Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-11-25
Letter from the West.

Correspondence Of the alexandria Gazette.
DUBUQUE, Iowa, Nov. 20.-The heading of
this letter will advise you of my whereabouts.
| reached this city on Sunday last, and have
been "bobbing round" ever since, seeing wha.
is to be seen. and getting at least an outside
view Of western character.
This is certainly fast country, and it
may be said with equal truth, great cum
try. Unlike the slow movements OF the peo-
pie of the east, the masses here are possessed
of an energy which puts at defiance the
snail-liks pace of eastern enterprise. To use
phrase peculiar to your locality, the people
here are "hsrd to keep d)wn." To-day the
tide of fortune may carry the luckless adven-
tarer to the bottom of the wheel; tomorrow
he will be found struggling up on the other
side, ard ere long, he is up on the top of the
wheel again, shouting brave note of def
phase Of western life, az illustrated by the
people Of Iowa, and Of contiguous States
Toe trying ordeal through which this State
is now passing. consequent upon the derange-
msnt 10 the monetary affairs of the whole
country, has checked, if i. has not entirely
stopped, the tide of immigration which was
pouring in upon her some months ago, in un-
told numbers. But the present state fittings
cannot long continue. The country will soon
recover from its paralysis, and assume it's
wonted activity. The richuess Of Iowa soil
will invite the capitalist to her borders, even
if there were no other inducement. Bot
there are macy rea.ons why capital should
seek investment in Iowa. The publishedsta-
tistics Of health SHOW that she stands second
on the list among the States of the Union.--
Aod then as to her resources, Gypsum. Lead
and Iron ore abound in great abundance,
while her folds of bitunipous Coal cover moro
than twenty-five thousand square miles
| Four lines Of railroad trayersIng the entire
| length of the State from cast tY west, with
collateral branches as feeders, are already
projected. The most important of these
roads is the one from Dubuque to Sioux city,
q distance Of three hundred aud twenty
miles, thirty of which arc already COM
pleted--:he cars passing over it twice each
day from this point.
IL is to be regretted that all these railroad
enterprises are at present at a dead stand
still. Tue monetary pressure which has re-"
gently swept over the whole land. has been
| felt in no section more keenly than 10 lows.
As matters stand at present, nothing short
Of State aid vii! enable the Railroad compa-
MES to prosecute to completion, these various
| lines oil improvement. And herea difficulty
presents itself 1t is thought by some that
the Constitution of the State torbds the Leg.
islature from atfording such aid. The better
| nnininn however. seems to he that n" go"
difficulty exists, and that something Will De
done to put the Railroads on their feet
Should this be done, those who make Invest
ments in broad acres now, will fad them
selves handsomely rewarded for their outlay.
In any event, money expended IN the pur-
chase OF real estate at this time, must be a
source IF profit at no distant day, ns the
making of these roads lie only question OF
time.
The city Of Dubuque is beautifully located
| and contains about II 600 inhahitants.--
Every variety Of character IL fund here--the
lowest grade from Yanket-land and the high
est order OF F. F. vs.. Society, however,
taken as a whole, is good. The morals Of the
city are under thee guidance vi strong re-
lgious element, judging by the Dnmber OF
churches in the place. There are Presby-
terrain churches, 2 Methodist, 3 Catholic,
Baptist, ! Episcopal CJugregatioralist l,
German Reformed, | Universslist, and |
Christian.
A. I'd IN tho prlifira nf the
Northwest. Politically, every thug Ii III
very unsettled condition. just Dow, many
persons fading II very Gittcult TO ascertain
their exact whereabouts IN relation to exist
ing parties. Democracy, as defined by the
DO u ers that be, is at a very low ebb. De-
mocracy as understood by D1ugla stands
upon a somewhat different footing Rcpub-
licsnisU, at the present writing, oVerrides all
other isms, and is of course, IN the ascen-
dant. At the lare election, the American
party oil Iowa, was merged In the Damocru-
tic and Republican parties--tbe Amerlcans
voting chiefly for the Republican candidates.
The Indications look unmistakabiy 10 1u-
zion between the Republicans and Americans
in the great struggle which IL to come on 10
1860. What is denomlnated the foreign
plark" 10 the American platform receives the
cordial endorsement OF the great body OF inc
Republican party. These two parties staLd
ing together as they do 10 their opposition 10
the Democratic party proper, union WILL
in all probability, be effected upon Censor
yatiye basis My own observation sa'ishes
me tn at the American and Republican par
ties can be accom- modated by tho incorpora-
ton of plank in their platform Ignoring ln-
reference with tie Slavery question, either
by Congress. or the Terri,orial legislatures-
leaving 1t with the people Of The territories
TO form and regulate all Of their domestic IN
sti,utiuns in their own way in organizing
their governments, for admission into The
Union. The conservative element 10 these
parties, is certainly largely in the ascendant
as meters now stand. As evidence OF this,
MIR. Crit,eDdeD, who occupies position en-
tirely acceptable to the American party OF
the South, is ubtedy the choice OF the
opposition 10 this par, CT the Northwest
There are those among the Republican par
ty, however, who are opposed to all compro-
misses upon the subject of Slavery. These
ore regular freedom shrekers-Den intent
upon the destruction Of the Constitution, look-
ing upOu that instrument Gs Contract with
Satan and covenant with the lower re-
g,ons"-a specimen OF humanity which had
~, cha Id .'uI rLa universal peuCe.' |