his vote might, at the proper time, have
secured the adoption of better instrument.
and thereby saved the State some 500 600. the
cost of the Convention, and if The constitution
now pending is defeated some 500 900 more.
/, no foet nf another