The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-09-27
The .EOi,lt DisCnSsi0.,.
EDDYvILLE, Sept. II, 1860.


EDIToRs GATE CRY: This has been day
of great political excitement here. The reg
ular appointment of Curtis and Cole to speak
here to-day was the occasion Of general
rally among the Democracy, in all the coun-
try about, even to Oskaloosa, which turned
out company of hickory shirts, under the
pretcnse that there was to be 'poie-raising.'
Their pole having suffered alittle oftha same
fatality that seems to follow their party of
late, in being riven assunder by stroke of
lightning, which as completely demolshea
their pole as squatter sovereignty has their
party.
When the hour Of discussion had arrived,
it was evident that the ruse had been sue
cessful in getting out large audience of
Democrats, of whom, think, fully half the
audience was composed. 1t is not necessary
after what have said above, to say that no
effort was made to mend the unfortunate
pole, as it, like the party, is gone 100 far for
any such expedients to avail. The delega-
tons Of iarinci5le hickory shirts from the
county murmured audibly about the failure,
and some even presumed to call tia swindle.
But the Republicans smiled to think that in
this way, if in no other, large number of
honest, but deceived men, might be enabled
to hear the real Republican truth from the
lips of our gallant standard bearer in this
district-Col. Curtis.
The debate If such it may be termed
came off at 2 o'clock, Curtis leading in a
powerful, clear and lucid exposition of the
platforms of the two parties-making it plain
to all hearers that we have not only an hon
est, earnest man, but statesman, represent
ing US in Congress. He proved most con-
clusively from the record that the modern
Democracy had, by their acts, regardless of
platforms and pledges to the country, always
favored polygamy and slavery that although
Douglas said he did not care, he had always
acted in favor of slavery and its extension.
But how did Cole answer him? Why. by
his usual clap-trap nonsense, by which he
seemed to desire to raise laugh. In this
he failed for the audience-althaugh fully
half Democratic--couldn not see the point as
he did, for he did sometimes laugh, perhaps
at his own folly, and no one else seemed 10
appreciate his wit, if wit is proper name
for hits at nothing.
At last he subsidei into a sober mool and
attempted to wind up with argument And
in place Of the plain words of Douglas, that
slavery had been extended over and pro-
'tected in territory five tines the size Of New
York by non-;ntervention in New Mexico and
Oregon" he said "Mr Douglas said that
slavery existed there NORMALLY only" The
wcrd NORMALLY was oft,n used by him
(Cole) in this connection, which sounded
strange to those who knew-having Just
heard the slave code of New Mexico read by
Col. Curtis---ttat 1t does actually erist there.
have neither time nor room to extend re-
marks on tho dexterity of this c. C. Coles
lodging. Suffice it TO say, that in his closing
speech Col. Curtis used him up, not by
clap-trap, ad captaadum ru'gus. but by solid
truths and cogent argument The Democrats
saw the effect it would have, so they beat a
retreat by playing tune on q base drum,
drawn in wagon around the speakers stand,
which failed to produce any effect, except to
show the anamus of the party, the audience
seeming rivited to their places, eager to catch
every word that fell from his lips, only occa-
sionally breaking silence by audible "Amens,
when those deep seated sentiments ofhuman-
ity which pervade the principles of the Re-
publican party were uttered by him. At
the close, long, loud roar from stentorian
lungs for "Curtis and Lincoln" wound up
the most one-sided debates ever heard be-
tween men claiming to be equals. twas evi
dent that the victory was complete.
Yours, truly, A.