Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-02-17
WEEKLY JOURNAL.
DOlNGS AT THE CAPITAL.
SENATE CHAxBsR, Desmoines, I
February 9Th. 1860. {

cate I'd Your columns tne luctoentS atteuuAnt I
upon the resurrection of the scars, wounds,
dust and bones Of one John Brown-which
notable event took place, in due form, in
the House of Representatives, yesterday.
The grave-clothss Of that unfor tunate man
were slightly disturbed by Mr.: Goodrell
moving to refer certain portions of the Gov.
ernor's Inaugural to the Committee upon
Federal Relations, with instructions to
report joint resolutions, expressive Of the
sentiments Of the General Assembly. BIT
II was left for the ruthless hands of q
descendant of one of the F. F. V.'s to burst
with violence the oerements of death. lean
account for the wanton violence of the
young member from Dubuque only Oh the
ground of his .6rs.e eating proclivities, the
presence of smiling ladies, school.boy
ambition to declaim, and an ardent love for
the nigger- South. Early in session it was
evident that the s'youns est member of the
House was pregnant with mischief in
relation to Brown and Kirkwood. He was
full to overfowing. His speech evinced an
acqusintance with words. the Virginians,
and the superior natural condition of the
negro. 1t contained expressions Of fear
yea, of trembling fear-for the safety Of our
gal-o-rious Union. Yes, he was daily in the
receipt Of letters, assuring him that mecsr
were the people Of the South SO aroused
over their repeated insults and wrongs. The
North governed and controlled the General
Government ~; the solemn guarantees to
the South had one after the other been
destroyed O. one after another the pillars
OF the Constitution had been torn down (?)
and the Union is in danger from Repub
lican agitation! One very important idea,
advanced in connection with the extensive
correspondence of the young gentleman,
was, that when he lived in Virginia, he was
regarded, lectured and expostulated with,
as q fire.eater and nullifer, but that now
he was assured the South stood where he
then did. Here is the testimony of an Iowa
Democrat, proving ESQ far as it goes) that
the great mass of his party are .fre-eaters
and nullifers He believed that the slaves
South were in much better condition, much
better cared for, than the Jfse slaoes North:
There, gentlemen Democrats, is your doc
trine stereotyped! What arc you coming to?
which way tending? Let those words be
inscribed over the door of every workshop
let them ornament the parlor of every
mechanie-let them be the pocket compan~
ion of the seamstress-let them echo and
re-esho around the bluffs, along the streams,
and over the plains of Iowa, that promi-
nent Democrat, representing the stronghold
of Democracy, put forward by his followers
to lead the van and promulgate their polit-
ical views, says that the slaves South are
much better off than "the free slaves North3'
Mr.. Williams, eve thank thee for those
words -
The glove being thus thrown down, it was
picked up by Gurley, of Davenport, whs
replied to the position taken by Mr.. Will.
liams. Owing, however, to hoarsensss he
somewhat disappointed the expectations of
his friends. Yet he fully refuted the argu-
ments of Williams.
Then followed the Immortal Bennett"
It is useless to deny that Bennett is man
of more than ordinary political ability, and
use the term political as distinguished
from statesman. Bennett has ready COM
mand of language, quick at repdrtee, and
intimately acquainted with political affairs.
There is but one thing that prevents him
from occupying prominent and leading
position in his party, and that is his perPet-
r la Vnc
there is another obstacle in tns way - he
and manners of a gentleman-learn to treat
his opponents with courtesy and fairness
not to distort and psrvert the record-be
less black guard, and assure him he will
win more frie ends. His arguments in favor
of Democracy were about the same used
last Fall-nothipg new. One thing main
tanned by Democratic speakers, l protest
against, and that is placing the Fugitive
Slave Law of 1898 and that Of 1850 upon
common level, as though there were no
differences between those acts. l contend
that the enormities aud outrageous provis-
ions of tho Act of 80 do not exist in that
of 1913. Again, protest against Democrats
charging Gov. Krkwood, or any other
Republican, with disloyalty to the Act
signed by Geo. Washington--neither Of
u1ieh epe, said they would resist or refuse
to execute the act Of '93. protest against
the untrxs statement, that any bogus orator
who chooses to call Geo. Warrington q
thief and robber and who neuer enters our
Conventions or assists in making platforms,
or nominating candidates, is Republican,
prominent in Conventions and out. l pro-
test against putting words into the mouth OF
Giddings, or anybody else, which he never
uttered, and against which he has repeated.
" demurred. Bennett made q loso, scurri-
lo,s and couardIy attack, not only upon
the Governors address, but upon bis person.
al friends and relations. .
It was truly astonishing with what Perti.
nacity the Democracy insisted that the
Governor approved the acts OF John Brown
But let 'em howl, the people are intelligent
can read and can judge for themselves.
l am only sorry that the Legislature did not
place copy into the hands of every votel
in the State Evening came, and with it 9
mastery vindication Of the Governors
views, and conclusions from Rush Clark
of iowa City. By this eloquent effort, Mr.
CLARK has placed himself as q leader OF the
majority. By the side of Mr.. Oald~ ell, ol
Van Buren, Co., Mr.. CLARK will now stand
and henceforth need net be ashamed to mee
the Buck Africans, upon any ground. HI
nobly rebuked the unjust and ungenerou'
reflections of the minority upon the Gov
ernor. Heightened, gentlemanly, courteous
and jast, be received the unboundsd applause
ofthe majority. 1t was q marked contras
with the bar.room effort Of Mr.. Bennett
1t is the first time have heard him speal
since the opening of the session. MIR. O. j
rapid, fluent speaker, with much earnest
ness of manner-but lacks . strong voic
to make him effective. The Buck African
witAersd under his pointed and incontro
vsrtable arguments, and will not soon forge
Rush Clark as debater.