Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-02-03

consisted chiefly in its substance and not the style
If ito delivery. Mr. Greeley voice is not caleu
ated for effective public speaking, being narrow
in compass soft and etfeminate; while the intona-
lion Of his words and sentences il ~ the ultra spas
modic order-now high, now low, by fits and starts,
speeding along vt rapid rate and again
relapsing into indolent druw, without the least
respect for the thought conveyed. The meretrtious
of altitude and GESTURE he totally
renounces There is, however, in his reading
confiding, benevolent tone and manner, and con-
scientious distnctness of utterance. which redeem
it in great measure of its other defects.
The lecture itself requires no apology. Intended
only as a general narrative, it was simple in its
structure, methodical in its arrangement, elegant
and, to the highest degree, eloquent in diction,
from beginning to end with unaagging interest.
Mr.. Greeley took straight "shoot" for his point
of destination California deviating from the
main road except with the certain prospect Of
refreshing his audience over some cooling spring of
philosophical reflection. Having rapidly traversed
the bounds Of the fertile Mississippi Valley, be
proceeded upon the long, tedious and painful march
across the Plains-those parched, impoverished and
dreary wastes of clay and sand stretching for hun
dreds of miles across the frontier, where nature
seems to have fortified herself and taken her last,
defiant stand against the habitation Of man and the
encroschments of life.sustaining industry. Beyond
this scene of desolation when the Rocky Mountains
and Utah are reached, the prospect was represent
ed as becoming gradually more inviting and contin-
uing so until from the snow-clad submits of the
Sierra Nevada the modern Eden lies disclosed
rejoicing in beauty, fertility, wealth and already
teemiug population Of Carson Valley and Cali.
fornia, Mr.. G. spoke with great enthusiasm. He
undertook the journey thther with particular refer;
ence to the Pacific Railroad question, and has
returned pretty well confirmed ID the idea of the
urgency and practicability- of that project.
With the Mormons, Mir. Greeley succeeded in
maintaining tolerably easy relations, though he
expresses an utter adherence of the social system
peculiar to that people system, however, which
he thinks will speedily work its own dissolution, by
an infusion of free speech and free press and the
reaction in the minds of the rising generation,
whose rights in the chances of amatrimony' are
ignored and usurped by the oder and Weather
Saints. Mir. G. thinks that murder is legalized
institution among the Mormons, in oil cases where
the interests of the Church seem to demand it and
attributes the impunitr which he enjoyed in this
respect to the general understanding which pre-
vailed of the harmless nature of his mission Salt
Lake Valley made but an Indifferent impression on
his mind. Its scourge, as also that OF the Plains,
is excessive drought. The constitution of climate
and soil is such that it cannot furnish any more
than sustenance to her population, and, unless
mineral wealth is developed in sufficient abundance
to make a never failing article Of commerce, the
necessary importations will reduce the inhabitants
to perpetual bankruptcy. LIZ
Mr. Greeley was surprisingly mute about Pixies
Peak we hardly remember that he mentioned 1t
by name Of the gold deposits in the Rocky Noun
tain ranges he spoke in general and, it is true,
confident terms but rather discouraged the newt
able tide of emigration to that quarter, character
izing gold digging in such remote and barren
country if not indeed, under all circumstances, rs
one of the poorest and most precarious ways OF
obtaining living; especially for poor people.
In personal appearance Mr.. Greeley resembles
his published portraits "a rounded head with no
angles a smooth, pale and feminine or rather
childish face expressive of great benevolence, an
ample forehead, from which scanty growth of dull
white silken hair retreat and are stroked sub
missively behind his ears He appears to be in
the enjoyment of excellent health-the result, no
doubt of his strictly temperate habits. He wears
his everlasting white coat-over quite respectable
suit of black, however-and, while reading, mounts
an old-fashioned pair of spectacles. After he had
finished his discourse be took leisurely and an
inqusitive survey of the premises below, about
and above him, something after the fashion of a
philosopher or travelling Yankee we are not
certain which Daily, 2sM.
OAK GROVE LYcEuM The second lecture
by G. W. Van Horne, Esq. - subject, "Charles
Dickens''-was delivered on last Saturday evening"
before this fourishing institution, and was attended
by large and appreciative audience. The opening
remarks of the speaker, describing the manner in
which be first became acquainted with his subject,
through his writings, were quaint and amusing
and as ne proceeded, dating at some length upon
the character and influence of books Of this class.
his audience could not have failed to coincide with
him in awarding to the WORKS of Charles Dickens
the highest place on the roll of English romance.
At the conclusion, the unanimous thanks of the
audience were rendered to Mr.. Van Horne, for the
two admirable lectures, delivered before them-a
compliment which was well merited
The next lecture will be given on Saturday eve
ming of this week, by J. Carskaddan, Esq. Subject
'-"Revolutions We bespeak for Mr.. c. a well
filed house.
DR.. EADs' BoNDsMEN.-A gentleman from
l. l>no -, nj fors ovarol dave
soliciting signatures to petition to be presented
to the Legislature, praying for the relief OF certain
bondsmen of nr. Eads, the notorious defaulting
Democratic Superintendent ofPublic instruction. He
represents that most of these bondsmen are German
farmers of Lee county, many OF whom will be made
bankrupt if the State persists tn making them re-
sponsibie for Eads' plunderiog. We believe he
does not meet with very good success in obtaining
signatures. Our exchanges printed at Burlington
and Keokuk corroborate the statements set forth in
the petition, and we learn from one of them that
most OF Eads' sureties were induced to sign his
bond without being aware of the obligation they
thus incurred In fact, it is stated that some Of
them supposed they were signing call for Dem
ocratic meeting We must confess that our SYM
pahy has been enlisted for this portion of benight
cd Democracy, and if reliefcan be afforded to them
without too great sacrifice to the State we should
like to see it done. Perhaps they will be careful in
future not to be caught in such scrape by the
smiles and Establishments oftheir political brethren.
BARCLAY CoPpIc. by the letter Of our
Desmones correspondent it will be seen that the
Virginia official who applied to Gov. Kirkwood for
a warrant to arrest Barclay Coppic did not sue
coed, because of informally in the papers. The
officer arrived in this city from Desmoines, yester-
day evening, and is stopping at the Mason House
We learn that he designs returning East.
Young Ccppic, we understand, is yet with his
parents at Spriugdale, in Cedar county. We have
heard it stated frequently that he acts as brayado
and defies the authorities to arrest him. relying
the interference of Gov Kirkwood in his behalf 1t
is also stated that he has made his appearance sew
eral times in this city armed to the teeth. We
informed on reliable authority that this is not the