The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1859-01-17
For the Gate City.
Ksoxux, Jan. 18th, 1859.


MEssas. EDrross: communication, with
out signature, contained in your paper Of
the 18th, requires perhaps . brief notice;
though, to most truly right thinking and
right feeling persons, the antidote to the
mischief it 10 calculated to ipfict may, ap-
prehend, be found in its own harsh and most
unjusti fably censorious character.
Mrs. Van Antwerp, in a note Of the day
before, over her own signature, had acknowl-
| edged the receipt Of q handsome contribu-
tion to the Mount Vernon Fund, through the
hands OF Mrs. Floyd; and this act 10 made
the groundwork, in the anonymous commu-
nication referred to, not merely for design
eddy ofensive comment on her conduct in
the matter, but Major Floyd and his family
are insiduously drawn into 1t. Neither he or
they had aught whatever to do with the pub
location Of Mrs. v. A's Communication, in
which their names were mentioned, and OF
which, with Whatever there may be in it that
is justly excepsionable, she assumes the en-
tire responsibility.
Her purpose in this matter has been, from
the outset, on receiving all Of the subscrip-
ton lists now being circulated here, in the
hands of several different persons, TO publish
in the Keokuk papers, If their proprietors
wonld throw open their columns for tat OBJ
ject, the name Of every individual, with the
amount subscribed by each 70 the Mount
Vernon Fund--and esp ecially those Of oil the
ladies and children.
| This, by the way, 10 no new proceeding.
1t has been done often, in other parts Of the
Union, aud was never, that am sware,
made the subject OF denunciation or ATTACK
from any quarter.
| The object Of such proceeding has beer
probably, in part at least, to induce add.
tional contributions, through the example
set /; and such ia we'll known to have besn III
effects, in many instances.
In the present case, Major Floyd's family
with few young friends, suggested tn,
idea ofgetting up Thbleaux, At his residence
for the benefit Of the fund named--as hal
been done, too, in many other places. TIL,
limited dimensions of course Of the rooms
at private dwelling, prevented the presenc'
Of more than few persons, comparatively
to witness those Tableaux; bot the result
was contribution, from those present, o
$54. To this amount Major Floyd's family
the first instance 10 Iowa 10 which contri
buttons hsve been made in that way, thong
/ - frac ,,r thn~ Gf.ta
with some two or three friends, added 90
more.
Mrs. Van Antwerp, advised OK these facts
. and desiring to acknowledge, In q prinse
+ communicatiou-thus saving the trouble Z
writing, Mt this time, to every one separated
+ the receipt Of numerous letters, embrace
Q the occasion (thinking it might prove ne
!. stimulus to their writers, and others also, |
further exertions in the cause) to state whit
had already been done, and was being dor
here.
: II in this act she has ,mwittingly wounde
y the feelings of any who ss consciences forbi
their aiding the cause whose agent (whol
unsolicited and as emit irely unexpected on b,
} party she has been constituted here, she ca
y only regret, but what just or excusab
. ground even that CEN afford for anonymo,
and grossly offensive insinuations again
others, she confssses herself wholly unab
to comprehend.
Yours, Respectfully,
V. p. VAN ANTWERP.
!
R~ Tho Rnetun I.iharntor snvs.