Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1861-07-12
Iowa Democracy.

The split in the Democratic party of this
State is growing wider every day, and we be-
lieve it to be utterly irreparable. Mahoney
still keeps his call for a State Convention be-
fore the public, Notwithstanding the counter
proclamation of H. W. Sample, of keokuk,
the post of acting chairman of the State
Central Committee From present indlca-
tons there is evidently to be general strug-
gle for the supremacy. Mahoney is marshal
ing his clans now with the determination tc
die game if defeated in the end Of course
he and his followers are terribly indignant at
being termed secesSionists; they are only
''compromisers, strict constructionistS.
&C.. and greatly Mortified at the thought o.
shedding "brother's blood" To an outsider
however it is particularly difficult to distir-
guish the difference between their demands o.
the government and those of the rankest Sc
cessionist
A general combat took place between Tho
two wings of the party lately, at Montezuma
Poweshiek county, which exhibited the spirit
and determination OF each faction in a pretty
plain light. An hour and half was consun
ed in etfecting an organization =; after which
another great quarrel arose in regard to th(
committee on resolutions. Finally a commit
tee was appointed and that committee quarrelet
and split in two. The majority adopted ;
series of patriotic resolutions; and the minor
ity Il series reasonable enough to satisfy tn,
most ultra Secessionist.
Daring the quarrel it was distinctly charged
by delegate that the notorious BEN NJ
SANUELs, few days since, while in where
they were manufacturing soldiers uniforms
in Dubuque, remarked that he 'hoped every
soldier who wore those uniforms would bt
shot"
But let them wrangle as they will, good vii
come of it. 1t will thoroughly test the GEM
ineness of Democracy in Iowa and show tt
the world precisely how much there is Of it
> - S--
The Comet.
Nothing more as yet is definitely known
concerning the name or character of this dis
tinguished visitor, who came so suddenly and
unexpectedly before our wondering eyes. Oul
Swans seem greatly bothered, and not one O.
the more distinguished among them, we be
Geye, have had the courage to hazard an opin
ion as to who the celestial visitor is, or wha
special mission brings him here at this partic
ular time
So far we have nothing further from our
leading obseryatories than statement Of thu
time and place OF the first appearance of TIM
comet, and a record Of its passage through the
heavens as seen each succeeding night
Mr.. Samuel Beswick, of New York, former.
" from England, it appears predicted thc
temperance Of the great comet of 1854 and
l246, about the year 1861" in contradiction
to the prediction of Mr. Hind another English
astronomer, who fixed the time Of its reap
pearance in February, 1848, and failing in
that, in August, l8G0-which was also proven
false. Yet even Mr.. Beswick, hesitatcs to
claim this as the comet whose disappearance
ne predicted, but in a communication to the
New York Ecening Post he says: ".cien-
tliic men have not had an opportunity to gain
sufficient data for determining with any degree
OF accuracy the movements Of this celestial
visitor. And until the clements of its motion
are appropriated, nothing satisfactory can be
said in relation to its identity with the comet
OF 1864 and 1916" Thus we rest at present.
Perhaps we may soon here something from
European obs,ryatories Of 4 more definite
character