The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-11-04
From the Gate City.
The Result and its TEACHINGS.

| anu pure, Wliolt any side issues TO divert the
attention Of the people from the main question
involved, the Republican party will each sue
ceeding year poll larger and larger majorities.
The Democratic leaders know this as we'll as
we do. They comprehend quite well the I'M
popularity Of their principles among people
whose interests lead them to seek to elevate
and ennoble labor, rather than degrade it.
Hence their efforts to raise State and local
issues upon which to conduct the recent can.
vass. Such will always be their practice
Their future policy Is fully determined upon
Instead of meeting us hereafter in fair, ma NJ
ly contest upon the great principles that really
separate the two parties, we shall in future
have guerrilla fights, local squabbles, appeals
to the baser passions Of the people against
charitable and reformatory institutions, ISLANDERS
of public men. and all sorts Of temporary and
subordinate issues. The Democrats think, and
they think truly, that this is the only course
open to them. that indicates success; and with
them success will sanc.ify the means
| In this view 1T the case, it is manifestly the
duty Of the Republican party to be prepared
for their universities by the circnmspection of
their course. The canvass Just closed has
shown that we are held responsible for the acts
of the General Assembly, no matter how ind,-
vidual members of it, belonging to this or that
party, may have voted. The Democrats do
not consider themselves estopped from denoun-
cling ns when we show that the members OF
their party in the General Assembly voted
unanimously for the very measures they con
denim. The government. they say. is in our
hands; we have the power to control it as we
see fit, under the Constitution, and they are
determined to hold us responsible for that
control. Let II be so. IF me are wise men,
we shall profit by their recent demonstrations
in this regard.
| The great argument relied upon by the Dem.
ocrats in the recent canvass was that founded
upon the increase in the State expenses They
said that the expenses Of the State were greater
during the last three years than they were
during the three years preceding, which was
true; but they did not say that the number of
organized counties, the number of people, the
number Of Representatives, Senators and Judge,
had ased in the last three years in a
greater proportion than the expenses. which
was also true. Nor, did they say, what was
likewise true, that all these expenses had been
incurred by the aid of the Democratic votes in
the Senate and House of Representatives, AID
in some instances. with view to this very
argument of "expenses and extravaganza"
before the people.
do not deny, indeed we believe that
some expenses have been incurred that should
have been avoided, mostly small amounts, but
which, in time swell to large aggregates
These expenses have not been peculiar to the
Republican administration Of the State They
or ginate fer the most part with the Demo-
cratic members Of the Assembly and Dem
ocratic offceholders before the Republicans
acquired the ascendancy in the State conn
sells. But it matters not how, or when, or by
whom they originated; il these expenses are
too great. let them now be curtaled We re-
member being at Iowa city in December, 1854,
when the Secretary of State, Gen. Nc Cleary,
was instructed to procure gold pens for the
Mr. Coolbangh, the Democratic Senator from
Des Moines. and the pens were purchased. at
an expense Of several hundred dollars, Of Mr..
Corse, Democratic member Of the House
from Des Moines county. When the extra
session met in July, 1856, Gen. Nc CIeary felt
himself instructed under the old resolution Of
Mr.. Coolbaugh to again procure gold pen for
each member, and the practice has been con-
tinued to this day. Now the Democratic Sen
ator from Des Mones fastened this practice
upon the State for the sake of giving job 10
bis colleague, and the Republicans are COM
PEELED to foot the bill and bear the oidum Of
the act. We trust that the Secretary of State
and future General Assemblies will agree with
us that this practice Of furnishing gold pens,
bankers cases, costly knives, &C., &C., to each
member will be "more honored in the breach
than in the observance" Let them not follow
the lead of Democratic Senators and Repre-.
sertatives to do that which these very Senator'S
and Representatives will condemn upon the
stump in the next political campaign.
When the present Supreme Court was or
gdhlZeu, the lawyers were very anxious tnat
adequate measures should be taken to secure
complete reports of its decisions. The mat
Ter came before the Assembly when the Dem
ocratc member Of the Senate from Linn county
insisted that measures should also be taken to
publish the entire decisions of the former Su-
preme Court, which he alleged were then in
the course Of preparation by ex-Judge Green.
1t was perfectly well known that the opinions
of the old Supreme Court were not written out,
that they never were Of any authority, and
that opinions written years after the expiration
Of the term Of Office Of the Judge would be-,
perfectly worthless. Nevertheless, Mr.. Pres
ton and his friends having the control of the
Senate would not allow the decisions of the
present Court TO be published unless job was
furnished to his Democratic constituent Judge
Green, and the result has been that ever since
that time Mr.. Green has been publishing law
reports at the expense Of the State, which are
of no more value than last years almanacs. -
| We desire our Executive officers at the Cap
ital and our members of the General Assembly
to understand that no Democratic member
considers himself responsible for any resolution