Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-07-15
For the Journal. J
Harry Again.

After my return from three days journey, I am
welcomed home by volley OF low and abusive Ian
guage which read in the Journal under the sigma
ture of &c. Rotteck." Had the production come
from some fsh-monger, such as made Billingsgate
forever celebrated spot, it would have been what
l expected; but that gentleman who, last week,
was acknowledged as the son of great man, should
stoop down so low as to pick up the language Of
the fshmarket danes, is thing calculated to throw
some doubts upon his pedigree, unless we charita-
bly, think that his HAPPY instincts got the better of
his ancestral good manners To low language no
answer is given but contemptuous silence; but
there are msstatements which silence might cause
to pass for truths, if they were not Dedressed.
Know ye, therefore, great Editor Of the Zeitung,
that the Catholic priest of Muscatine has not the
honor to be the leader of either the Irish of the
German Beneficial Societies of this place-that said
Societies started and regulated at time when
he was six thousand miles from here, and conse-
quently, that he the Church are not responsible
for any of their acts or proceedings, no more than
for the acts Of c. Rotteck, although he was a Ro-
man Catholic before he became~a demolsher of
God and Gods law. What do you howl for, when
you candidly, though in rather obscure words,
TESS the very thing for which you were blamed last
Saturday? We must avow that G. Rotteck's mill
tary tactic is a very ingenious and advantageous
one. He hides behind his ponderous and cumber-
some German language, and when you drag him
out to pull his ears, he, schooboy like, screams,
ut is not I-you did not understand me-translate
me better" 1t is true, he has an English of his
own it is not necessary to read &C. Rotteck" atthe
bottom of page to know the great man from whom
it proceeded. But why does he persist in writing
and attacking in German, when his adversaries
according to him, cannot understand nor translate
his recrimiuations? Why does he deprive the
world of his splendid ideas, when he might enrich
both his citizens with his immense knowledge and
the English language with a new stock OF chosen
expressions and delicate words9 For once he
came cut in Epglish-see what master piece he
produced! Descend, then, ignored genius, from
the wonderful altitude where you keep soaring amid
transcendant, philosophic and superlucid world
| voucnsa1e TO lower yourself to our humble under
standing; speak like common mortal and make
us sharers in your great IDEAS But speak so that
we may understand you; for we, sons of small men,
understand only what you say, but not what you
mean or want to say; give US dictionary OF your
own-a standard whereby we might relish or ap-
preciate your productions. Tell us, for instance,
what "Auscotine Zsitung" means. We, sons of
small men, think the right English for it is, Aus-
catine Journal" But surely you have some other
translation for it-otherwise, you would not steal
the title of your neighbor Johns paper, as you
vulgarly call the editor Of the Journal in yonr still
more vulgar attacks on the gentleman. Would not
"Lager Beer CAronicle'' do better or 7He Denaol-
isher Of Christianity ?-put it in right Dutch, of
course. Should you adopt the latter denomination,
look out that your sword be little sharper, and
above all, fight like Zouave, who does not hide,
but with the cry of sen can't, rushes with his bay
onet openly and fearlessly into the ranks of the
enemy. You have heavy task before you, and
little pilgrimage to Ferney where your grandfather,
Voltaife, lived would increase your courage. After
having sat in his old arm chair and deposited a
reverential kiss on his perruque, you would come
back like lion, and christianity with John, whom
you always associate together, would have to play
the part of the Austrians, run away and cross the
Mississippi in great haste.
Now, son of great man, you will cavil again,
if not in English, at least in German you will say
you are wronged, misunderstood, mistranslated-
but I shall not exchange another word Of public
discussion with you, for it is hard to handle you
without gloves You will abuse the priest and call
him every name but a gentleman. Know ye, he
don't mind you; the meanness of your low insults
shall not even reach the height of his contempt,
although he is but TIE Son OF A SMALL MAN.
| L. H. 9.