Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1858-08-04
Great Mass OF she Citizens OF Dav export
DEATH AMONG THE WILD CATS.


for o long tine under the curse Of a vii
cat currency at last became impatient unds
the infic:ion, and during the day, yeste
day, it was resolved among the princip.
merchants to hold meeting to consider th
subject Accordingly hand bills and poster
were got out in the afternoon calling
mass meeting at the Court House in th
evening. At the hour appointed the var
Of the Court House was filled with larg
crowd Of men, numbering more than thre
thousand persons, all resolved upon takin,
some measures t. relieve themselves, sine,
| that was the only course left. Thst they
were not afraid to carry out their opinion
will be seen by the following report Of tn
proceedings:
The meeting was called to order by Geo
W. McCarn, Esq, and on II otion Mr.. l. s
Viele was called to the chair.
The President took the chair amid loud
and prolonged cheers, and after thanking
the meeting tor the honor which they had
conferred upon him. stated that in October
last, the Board of Trade convened to tax e
some action upon the important subject Of
our local currency that on that occasion
the fears of the merchants were silenced and
they resolved to receive the currency. That
IN another month another meeting was call
ed for the purpose of devislng the best
means of procuring exchange; that the ex-
citement consequent upon the call and the
result with which the meeting closed will
be remembered by all, That he was one
who signed the call and endeavored to stave
off action, fearful of the consequences that
among the prominent citizens who spoke at
that meeting, was Mr.. Cook, who gave
them assurances and promises that the
money should be speedily redeemed, and
that all left pleased at the issue and salts
fled that they were soon to be relieved, since
that time promises had frequently cen
made to the community that if we would
bear the burden quietly, relief would come
in few days-when the river opened but
that navigation had never opened That
Just as navigation should have opened,
Cook d Sargent redeemed at two per cent.
for few days; but only for few days
That the consequence of the deprecated
currency has been, that trade has been
driven from the city that the railroad from
Clinton and Lyons to Dewitt, had been in
operation while the Davenport road had
been doing little or nothing that Musca-
tine received thousands OF bushels of grain
where We had received one hundred. That
The meeting had not convened to express
hard feelings against the persons who had
ssued these shinplasters, or to interfere with
heir business but for preservation
Wheat went to Dewitt, and the trade OF
he city languished because the produce
elsewhere would find a market where
t would bring money; that the oppo-
tents OF Florence were answered, "If you
iont like Florence, why do you take it 2
md are told, '1f you don't take the curren-
". furnish us with better: but the diff
iculty was that SO long as this deprecated
was in circulation it never could
'e got here-the good would go Immediate
y home, and the poor would stick That
n his opinion if Florence was once driven
rom circulation, we would get good cur
'ency in three weeks; that one banker in
his city has had sound currency in his
FAULTS for many months, which has never
been taken from the packages, and that it
would there remain until gotten out by re-
'udiatng Florence; that believing some
hing necessary to be done they had come
ogether quietly, calmly and intelligently,
'cting for themselves. for the city, and for
ne county, to consider what should be
lone and to do it in such manner that af- |
erwards they would be able to say that
hey had done right. and not as they had
lone last winter. The speech Of Mr.. Veile
vas frequently interrupted by vociferous
'heers, aud cries of good, good" evincing
IN the part of the meeting q sensibility to
heir position.
After the conclusion of Mr.. Veile's speech,
saac NJ. Talmage, Edward L. Kerr and
Add H. Saunders. were appointed Secreta-
les Of the meeting.
On motion the Chair appointed the fol-
owing committee Of five to draft resolu-
ions expressive of the sentiu ents of the
Meeting:
NJ. r. Chew. F. H. Griggs. II. II. Smith,
Thomas Scott and M. Dalzell.
Loud and repeated calls were then made
or MIR. d. 5. True, who either was not pres
mt or declined to come forward.
Mr.. Chas Powers was then called for and
'ame forward. He stated that it was rath
# delicate matter for man in his profes. |
ion to take prominent part in a meeting |
# this character that his object in coming
here was simply to see what the people |
would do; that he had frequently dealt with
he proprietors Of Florence and entertained |
he highest respect for them as men that it |
vas now no use to mince matters since he |
lad come forward; but that what he should |
ay in regard to Cook 4 Sargent applied to
hem not a. citizens and business men but as
Of the Bank of Florence. He
lad attended both meetings of the Board Of
Trade to which reference had been made.
That the first had been called for the pur-
pose of devising shinplasters to be issued by |
he city; that he was glad that the propc-
iiion to establish it had not been cared for;
it had, we should now have another ire
ieemable shinplaster upon our hands. That
It the second meeting fair promises we're
made which al persons hoped would be full
illed and which he had no doubt the propri-
'tors Of the bank intended to fulfill. That he |
vas then willing to indulge them; but that |
Indulgence had now reached its limit.
Mr.. Powers then proceeded tn defend tha |