The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1858-06-01

We mourn for Iowa. No State in the Union
has made greater or more rapid advances in
population. morality, intelligence, thrift, than
she has. In lS48 she cast little less than
$4,000 votes for President: In 1856 she cast
almost 80, OO0-indicating that her population
mad more than trebled in eight years. What .
magnificent growth and her moral and INTEL
lectuai Improvement kept full pace with her
physical progress. Though carried by the Sham
Democracy at every election up to 1854, she
gave Fremont more than Z 1000 plurality, in sc,
ana - nov one OF the frmest Republican States
In the Union. And, though times are hard with
her people, a. with almost all other, she has
the vigor Of youth, she has admirable soil
and most industrious, energetic, intelligent
people, and was about to work gradually and
BEAUTIFULLY out Of her difficulties.
But great trial, great peril, has suddenly
essailsd her. Her future, but yesterday 90 hope
full, 10 now overcast and gloomy. Gold has
been found on her soil We fear there 10 no
longer loop to hang . doubt upon There
was joyful report, two weeks since, that the
glttenng substance was iron pyrites-"fools
gold" 40 it has been inaccurately termed, as
though fools were no attraction for the other
sort. But there seems no longer reason to
doubt that the real article has been found in
several counties (mainly central and eastern) of
Iowa. and that in some instances it has been dug
with profit.
Alas for Iowa! Here is the lsignal and the
call for general stampede TO the "diggin'sr OF
al that 10 least worthy, least desirable, of the
population Of her own and the neighboring
States. Fools rush thither to dig-knaves to
pocket the shining dust whenever it shall have
been separated from the dirt which imbeds it.
Inc whisky seller, the deer, the drab, will follow
hard on the heels Of the digger; they will take
nine.tenths Of the earnings Of the small frac-
non Of the gold'ssekera, who really get any
thing; they win dsbauch the morals and i'm
brute the natures, not Of the diggers only, but
Of . large shore Of the population; SO that,
within two years, II the gold holds out, Coun-
ties that give fair Republican maiorites, will be
rolling up their hundreds If mot Thousands, for
sham Democracy. Iowa has never till now
confronted such dangers as now environ her
may she prove equal to the great emergency!
Thus mourneth the New York Tribune over
Iowa. We are Of the opinion that the Tribune
had better reserve its bowels of compassion for
those having moro gold than the people of Iowa.
When Ne are convinced there 10 really gold
enough to make mining profitable in this State,
1t will be time to consider the probable effect
upon the habits and character Of our people.
We incline TO the opinion that there has been
. shocking waste Of sympathy. After the land.
lords, steamboats, and railroads shall have made
their pile, the Tribune will hear less about gold
In Iowa. We do not dispute that it exists in
our coil. But We do not believe, up to this
time, that two ounces have been found all told. |
Although We were about the first to call atten-
sion to the discovery. and continue to publish |
accounts from all parts Of the State, We never
have asserted or believed for Q moment that |
enough had or ever would DO found to make |
mining profitable.