The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1857-01-06
Iowa CRY. Dec. 30th. 1850,

4 AS"A SAAA1 pOS' oVsnS ACOps
EDs. GATE CRY: Gentlemen: Since the
adjournment of the Legislature, our Capital
has resumed its usual quiet, and politics CIV
en- way to holiday enjoyments. Turkeys,
not bills, have been freely discussed and dis
sected /; Santa Claus has emptiei our peck
cts into the childrens stockings and Boreas
has robed the earth in snow and ice, filing
the streets with all manner Of crafts--seghs
with robes and bells, and other equipage
that an aristocrat or dandy might not spurn,
and jumpers that would put to shame an Es-
! quimaux, and puzzle the noddle Of n Lapian-
der to understand their object and use. The
weather has been such as to suit oil tastes,
cold, warm, dry, and wet, with storms OF
snow, slect, hail, and raiD, winding up with
a perfect glare Of ice On every inch of ground,
which tends to bring all classes to com
mon level. Although in the midst of the Hol-
idays, ice is making more heels fly than mu-
sic, and cracking more heads than Cupid is
hearts.
On Christmas eve, the Methodist church
held a fair in the Capitol halls, which proved
quite successful" Attendance large and
receipts between three and four hundred dol
lars. 80 for the rarity of christian charity"
and liberality, which, in these litter days,
has to be provoked by cunning and enticing
expedients, palliating the avarice Of men by
offering seeming "qaid pro quo" to their
reluctant benevolence, in the way of ice
cream, oysters, ginger bread and doll babies.
We are looking for the time when men will
want pay for praying for the church, and
wishing il well. Well, perhaps these cum
ningly- obtained contributions will accom-
plish their good, but apprehend the "wid-
ows' two mites" would 60 farther in good
cause, than the price Of two dolls in a
church fair.
But it may be questioned, on the other
hand, whether the church itself is not, in q
measure, responsible for this disposition on
the part of the people. When religion con-
sists in splendid architecture, with the most
costly decorations of art, when church. goers,
on the plea of worshipping God "decently,"
are truly arrayed as Solomon's lilies were
not, and sit on velvety cushions, ssnctmoni-
ously thinking Of --- the last party or
some financial business; when men from
fashion engage in church services, a solemn
mockery then will it naturally happen that
the support Of the church will be irksome,
paid only upon the most urgent solicitations,
and finally entered upon the books of each
in the account Of Profit and Loss. Not that
all this is to be seen as yet in Iowa City and
western towns, generally but the tendency
is in that direction, and, in MY opinion, it
behoves the church to look to it, that reli-
gion in its simplicity does not degenerate
into mere ceremony and cant, and that con-
tributions to the church be applied to useful,
rather than ornamental purposes. Let US
worship God, rather than splendid apparel,
towering churches, and costly decorations.
The severe weather has entirely put stop
to building, and many who calculated to oc-
cupy their new houses during the winter are
now compelled to 'bido their time till spring.
Naked walls and half-roofed houses are seen
in all directions. In point Of first class
buildings, and think in number, the past
season has been the most prosperous that
Iowa City has yet seen. We are bound to
60 ahead whether the railroad does or not
Iowa City is still the capital Of the State
and why should it not be for several years
yet, 'the Des Moines Republic" to the con-
trary Notwithstanding? 1t seems to me that
the second, third, and SO on to the last sober
thought Of people from all parts Of the State,
has pronounced the act looking to its reno
val, premature and unwise. Is not Iowa
City as near the present centre Of population
as any other point? IL it not more accessi-
bic and convenientp Have we not State
House more commodious than can be built
short of eight or ten years? Therefore, in
view Of convenience and economy, why this
hasty legislation, this reckless and clashng
fckleness, destructive Of all permanence and
stability What has been said Of our laws
may be applied to our more solid structures.
Ten years is about the natural life, the limit
to existence. II the present Legislature had
endured the inclemencies of the PRESENT win
ter at Fort Dss Moines,- siege second to
the memorable one Of Napoleon in Russia -
the Fort might have bid farewell to all hopes
Of future greatness. 1t only remnins to this
Legislature though you Of the "Gate City
think otherwise,--to repeal the s'odiou,
statute,o purchase the edfce at the Fort 70,
an Asylum, Chat "innocent" stakeholder,
may not suffer from bad faith on the part oil
the State,) and settle down, or rather re.
main sin statu quo," until the interests oil
the State, instead Of individuals, call for Q
removal.
The report Of DR.. Eads is not yet printed
Too bad that We should form our opinion oil
his official transactions upon the statement.
OF the Governor and investigating commit
tees, when he has now made 20 clean case
Of it and stands before his constituency, thu
"holy" Democracy, in the pure light Of
"spotless integrityw
Upon the re-convening Of the Legislature
it's attention will be called to the reported
bill Of the Commissioners appointed to re.