The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1863-06-17
A Short Trip.

with several friends, started on the train to
attend the Canal Convention at Chicago
We reached the head quarters of the Nc.
Gregor delegation, the BRlses HOUSE, at 7
A. NJ. Of Tuesday, found Burnham, and
French, and Willard, and Frank, alive and
good natured, with pleasant rooms reserved
for our party, called very soon to sec Jim"
and had a spirited interview with that good.
looking and whole.hearted young gent,
washed up, had good breakfast and start.
ed out on a reconnaissance. The city was
only moderately crowded with strangers,
the Convention not having elected so much
interest as the managers anticipated. TAX.
| ing the horse cars we travelled east mile
or so and struck for the canal tent in front
Of Michigan Avenue, found a crowd of
several thousands and heard work being
motioned out for the convention. Vice
President Hamlin was made President and
Secretary from each state was appointed.
Joel W. Van Orman, of McGregor, was the
Iowa Secretary, and we doubt not he was
one of the most attentive and useful mem.
bers Of the Secretaral corps Hamln made
a good speech, Gen. Walbridge, of N. Y,
did pretty we'll, but either that day or the
next a Mr.. Drake, Of St. Louis, turned the
whole meeting into political affair by the
delivery Of speech that exhibited more of
the crazy fanatic than we ever before saw
this speech effectually crushed out what
little life there was in the convention, and
the suppression OF the Times the next
morning created such excitement that the
renowned National Canal Convention"
was entirely forgotten--on Thursday it
adjourned without a sign of results except
sine die, which being freely translated,
means, probably, that all signs of making
canal up the Illinois to the Lake died
when the delegates left the canvass To
sum up, the whole thing was failure
The Milwaukee delegates, also stopping at
the Briggs, were not very mad when they
saw the collapse Of scheme which, if
desirable at all, or constitutional, can better
be delayed till our southern job is finished,
and if then deemed advisable, can be built
much more "Nationally" by way of the
Wisconsin and Fox than by way Of the
Illinois. But let the canal pass.
On Tuesday evening it was rumored that
the Times would be possessed by the mill.
tary on Wednesday, by order of Gen.
Burnside, and no small amount Of talk
was had on the subject. On Wednesday
we rose early, found the Times out as usual
in the hands of the news boys, bought one
and commenced its perusal: in twenty
minutes after our purchase, three soldiers
came up the street, took the remaining
copies from the hands of the little salesman
who had supplied US and tore them up,
with bravery that reminded US of Napo.
leon at Austerlitz! Oh, it vas grand
sight, to see three soldiers of this great re.
public marching in solid column against a
poor little boy whose father, like enough,
was killed in the assault on Vicksburg,
and whose mother and sisters were waiting
probably for the little sinners labor to pro.
cure them bread for the day. But then
what business had the little "traitor" to
peddlc paper that would not bow the knee
to the first Hero of Fredercksburgh? So
young and yet so wicked! We incont.
nently exclaimed, on seeing the tears he
shed over the confiscation of his only trea-
sure, Bully for Burnside ~ ..
Numerous instances of this kind took
place in various parts Of the city, but the
soldiers were not unit in this small bust
ness-many Of them denouncing their
for the rudeness with which
the suppression order was carried out to-
ward children. The Times was sold by
older and more cunning ones at prices rang
ing from Is cents to $500: we heard Of
one excited gentleman, just starting on the
train, who, supposing he would never see
another issue Of his favorite, paid boy
50 90 to procure lin number Of it for
that morning. This street suppression
lasted only to ABOUT II, when the soldiers
dried up, and then you might have heard
the cries Of the newsboys in the old style
''Times, Tribune and Post!' with heavy
emphasis on the TINES. Copies were
sold all day at 10 to 20 cts, the demand
being active beyond all precedent; we
heard one little fellow say he wished
they'd 'spress the darned old Tribune SOS
1t would sell BETTER" In front of the
Office was a handful in large letters calling
public meeting at o'clock that evening.
This stirred up everybody; other posters
were issued containing Gov. Seymour's
letter in. the Vallandigham case, Judge
Drummond's remarks, &C., &C., the crowd
quite obstructing the street and eagerly
Selling the posters which were thrown out
in thousands from the Office. Well, the
meeting came off, Some Of the ablest
speakers, both republican and democrat, did
the talking for free speech and free press.
Some say there were twenty five thousands.
At all events there was enough to scare the
Tribune into a barricade Of its doors, to
compel meeting Of prominent Republicans
who requested the President to revoke the
order of suppression. A battery Of six
guns was SO planted as to rake the street
in case Of disturbance Of the meeting !:
this is known to but few but it is fact
which we learned from its commander the
next day. The night closed quiet but dc.
termined on the part of the Times support
ers. The next morning, sentries Were