The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-07-29

duly organized, both calling themselves
democratic, and both passing resolu-
tons, were held at Iowa City on the
date above named. This our neigh
Dor admits. This fact leaves us in
doubt whether there was convention
held at all at Iowa City on the 9Th, so
regularly constituted and conducted as
to bind any one. party known by the
name Democratic, the proceedings of
which have not yet met the eye of an
anxious public, either partially or in
full. Let us see how this matter stands.
In one convention it seems, there was
a difference Of opinion, as is frequent
" the case, some being in favor of
passing resolution affirming popular
sovereignty and some opposed to it,
some in favor of endorsing the Admin
istration ofthe party, and some opposed
to that too. Well, the regular way it
would seem to our Republican appre-
hension, would be to have permitted
the majority of the meeting in which
the question was pending to decide it,
and acquiesce in that decision. Ger
tainly this would have been the demo-
cratic way. We have always under
stood that acquiescence in the will of a
majority was the very foundation of
Democracy. But not so with our friends
of the minority at Iowa City. So far
from it, that they rebel, convene sep
arately, organize, and pass resolutions
which the other convention had refi,s-
ed to pass, and to make the proceed
ings as solemn and unquestioned as
possible, the whole convention, mum,
bering some one, hundred and twelve,
step up and place their signatures at
the foot of the proceedings, as the sign
ers Of the Declaration of Independence
did. Now we should like to learn from
our friend of the Statesman, which of
these meetings was the regular
State Convention of Iowa Democracy,
the one in which Mr.. Buchanan was
voted down or laid on the table, or the
one in which Mr.. Buchanan was voted
up? Which, pray, represented the
Democracy Of the State2 If the first,
then that should have been final, and
the last was factions, ard should not
have been held, or was mere child's-
play, amounting to nothing. Where
are the Iowa Democracy to-day? For
Mr.. Buchanan and his policy, or against
them? For the principle involved in
the Lecompton bill, or against that p
For the English continuance, or against
thatP These questions the late State
Convention did not solve. They are
nevertheless important, and should be
answered. 80
The Statesman says it is now the
settled policy Of his party that before a
State is admitted, its constitution must
first be submitted for acceptance or re-
lection. When and where, we ask,
was that policy settled? Was it set
tied in the recent Lecompton submits
sion, under which the people were per-
mitted to vote ''for the constitution
with slavery, or for the constitution
without slayery?" Or was it settled
by the English bill under which the
people of Kansas can vote to accept or
reject grant of land, and if they say
land, they are in, but ifthey say no land,
they are out? This last is sometimes
called finality. If SO, why didn't the
State Convention recognise it as such,
and plant the Democracy of the State
upon it, by endorsing it. s.
We commend to our neighbor, who,
we believe, is an admirer of Shake
speare, the play of Macbeth, particu-
larly the part of that tragedy where
the witches are gathered in state con-
vention around cauldron into which
they cast various Ingredients to make
their platform with, and sing ~ l
s:Double, double toll and trouble;
Fire, burn, toll and trouble,',
As peculiarly applicable just now to the
Democracy Of Iowa, as we'll as the fol-
lowing song in which. they all join:
BLACK spirits and WHITE. 81.
Red spirits and gray;
Mingle, mingle, mingle,
You that mingle may.''
THE story "Loo Loo which we re-
Gently published, was SO well received
by our readers, that we have been in
duced to trespass again upon the AT.
LANTIc MONTHLY for another Of their