The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1860-02-28
Eaitartal uerre.ponaenca.
WAsnrNcroN. Feb. 90. I86t

ut all. But ever since | came here it hal
been snowy, rainy, sloppy, cold and abomins
BILE weather, and cheerful fre 10 the mos
attractive thing have met with yet.
Approaching the town on the B. d o. r. r
one would almost imagine he was entering
some scattered, squalid city that by som,
mishap had struggled out upon . western
prairie. The buildings in Washington, aside
from few Government edifces, viii not aver.
age as good as the buildings of Keokuk, BY
considerable, and the Government buildings
are erected about az much to steal on as for
use, and they are 30 numerically stole on
that even they are often shammy, and in va
rious ways faulty and defective. ! think we
could put Keoknk against Washington, any
how, let them average the Government build
ings with the rest.
have not called on or met our Iowa Sem
ators yet, as have not been about the Capt.
tol much, and believe, indeed, that the Sem
ate has not been in session since have been
here; but Of course have met our townsman,
Col. Curtis, who, with bis family, is in good
health, and is actively striving to serve his
constituents and the country.
The bill with reference to the Des Moines
lands has not yet been introduced. They are
waiting upon the action of the Supreme Court
with reference to the claim TO the sources OF
the river. 1t is to be hoped that decision
may not be long delayed; but when it may be
looked for Of course no one can tell. Attor-
ney General Black ia exerting himself to de-
feat the claim; it ia his official duty to do So;
an attorney csnuot look at the question in ON
equitable light, like judge; he can only look
to the interest Of his principal. Judge Ma
son, however, feels quite sanguine that the
claim of the Company Tor state) will be sus-
tanned. | hope so; for it would be more
benefit to central Iowa to have that claim
sustained than ten million State Rail-
road loan, procured and employed as State
aid always is.
BY the way, touching State topics, see
that there is vigorous effort to procure an
other hundred thousand dollars to complete
the Insane Asylum, against which, unless
there are very weighty and cogent reasons
for i. which do not appear on the surface, as
citizen and Republican of Iowa beg most
decidedly to protest. 1t may take 800, 900
TO complete it, and would have it we'll and
thoroughly completed, not grudging dollar
that may be necessary to render i. one of the
most excellent and useful institutions of the
kind. But what is the great hurry? Legis-
lators should understand that the people Of
Iowa are poor, and they will curse any body
who adds unnecessarily to their burdens
100000 is no trifing sum for the people of
Iowa to raise these times; and il looks larger
than it is. Is S1O0, 900 necessary to render
the institution available? III IL is, then some
body has lied awfnlly. But have no idea ii
is. Is il not plainly the prudent and proper
policy to expend, at present, just so much as
may be necessary to protect the work already
done from damage by standing as it is, and
to make ii remarkable so far as may be i'm
mediately necessary; and to expend no more
than that? ! am not acquainted with all the
facts, but have no doubt but that is the
proper policy. II can not be necessary that
the building should all be finished up in order
to accommodate the crazy people now in the
State. III SO, then it was too small in the
first place. That, presume, will not be as.
serted; If not, then part Of it can wait on
the better ability of the people to pay for it.
and the need of using it.
This Congress OF the United States ISM,
so big thing to look at and listen to as i,
is to read Of. A 'syaller handful meeting
in Keokuk, or free public meeting in al.
most any considerable town will draw out al
much speaking talent, as shrewd parliament
airy tactics, will produce no more parlia
mentary wrangling and disputation, and il
every way exhibit as much order, decoruu
and sense as the House of Representatives,
(the Senate have not seen.) You must re-
member that people are not often sponta
neously selected for members because o
their eminent qualifications. They com
here, generally, as the result Of party exi
gencies, or because they are able to "fgsre'
themselves in,--both processes which are no
remarkably calculated to fill the house wit
| the most competent and patriotic men in th
nation. And how, rs things are, man VIII
has once been here can feel disposed TO 6gh
go hard as most Of them do to get back az ain
| cannot understand. The dignity IL little
so is the profit and the pleasure; whilo til
vexation is great, and to a man who dischar
ges his whole duty the labor 10 severe.
had rather be the eultivator of model farm
OF splendid crop Of wheat under Difficult
ties. the breeder OF . bloodsd bull. the man
ager of railroad enterprise. the proprieto
Of good mechanical establishment, or th