Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-08-05

.W-The melo-drama of America lost to
herself the possibility Of bright and shining
light when the rip-roarins, frolicsome youth,
yclept Henry Clay Dean, reckless of the gifts
that nature showcred upon him, and blinded
by an impusive philanthropy, struck out
upon some other path to renown. His talents
as comedian, spite Of some selfimposcd
restraints, arc yet conspicuous, and those of
our fun-loving Republican brethren-about
nine-tenths of the audience-who witnessed
his performance at the Court House, last
Friday night, we doubt not, came away
entirely at peace with the door-kceper.
Mr.. Dean understands the value of we'll
disposed contrast to give effect even to humor,
and hence began his address in a strain dole
full enough to eclipse all the efforts of Isaac
8. Wilson, of green and shady memory. The
croaking-crown is fairly won over, and now
rests gracefully upon the more worthy, single
idea-ed lead of the orator under notice, who,
in assigning cause for the hard times, leaves
the failure of the crops for some years past
altogether out of account. Impatient for
applause, Mr.. D. soon got astride of the
"woolly-horse," and, with sundry laughable
grimaces, trottcd him round the ring, very
much to the admiration of the pea-nut-crack-
ing chaps in the pit. Then he got into a
noisy row with the Legislature for not yet
having provided accommodations for all the
lunatics in Iowa. Next, he befogged himself
upon the subject of a revenue increasing in
proportion to the increase of population. In
this difficulty he grew alarmingly excited
jesticulated with great violence, invoked all
the gods in the Greek calender, and made a
ferocious charge in the direction of the first
tierof seats. Several of the timid young men
in the house involuntarily raised their hands
and lowered their heads deep under their
shirt-collars.
Henry Clay Dean, it is generally believed,
can turn his hand to alno,t anything; and,
assuming the character of surgeon, he pro-
ceeded to remove the bandages from the
healing wounds of Kansas. Not finding
much blood flowing at present, he innocently
concluded that Lecompton was myth, and,
profting by the darkey's advice to the ourangg-
outang, he "Lept his mouth shut." Thus was
one of the "facts" unhappily overlooked. We
should like, now that the subject is brought
to mind, to have Mr.. d. express himself on
Lecompton. With his pious devotion to
''popular sovereignty" and his inveterate
waggery, we fancy he might make tie subject
very entertaining.
In the way of side-splitting yarns, this
funny man gave us a wide range of character
Negro, Irish, Holland, Dutch, French, &c.
but, as a critic, we are compelled to say the
distinguishing popularity Of each was not in
all cases successfully rendered, a fact we have
elsewhere accounted for.
And this is the sum and substance of II.
Clay Deans great campaign effort. The great
gum is perfect bungle-poorly aimed and
operated. With its huge brazen muzzle leveled
point-blank at the Administration, it can only
do execution in the ranks of the harmonious
Democracy" itself. Last night, when mo:
mentarly pointed in another direction, it was
crammed with powder, and, though it gave
deal of an explosion, it hurt nobody.
Blaze away, Mr.. Kan nicAt terst1."
MULTIPLICATION AND DIsUNION.--Col. JET
Davis, in speech delivered before Demo-
cratic Convention in Mississippi, declared the
Federal laws against the rc-opening of the