The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1857-02-12
WHERE ARE THEIR FRUITS.

We would like to know what the men, sent
by this county to Iowa City, have done to pro-
mote our interests, or in fact, the interests of
shall be obliged, and win cheerfully make it
public, for we must confess to some degree of
chagrin and modification at the merely nom-
nal appearance OF our silent, effectless members
in the State councils. But we came near for
getting ore very Inomentous measure, ae-
Finhey, to wit; a change of the name OF
Blakesburg. Whether Mr.. F. did this all alone
we can't say. We presume he did.
With this solitary exception what was done
for us. While Representatives and Senators
from other counties exhibited laudable zeal to
promote the interests of their several locali-
ties, in the distribution Of the numerous
institutions, the location OF which was before
the Legislature, our members so far as we
have been able to discover were dumb. They
had not word to say for Napello; and so far
as that matter is concerned, in fact they might
as well have represented the Fejee Islands.
We did think, at one time, that we had got
hold of an item, promising something to talk
about, If nothing more, when we saw notice
of a motion of Mr.. Ramsey for the adjustment
Of the boundaries of this county. What it
amounted to, or what became of it, we don't
know. We hope it was something useful -
Ii so Mr.. r. shall have credit mark. Acts
creating a Justice Of the Peace in Columbia
Township, and providing for hanscribing rec
ords, will probably be imperative in conse-
publication in the Ed1vville Free Press. aad
the Des Moines Courier, instead Of the Eddy
vile Commercial and the Ottumwa Courier,
and the latter act by installing the kind Of
records requiring transcription.
If there is any object in being represented at
all in the Legislature, it is important TO be
well and ably represented. We do not think
that we have been ably represented this win
ter; on the contrary, we think our members
have manifested evidence of inefFiciency, or
Indifference to the true interests of their con-
stituents, doing what they attempted to do in
an imperfect and bnnglng manner, and entire
" negl citing every seeming opportunity to Sc
cure for our county some of the many fayors,
in the way Of institutions and otherwise, dis
pensed by the Legislature. MIR. Franklin, it
Is true, has been detained at horne, by indis-
position, and to that extent, is excusable; but
the others have all been at their posts, we be-
lieve, the whole session, and have had every
opportunity they could ask TO distinguish
themselves and serve their constituents.
What the action of our members has been
upon general legislation we do not pre-
tend 10 say. 1t is not that we alIude to- Nor
40 we mean party questions, on which, of
course, the immediate representatives of this
county, are presumed TO have acted in bar
mony with their pa ty. We speak Of local
matters only, those questions with which par
ties seldom If ever meddle; which are within
the exclusive jurisdiction Of members from
the locality. and are, as general thing, left to
them. SIS Far as that kind OF representation
is concerned, we repeat what we think, that
so Far as we are now advised, Wapello
county has not been represented, as it oue ht
to have been. in the Legislature which has re-
Gently adjourned