Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-03-04
2,l95,s02
6,147,l3S lbs.
Total
Or 3.O73 tons and 1888 pounds,

Or {, 073 tons and 1l3S pounds.
Our statistics show that nearly 400 900 bushels
Of wheat Gncluding what was manufactured into
four were shipped from this port during the last
season of navigation. One firm alone shipped 9s,
700 bushels. According to statistical exhibit of
the St Louis Board Of Trade made August 18th, the
total receipts of wheat at that port from the upper
rivers during the year had been 2,7ao00O bushels.
OF this amount Muscatne had sent 274 $50 bushels.
LITERARY INs71TUTE.-Lectureof Req. r. l..
Colier.-The American people are not hopelessly
degenerate, as is sometimes gloomily imagined
The name of Thomas Jefferson has still something
attractive about it, and drew forth this occasion
most encouraging crowd of the sons-and daught-
ers, too-of the sres of '76, ready to OFFER by their
presence, a tribute to his memory. Mr.. Collier is
q stranger among US, but in this, his first effort
here, he will have established for himself an envia
bic reputation as lecturer. Happy in the choice
of his subject, he added thereto the charms of an
excellent delivery; his manner is assured, his voice
strong, and he has disposition to measured exact
ness of utterance, all Of which we regard as first
qualifications of oratory. In these commendatory
remarks we think we are fully sustained by the
judgment of Mr. C.'s entire audience, we certain
ly feel oursef acquitted from the charge of personal
or local prejudice in favor of the speaker.
Commenting upon that period in our country's
history that ushered Thos Jefferson upon the
sphere of public duty-a period no less remarkable
for the astonishing drama about to be enacted than
for the presence of men who were equal to every
purpose of Providence" passing in review the
distinctive qualifications of Washington, Franklin,
Adams and Henry, the lecturer advanced Jefferson
before them ALL as being in himself the ''best rep
resentative, upon the whole of the ideas then work
ing among the Masses" After this in the critical
stages of our national infancy, when Washington,
devoted as he was to the cause of popular govern
ment, betrayed a latent distrust of its permanent
success-when Adams and Hamilton openly pro-
fessed preference for the monarchical system
Thos jefferson doomed forth in solitary grandeur,
'ull of faith in the integrity and ability OF the
people to to govern themselves, proclaimed himself
their defender, and, barring his arm for the battle,
fought like Hercules in vindication of his cherish
ed principles X The author of the Declar-
alton of Independence had a natural bent to amber
sal liberty" With an eye quick to perceive the
sophisms on which every form Of oppression rests,
his attention was early fixed upon the subject Of
African slavery. So soon as peace was restored to
the country Jefferson introduced into the Virginia
Legislature bill for prohibiting the importation of
slaves of which he afterwards wrote follows, the
extract being part of Mr.. C.'s lecture: "This
(bilD passed without opposition, and stopped the
increase of the evil, n leaving to future
efforts its entire eradication" (Which efforts, "
continued the lecturer, 81 am sorry to say, have
not been made in the State honored as the home
ofthis eminent man." He (Jeferson) defined slav-
cry to be ga perpetual exercise of the most bolster
GUS passion and unremitting despotism on the one
part, and degrading submission on the other'-and
added, nobody wishes more ardently than to see
the abolition, not only of the trade, but of the
condition of slavery" With such evidences before
us VIC pause, if but to smile at the amazing impu-
dence Of modern party which claims direct lineage
with this inspired head of pure Democracy, whilst
it directs all its energies to strengthen the hands
and quiet the conscience Of the slave MASTER But
aware that the weapons thus incidentally brought
within our grasp were intended more for innocent
exhibition than for the destructive use to which
they arc adapted, we politely leave hands of.
Education, no less than liberty, was leading
doctrine in the political creed Of Jefferson proc
of his thorough insight into the whole requirement
of nations prosperity. He devoted much OF hi
attention to this subject, especially to perfectn
the school system of his native State, Virginia t.
which in his declining years he contributed Uni
versity, reared and established under his own per
sonal supervision.
We deem it unnecessary to follow further tn
history of Jefferson Identified with the birth an
growth Of our country" it occupies favored spe
in the minds and hearts of its people "May it er
gage our highest ambition and hottest aspiration
to emulate his graccs and equal his virtues"
The next and closing lecture of the course will
delivered by J. Scott Richman, Esq Subject
"The Real and the Apparent"