The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1860-05-11
Ecrt Madison Correspondencc.
The letter from which we take the follow
ing extracts was received too late yesterday
30 copy in full

ne iestef from winch We take the rolloW-
ing extracts was received too late yesterday
TO copy in full j
FoRT MADISON, May 9, 1850
EDS. GATE CIrY-The Douglas people are
very .ick just now, and perhaps almost any
kind of a nostrum will com rend itself to
| them. | would suspect, however, that lni-
menss would be most appropriate, for think
there is not much doubt but that they have
overstrained themselves at Charleston. W hat
falling off was there! Poor Hamlet's com.
plant is reversed. The wedding feast 80
fondly anticipated is sadly changed to Stu
neral baked meats" We expected to be
stunned by the firing Of cannon, and other
noisy rejoicings over Douglas nomination,
by this time, but instead of this the gloomy
silence is only broken by a suppressed whis-
per, faint and doubtful, that sit will be all
right at Baltimore" 1t has been going to
be sail right" with Douglas so long that the
most confident are losing their courage.
would like to call your attention to an
enterprise inaugurated by the Rev. Mr..
Thomas, Chaplain to the Pententiary. II is
proposed that an organization be perfected,
having it, parent at this place, and branches
in every county Of the State, the object Of
which shall be to find some kind of honest
employment for coHvicts when their time ex-
pirss in he Penitentiary. 1t is to be pre-.
sumed that many of them would be glad to
lead ref ormei life. This il often rendered
difficult from the fact that they are cut off
from employment in the department Of hon.
est industry by the stigma which attaches to
them as former eeavicts. 1t is proposed by
this Society simply to keep up a correspond
enco by which ii can be ascertained where
employment may be found, and thus these
unfortunate men be preserved from relapsing
into their old courses. Some opposition has
sprung up here to this scheme from misun-
derstanding of its objects. The impression
has been given that it was the intention Of
those engaged in this enterprise to retain the
convicts In this place as much as possible, by
providing them situations here. On the con-
trary, the effect will be to get them out Of
tho place sooner than they otherwise would
be likely to go; as many of them who have
been in prison for several years, losing oil
knowledge of their friends, and having no
means, only the FIVE dollars given them on
their discharge, do not know what to do with
themselves. Can there be any objection to
giving these men chance to lead different
lives? Society seeks to cure the evils by
which it is affected. Why should it not try
to prevent them as well? Because man has
sinned, shall he have no chance to repent !?
II so, God have mercy upon us all. Mt.
MoRE ABOUT TIE SrEAn PLow.-In addition
to the plow turning up the virgin soil to the
| satisfaction of all, we learn il now plants
and harrows as it goes. Three of Mr.. Jesse
Fry's newly patented mammoth plows arc At
! ..ched e the locomotive; .h:ss -ss. c. ..hh.ss
cast wheels, and are so arranged in frame
| that they can be lowered or raised at pleas
ure, by means OF screws. A seat ID hxed on
| top OF the frame, where a man or boy can
sit and drop the corn down in front OF the
plows, which is Immediately covered BY the
plows with the sod. A large harrow, nsual-
ly drawn by three yoke OF oxcn, is dragged
BY the locomotive after the plows, and BY
this means the ground 10 broken, planted and
narrowed, all by one process, Of which steam,
and not animals, as heretofore, is the motive
power Hannibal Messenger.
| GT good story is told OF Hon. Thadde.