The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-07-05
For the Courier.
The Wounded Bird FlUtters.

dying groans of one victim.
AS NJ. NJ. L., alias the Editor of the Union,
asserts that 'war exists" by virtue of my act,
and, that he has volunteered during the
war;" and made gallant, but Intellectual
charge against my lines. propose to stand
my ground, to act both on the defensive and
offensive-to carry the war into Africa-that
is, the Democratic African camp. pre-
sumo that NJ NJ L. will have no objection
to this position, since he has invited it by
coming so nobly to the charge; and ] here
assure my friend that if he gets wounded in
the struggle, he shall not die without benefit
of surgery.
He says that "after the nomination of
Lincoln by the abolition convention at Chi
cago," called on him to prove that Lincoln
was the right kind of a man. Now, here is
the truth of the matter, land I can prove it
by his own Democratic friends,) when he
heard of Lincolns nomination, he was very
profuse in his attcstations of Lincoln's abil-
ity and his moral worth, and SAID, eff the
Little Clint cannot be President, then Iacant
| old AJe' to be- I said to him to not be
too fast, not to commit yourself until you
see one or two Nos. Of your Pennsylvania
Sure enough, when the paper came to hand,
what "a change was there my countrymen !"
Lincoln was the meanest man in the world
AS mean as Tom Corwin---and he always
knew it. In the short space of one week, "Old
Abe" had been transformed into demon of
most hdeoGs proportions. He had opposed
the Mexican war in company with Thomas
H. Benton, Martin Van Buren,, Silas Wright,
Henry Clay, and host of worthless that
could name, even including NJ. NJ. LIS es-
pecial frie I'd, JOS Street, editor of the Union.
| wonder if friend Street remembers the
halcyon days of yore,, when he, with all
his mighty eloquence, plead the cause OF
Henry Clay, and opposed his democratic
calurnniators? Does he remember when, in
still later times, he espoused the cause of
acknowledgement, which his protege, NJ. NJ.
L. says ''never tainted him ?" l make
these personal illusions for two reasons -
first, because, if I am not entitled to any
credit for sincerity, since l ceased to act
with the democracy, then others are liable to
the same implication as myself, for doing
likewise; and, secondly, because | have suf-
fcient reason to believe that the editor of the
Union improved upon the text furnished by
my friend NJ. NJ. L.
saw the communication of NJ. NJ L. just
short time before it was transferred to the
hand of the editor, and knooo that it did
not contain matter enough for one-fourth of
a column. NJ. NJ. L. says that Lincoln did
vote against giving the soldiers of the Mex
lean war 160 acres of land, and that he be-
lieves he voted against supplies, for the
reason that ne frequently heard the charge
made, and it was never denied ntil lately"
| answer that if Lincoln did vote against
one land bill, he done it for the same reason
that Hamlin voted against the Senate Home
stead bil-because he was in favor of and
voted for better one.
Now, suppose M. NJ. LIS argument does
prove that he voted against the supplies let
us apply the argument in another way. Sup
pose l charge A or B of being engaged in
stealing horses. You ask me for my reason
for the charge. Oh, believe it because l
have heard the charge often, and have never
heard it disputed 'untI lately'" Isn't
that as clear as mud?
NJ NJ. L. again returns to the charge that
l have changed my politics. Well, l sup
pose there is no law forbidding a man to
change for the worse.
distinctly deny that have changed my
views in relation to the extension of slavery;
but if had, do not know that the act was
any more criminal, than my friends was
when he left the Mormon church! am GER
tainly very much obliged to you for your
kind advice, to cultivate the virtues of Truth
and Modesty. All have to say is, that
am opposed to the principle of "!Satan re-
buking Sin"
| certainly cannot see the propriety Of
you asking me the question" have you ever
tried to shame the Devil when you, in the
same paragraph, tell your readers "that |
have tried and failed! Sorry to hear that
there is no shame in you.
NJ. NJ. l.. tries to prove, by vague inuen-
does, and by kind of negation argument,
that he has not been guilty of anything, and
therefore, have. That "he never pledged
himseifto vote for certain man. if he would
run as an Independent candidate and then
because he run the regular nomine, of this
party, done all he could to defeat him And
that he never was an aspirant for office, and
never was guilty of great many other
things, too tedious to MENTION" but will do
SO if necessary &c. &C."
All have to say to this jargon of non
sense, is, that you have perfect right to do
iyAt Is Kqu please an IL EpA shaase r. tFarS
likewise" certainly have no kind of OBJ
lection.
Ifany person feels DESTROYS Of know
ing whether | acted deceitfuy with
Judge Flint in relation to his last cleo
ton, they can obtain the requisite inform
alton, by calling upon his Honor. Asto the
insinuation that am a professional Office
seeker, proudly refer to my friends--both
Republican and Democratic-who know me
best, to say whether the charge is true or