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

CATINE, IOWA, F
DOINGS AT THE CAPITAL.
I'VE received, Friday, letter from ou
Legislative correspondent, dated the 2ls
inst. which has been considerably delayed o.
the way. As some matters referred to hav
already been given to our readers, we publisl
only portion Of the letter.
"Little has been accomplished, to-day
beyond the passage, lin the House, of bill t
prevent the organization Of new counties witt
less than SO voters. ..'. -.'. ....
"a large number Of petitions were pre-
sented, asking that the railroad lands on tn
AID parallel, forfeited by the P. A. L. r. r.
may be given to the G. r. &, M. R. r. R
This question is assuming sort of triangula
fight between Cedar Rapids and Clinton, o
one part, Dubuque another, and McGregor
with the northern interest, which was included
in the first memorial, the other. 1t will be tn
most exciting question of the session. ;s
"a question of redemption of lands sole
under mortgage excites considerable interest
and think a majority of our Legislature viii
favor some relief of this kind. 1t is generally
thought that our county system will be essen
TALLY modified, though all hands seem to bt
waiting for the Report Of tho Commissioners
to revise the Code. This Report will not gel
the time that the Importance Of the subject
demands, I hardly think it will be adopted
at this time. Too much time has been con.
sumed in little frivolous moves for inquiries
on every conceivable topic-ayes and noes
called by Democrats, (hoping to make little
party capital,) when there was really no
division Of feeling, &C., &c. The Republicans
have manifested an entire willingness to grant
their adversaries all possible facility for
(ofw which they are much in need }
but it is not in their power to give them
brains to use it. Their course here is hardly
consistent with that of their confederates at
who resist the organization Of
the House, with an outcry against Helper and
his indorsers, for the purpose of stunning an
Investigation into the shameless and corrupt
conduct of the present Administration and its
numerous Helpers, who are helping them
selves to the public plunder.
"You will not, hope, conclude that all
our Republican members of the Legislature
we're anxious to represent the State of Iowa
It Chicago, since at least As out of 70 were
not candidates for delegates to the National
a...
DEsMoINEs, Jan. "a, 1860.
EDITOR JOURNAL The contest for the
domination in Republican caucus for State
Printer has closed-the agony is overland
PALMER, Of the Dubuque Times, is our new
State Printer. The nominating caucus was
leld last night, and the election will take place
o-morrow, at II o'clock A. M. Mr.. Palmer
vas nominated on the sixth ballot, receiving
! majority of eleven over Mr.. Howell, of the
Aeokuk Gate City, who was the only other
person voted for on that ballot.
F. M. Mills, of this city, was rc-nominated
or State Binder. He received almost the
entire vote in caucus. -.
Hon. James Harlan is in this city, and gives
supper to the members and officers of the
Legislature. and others, this evening. at the
Desmoines House He came to Mt. Pleasant
or the purpose of taking his family to Wash
ngton, and, learning of his re election to the
U. S. Senate, came on to this city to express
hanks to his friends for the distinguished
lonor that they have conferred upon him.
He will return to Washington Immediately.
1t was the intention of the Republicans to
elect the Printer and Binder to-day; but the
Democrats are desirous to get these officers
nto their own hands, and, with this view,
Keep off the election by making all kinds Of
notions, talking against time, &c, so as to get
. bill up providing for letting this work out to
The lowest bidder. They will, however, find
t impossible to pass any such bill, or to
Keep off the election of Printer and Binder
ater than to o.morrow afternoon. 1t is ell a
plan to get the Safe Printing into Democratic
hands. ,-., .....s..... -....
Senators Coolbaugh, of Desmoines county,
md Patterson, of Muscatine, who have been
absent, made their appearance yesterday. J.
;. Hall, of Desmoines county, appeared in his
seat in the House on the same day. No
member of either the Senate or House is now
absent.
A Virginia official arrived here Sunday
evening, and yesterday applied to Gov. Kirk
wood for warrant for the arrest of Barclay
Coppic, of Cedar county, who is one of old
Browns men that escaped from Harper's
Ferry. The Governor did not issue warrant,
because of some illegality in the papers under
which the officer applied orit. Ibelieve that
he objection was that the information upon
which the Governor of Virginia issued the
'equisition was made before Notary Public,
when it should have been made before a
Justice of the Peace or certain Judges; and
hat, had the Notary Public been the proper
person before whom to give the information,
'he papers scere not legal from the fact that
,he Notary's seal aoas not q6fred to them.
q, But little business of general importance
mas been transacted since my last letter, which
fact will account for the brevity of this one.
E. H. T.
ASPEAKER ELEcrED-ALMosT!- The House
Of Representatives was the scene of another
excitement, yesterday the Democrats for the
first time casting their entire vote for Know
N. II. Smith, of North Carolina.
At one time and another during the ballot, MIR.
Smith received enough votes to have elected
him, but, while the Democrats were changing
their votes, prior to the announcement of the
result, from Mr.. Millson to Mr.. Smith, Messrs.