The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1858-08-24
Edttorial CorrespOndc nce.
STEAMER HANNIBAL CRY, I
SATURDAY., Aug. u, 1858.

d DEAR FRIENDS We are stopping ut TIL
. city Of Hannibal from to 8 p. m. to take OF
lot Of National Democrats who came 81
) the way from st. Louis to attend Bsrbscu
at Palmyra, where they now arc rejoicing
over the defeat of Blair and Gardenhire.
, learn that about 500 or 1000 were expected
and big fuss was made-big enough fol
10000 instead ofJorfy- fes-the actual nun
Der from st. Louis, and they nearly all mu
scians blowing their own horns for their OWE
amusement, and probably paid by Uncle Sam
directly or indirectly. No doubt the must
cal fellows make q good thing Of it, but a.
for the rest Of the Barbecue fellows, the less
said the better. The speakers in attendance
appear to be "small potatoes" though the
Vice President and the .Little Giant were
advertised for the occasion.
have been strolling around the streets, up
on the bluffs, and down the vallies, and find
that dulness rcigns, property is down, very
little improvement going on, and every body
hoping for better times. Great expectations
are based upon the completion of the rail-
road to St. 10. during this year, and also of
the road in Illinois connecting with the Great
Western, which people here think will be q
great feeder for the St. 10. road. OF course
they also believe that when these roads are
done, they will make the great national east
and west road from N. Y. by the Lakes to
Kansas and the Pacific. At present the cars
are running from Hannibsl to some 10 miles
beyon Macon City-about 80 miles in ALL
The railroad depot is in the lower part of the
town. long distance from business, and
connecting directly with boats. Some people
say that this arrangement does not add to
the business of the place--that tho whole
country back is made tributary to St. Louis
instead Of Hannibal city. That's the natu-
raj consequence, and the road will certainly
damage the town materially, unless the peo-
pie have the energy and gumption to engage
largely in productive indt4stry and make use
OF the road as u ieuer-an instrument to be
used by them, and not to be relied upon to
build them up without CO. operation on their
part. Every town which has railroad, must
learn this lesson.
We stopped an hour at Quincy, giving us
time to look around the square and some of
the streets and peep into the stores. A large
number Of farmers wagons-horscs unhitch-
ed and eating their grub--strung all around
the square, reminded me Of country towns
and country scenes familiar to my youth in
an older State. TWAS "a Saturday scene and
indicates a good population Of thrifty farm
ers in the country round about, who furnish
solid and profitable retail trade for the
town. Aside from this peculiar Saturday
feature, i could not learn or discover that
Quincy is particularly lively this year.
At Warsaw our boat took on lot of ssrot-
gut" which, with swill pork, is largely man
ufactured at that place,--bo.h articles en-
terlng largely into commerce, and being ex-
ceedingly useful in depraving mankind.
was pleased to see that Alexandria had
RIG once more. Her streets are badly scar
red and quilted by the foods. They should
hurry up that levee before the next seven /
year freshet. believe that the land on and I
along the Des Moines is taxed SO much an /
acre, by a law Of the State, to raise the means
Tor building the emba nkment all the way to
st. Francisville.
believe it is not usual to sketch Jour.
ney reverse wise, but have naturally begun
1t Hannibal and find myself now, in fancy,
back to heokuk, and can't help wondering,
1t this hour of 6 p. M, how my confrere has
succeeded on this collecting and paying day.
feel some anxiety as to how the receipts will
'ount up, but as can't help you, its no use
% borrow trouble. Yet you know, of course,
hat you have my sympathies, and you can't
imagine bow much l would have been de.
ighted to have taken my customary rounds
his day. Will our friends miss me9 How
lad they must be to find that that eyerl asst
ng dun has cleared out at last! Bnt don't
ejoice too much my good friends. Your re-
pite will probably be brief, and in the mean
ime exhort you all to regard the proyerbi-
j modesty of my confrere, who reluctantly
ssumes my special duties, and do the need
u for him with alacrity, as you have done
for me upon irresisiibie Importantly, or
nperturbably good-humored coaxine.
The fact is feel lost-like cat in a
TRANCE garrot, or like colt in new field. ,
= rather like prisoner who has got so used
. his everlasting round Of the same duties
hat when freedom comes the poor fellow
ont know what to do with himself. He \.
nows he ought to be happy and feel good. ,
10 is almost on the point OF hallooing and !
licking up his his heels, just to try his free
ON. But then he feels sort o. strange, and
be strangeness makes him uneasy, and he
mt certain that he is jolly after ali, and so ]
9 inclines to melancholy, and would get :
ack to his old business, il be could, forth. I.
nth. Somewhat so with me, only to the
,lxed state OF my feelings 10 added a shade (
anxiety on account Of illness in nv family {
nov IN Ohio-whither nm going post I.
aste. But hope to return in q few DAYS, ,
nd assist in inaugurating and fully comple- j
ing our, ready .pay systsm. l. was . bad
ime for me to leave, but We can't control
taec ~ F. o..2 l. IA