Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-04-08
phiIadeIphia ana the west.

Philadelphia ANA the West.
The Philadelphia North American (weekly)
of the 23dult contains an editorial rejecting
in no measured terms on the fair fame of our
State.- After quoting at some length from a
St. Louis paper, giving an account Of the
course of law in Lee county, iowa, in relation
to collections pending before the District
Court of that county terms Of said court
having been abolished by legislative enactment
in January Of last year, and some st. Louis
claims not reached at the first ensuing session,
held in February of the present year, having
been continued to another term-over which
that paper INDUCES in some chara cteristic
whining, the North american volunteers the
following consolatory remarks: "Of course,
the merchants of st. Louis are not alone in
suffering by this specimen of Iowa integrity
Every eastern manufacturer, or jobber, or
dealer of any kind, having trade with that
region, must necessarily suffer, Also" Then,
citing the case Of O'Brien, late Treasurer Of
Dubuque county, through whom consider
able sum Of money has been lost, the article
continues: ave place these two items side
by side, because we think them beautiful
match. They illustrate Iowa as it is (D"
The idea of thus jumping at conclusion
in the highest degree prejudicial to the inter-
ests of sister State-whose prosperity,
instead Of, by any possibility, detracting from,
must contribute to that of the commonwealth
over which the North american processes to
be so watchful guardian from one or two
isolated cases of fraud or intrigue, which are
bv no means we'll substantiated, we trust is
altogether original with that sage paper.
Because, forsooth, there are certain contin-
gencies in law by which the collection Of
rishtful claims before our courts may occa-
sionaly be retarded, and because county
official has failed to make his financial returns
entirely satisfactory, we are nation exclu-
sively of sharpers, and swindlers, and thieves!
Amazing philosophy! Adopting this rcdoubt-
able line of argument, it is very generally
Illit uuI lllIiC ldUOl WUuiu Uc
required to sink the old Keystone State to a
point of moral degradation infinitely beneath
us. Fraud, defalcation and petty swindling,
when once their history comes to be written
out, must look for their choicest illustrations
to the East and not the West-to city on
the Delaware and not to one on the Mississippi.
We have before us very fair sample of the
kind Of courtesy which Philadelphia, as a
commercial city, is accustomed to extend to
the West in general and the State Of Iowa in
particular. She shows no friendship for us
because she feels none she cares not to con-
ciliate our merchants, and secure to herself
the rich trade of the West. She is terribly
alarmed because this very Spring her sales in
this direction have been unusually heavy
When will our Western merchants take the
hint, and save these "city gents from their
fancied doom of distress and ruination?
The truth is, Philadelphia has yet to learn
on which side her toast is buttered The
West, scarcely released from it's swaddlng
bands, has already been to the East the source
of her heaviest revenue. The enterprise and
integrity of our merchants has made her
merchants princes. While we have right
to expect gratitude and sympathy, we receive
abuse and detraction. Under less obligations
to Philadelphia for the vast system of railway
INSTRUMENTATION, and other appliances of
commerce we enjoy, than to any other Eastern
city, shei is sllamelessly forward to scandalize
and defa.Hus. In her mad zeal, she STRIVES
to sever the ties of home and kindred to bolt
and bar the family mansion against her
children as we'll as the stranger. The legiti-
mate fruit of her conduct would be eventually
to drive the trade of Iowa, at least, en- n,asse
to New York and Boston, where the exalted
worth, the enterprise and integrity of our
merchants, as class, are duly appreciated
and acknowledged.
Both cases of alleged dishonest practice
cited are susceptible of explanation. The
interruption in the Lee county court was
occasioned, doubtless, by the disarrangement
consequent the State over to the introduction
of the new Constitution. Aside of this, we
are free to admit the possibility of cases having
arisen in our State for the collection of foreign
claims, during the past or present year, in
which the executors of law have shown a
somewhat unusual degree of leniency to our
citizens, in view of the commercial depression
incident to the crash of 81, which everywhere
continues to be more or less felt, and that
debtors IN Iowa have, in some instances,
awaited themselves of all the relief which the
humanity Of law could thus extend to them.
Good and honest men may, under the force
Of circumstances beyond their control, have
found this course the only by which to save
their creditors. Philadelphia must confess to
parallel of these cases. She was foremost
to feel the stroke, and of her merchants who
dropped on the right hand and on the left,
many are hobbling around on their crutches
yet, with this difference in our favor, that,
while our arrearages might be counted by
thousands, hers would run into millions of
dollars The Dubuque county case is dis
posed of in the following communication
published in the North american of the 3Oth
ultimo:
GALLITzlN, March 25, 1850.
Mr.. EDIroR:-In your issue (weekly) of
the 23d inst, under the caption of "Private
and Public Honesty" you quote from some
OF your exchanges an article rejecting upon
the official probity of Mr.. O'Brien, late Treas
urer of Dubuque county, Iowa. l pass over
the scurrility contained in the article when
reference is made to Mr.. O'Brien's public and
private morality. | will only premise that
Mr.. O'Brien is dead, and, therefore, his
defence rests with his friends. Happening
to be in New York at the time he negotiated
the bonds, I know precisely the amount he