The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1860-03-17

| herewith append Mr.. IxcEasoIL's eGsacs
and defence. Tho reader may gather an
insight into the practical workings Of the
Democracy hero assembled, BY careful
perusA Of the following:
DIS MONIES, March Sd, 1860.
To the Hon. w. F. Coolbaugh, and others,
committee Of Senate to investigate "Linken-
sale.D
Your favor without date was handed me
BY Judge Rankin little while ago. Il
propounds to me certain inquiries touching
an article In the Burlington Hawk-eye Of
the 25th ult., in which Senator Johnson's
abilities are not very highly spoken Of
In response permit mo to shy that have
very serious doubts Of your power, as a
committee of the Senate to enquire into my
notions Of the mental abilities Of any OF its
members. can scarcely be persuaded tina,
the Senate, in granting to gentlemen con-
nected with the press the perquisites OF
reporters. had any idea that, on that account,
or indeed on any other, the press could not
express untrammelled views Of the individual
character of Senators, SO long, at least, as
no moral delinGuencies or official malfea-
sanes were attributed to them. If | am
wrong herein, then, for q little paper and
ink, We mast be expected to deal IN nothing
but indiscrimnate, universal puff My
respect for the Senate rs body, and for its
individual members, will not permit me for
moment to entertain such an opinion.
But, though the article in question contains
no inputat,ons upon. Mr.. Johnson's recti-
tude, imputes to him no official misconduct
whatever, and no moral delinquencies,
shall yield my doubts upon the power OF
The Senate to enquire into such an article to
" hat must be their opinion upon the subject,
and respond to the Undergraduates PROFOUND
ed by your honorable committee.
In reply to tho interrogatory as to wheth-
er wrote tho article alluded to, will say
that did, if the following paragraph be the
one complained of:
al, man were composed entirely Of bone muscle,
blood flesh and hair then certainly Seiator johnson OF
wapeio, would be by all means The biggest gun, or
should say the creates ia the senate But rs we
like TO thnk bras constitute an important Ingredient
in the composition OF man, Ar. Johnson must 20
straight from the head to the foot u the class It's
pity ~ SEQ so poor head fac body Mr.. john
very frequently Oh his legs trying to say some
thing. but so tar my knowledge goes without hav-
Ing yet succeeded. The ndstn:i verbosity OF Gag
get hbi en- ugh but the inane pattuies OF the Sem
ator # III wapello are inexpfessiby wasc stranger
would doubtless think rst seeing hin arse 20 adj
dress the President, pdrturiea moscs-but he would
DO led to excaim before the Senator shauld sit dJ"
in the Concluding portions Of the famous verse gathered
to suit circnmsiances''-nGstyr ridiculous nsusE !
say with profound respect for tue trlta OF history
and with the fear of God before eyes the Senator
on whose portrait now put the finishing touch, is
beyond all controversy, and without exception. the dull
-hara hn u. irsf
and the rest The praise that he Is enti-
tied to- let him have. As hale fellow, well met, he
is a good cgs' 81 aa@s
Your second enquiry is as follows; "Did
you intend to indulge in any indignity to
the Senate as body, or to Mr.. johnson,
as a member of the Senate!o To this |
will state that d d not dream of offering
any indignity to tho Senate as body. In
the first part OF the article actually com.
pare your Senate to the Senate of the United
States. Ineed not argue that there is no
indisR,ty in this. ] may say also that the
article does not offer any indignity to Mr..
Johnson, as member Of the Senate" |
was merely expressing my notions Of that
gentlemen, in n physical and intellectual
capacity, stating in substance, in somewhat
Of joking way, that in my opinion. the
former was more perfectly developed than
the latter. II tbs committee, or the Senate,
should think otherwise, and should see fit
to pass a bill assigning tothe Senator more
intellectual power than ''Linkcnsalc' as
signed to him rs aforesaid. do most SOL
emily ayree,,o use nv influence with the
Governor in favor of its approval. As the
Legislature has declared the Little Sioux
River to be navi.able, think there could
beno serious constitutional objections to the
measure proposed. -'r
In reply to your inquiry as to where the
article was written, lwIil state that believe
il was from my stand in the Senate chamber,
90 kindly furnished me by the Senate clerk.
Your fourth interrogation seeks TO know
whether the article was ''the result of mature
delibera,ion, or hastily written rs such ar
ticles usually are 20 In response to this |
may in part refer you to my answer to your
second interrogatory. The article certainly
was hastily written, and was the result Of
my observations in regard 10 Mr.. johnson,
in the particulars mentioned in my response
t, your second question.
Your fifth intcrrogatory inquiries whether.
when the article was written, "entertaned
ans malice towards Mr.. johnson, or design
ei to disgrad him as Senator on the hoor!'
| did most assurediy entertain no malice
towards Mr.. Johnson, nor, trast, toward
any other human being. What | have said
in response to your second and fourth
interrogatories viii be n sufficient answer,
as it seems to me-, to the last clause in the
fifth interrogatory. may say further,
however, that | think have 50 much kind
ness for ann one having the human form,
that, had anticipated the words which Mr..
johnson let fall in calling this matter up on
question Of privilege, should not have
expressed nv notions Of that gentleman At
all. In so far rs it might be deemed, there
fore, that he might have degraded himself
on that occasion-if any one not knowing
his irritased feelings should so think
think it will be readily seen that it was not
through any design Of mine.
! have the honor to be,
7 Your obedient servant,
T.. D. ISoERsoLL.