Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-02-27

longer than that allotted as the life of NOR
tails, the winds have blown health anG
strength; the showers gladdened all things
the skies looked down in splendor; the flow
ers bloomed; the earth yielded up its rich
ness; the waters poured their wealth. Heav
en- pity such an one when about to depar
from the life he has abused to that undiscov
cred country from whose bourne no travele,
returns. That is to say, Heaven forgive thu
dying old National Intelligsncer of this city
for no finite being can do anything of the
sort. - '.9.
1t is on its last legs. Its elegy must soon
be written.
It has stole its last steal,
It has fbbed its last whopper,
| In my opinion, keep It from going to the dogs
Now soon.
Which is not particularly brilliant as q
poem, but is good enough for the occasion.-
The lntelligencer would have gone up few
weeks ago-it had no money to pay off the
hands-but for the lucky advertisement from
the State Department of the batch of Rebel
correspondence captured by our navy. Then
Congress has refused to give its advertising
to the old concern, or to pay for it exclusive
ly for public officers, which cuts another
huge half moon, monstrous cantle out Of
its "profits." Moreover, part of the Intezli-
gencer building has just been turned into a
grocery store, and is now odorous of cheese,
of ham, Of brandy, and of eighty-rod. This
looks as though the whole concern might
soon be turned into a livery stable, or at
best tombstone establishment .
The sooner it dies, the better. There nev-
er was an American journal more lavishly
patronized by the government. 1t has re-
ceived millions of the public funds, and al
ways took as much by grace as by merit, to
say the very least of it. The Union threw
into the laps Of several of its proprietors for
tunes which might have satisfied princes
Its editors have for years drawn the heavy
salaries Of sinecures, and one of them now
takes from the government $25OO a year, for
which he does absolutely nothing. 1t is with
in bounds to say that $4,000 of it is simply
respectable grand larceny. His children are
with their friends in Richmond. The paper
is doing allin its power to destroy the govern
ment, in spite of all the government has done
for it during so many years. 1t was bound
by gratitude, by memories of the old glories,
the triumphs, the trials of the Union, to sus-
tain the government from which it had drawn
prosperity and wealth. But like the drunk
ard who cursed his God, and died, inebriated
with the red draught of treason, the old In
telligencer mocks the power that made it and
preserved it, and passes away endarkened
with crime which will cast its black shadow
over all that it ever was.
The Senate has passed, with important
amendments, the House bill granting aid to
Missouri in the emancipation of her slaves
The main features of the bill are these If
emancipation shall take place as soon as 1866.
$40, 100000 are appropriated to the State of
Missouri to aid her in getting rid of the sin
stitution." If the State shall adopt gradual
emancipation, (the limit being 1861 $780,
100000 are appropriated. The average
value of slaves shall not be greater than 5000,
cept as the slaves shall have been duly de-
clared free. This last and important provis.
ion is the work of Senator Harlan. It is not
doubted the measure will speedily pass
the House, and become law. 1 look upon
it as great and beniicent measure, calculated
to accomplish incalculable good, now and
hereafter. Its cost will be doubly saved, and
more too, in ways which need not now be par
ticularized. - -e--
1t was opposed, in the Senate, by three
Senators of ability and patriotism m-Fessenden,
Grimes, and Lane, of Indiana, and with bois-
ferrous obstinacy by the whole pack of border
ruffians and sympathizers. Richardson spoke
several weary hours on it one night, and did
not stop till the galleries had got sound asleep.
He squirted much tobacco juice, ranted some
buttons off his unmentionables, and retired
to his pocket pistol in the robing room of the
Senate. What disgrace it is to Illinois that
such man should succeed Douglas! Dave
Turpie, of Indiana, also did as much mouth
ing as large quantity Of brandy and water,
and promptings from the patriotic Jim Wall,
of New Jersey, could supply him withal, and
then retired to his pocket pistol. For, be it
known, the Senate drinking room has been
abolished, as has also that of the House, and
thirsty members must now rely solely on their
private supplies.
The report of Senator Grimes, chairman of
the select committee, to investigate the trans
actions Of government officials in the matter
| of chartering transports for the army, has
created profound sensation here, and, as l
am informed, in all the eastern cities. It is
a very able document, and makes the pecula-
tors squirm terribly. John Tucker, late as
sistant Secretary of War, Col. James Belger,
Quartermaster at Baltimore, and many others
are handled without gloves. The loyal pa
pers Of Baltimore are particularly joyful over
the exposure, but the Intslkgsncer of this
morning CLOSES over the rascalities, quite in
its natural way. T -.eeosC
She Senate yesterday passed National
Currency bill, of which the telegraph no doubt
Igave you synopsis. I have not been able
to get copy, and can not now give you its
.sasEs' e z