Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-09-04
Correspondence Of the Daily Journal
FROM WASHINGTON. d
The Old Line Wings at Rochestey-7 The Ar
msy of the Potomac - Personal Matters

1'A6VNk " vlASkM AINQI1fON.i
The Old Line Wigs at Rochester-7he Ar
msy of the Potonac--P Personal Matters
etc., ETC., a.1s5lr q. .GJv Do 5ua f.
, ,sial.a WASHINGTON, Aug. 81, 1868.
The town of Roches' er, in the State of New
York, is famous as the place first visited by
the knock-kneed spirits There it was, you
will remember, where the Misses Fox aston.
ished the world by their communications
with beings of another sphere. There it was
that the solemn silence which had hitherto
brooded over the unknown world of the bur-
led dead was first interferred with by the
purely spiritualistic agility of double-koeed
females, There it was that the und scovered
country from whose bourne no traveller re-
turns, was shown to be ferra incognsta no
longer, and all its ghostly bug g-bears knocked
into one terrible cooked hat. 1t was big
thing, this grand discovery by the Misses
Fox aforesaid, and if anybody supposes so
stupendous miracle could have been wrought
by anybody who wore breeches, he must
have mighty po2r opinion of-spirits A
woman can do great many things as well
as any other man. ir. 2. ... D.
This profound and philosophical truth has
just had an admirable Illustration in the
meeting at Rochester of about bakers dozen
of the most excellent and amiable old ladies'
of this country, who in that classical locality
Qor ghosts sought to re, urrect the old Whig
party and give into its arisen ha nds the ball
ance of political power in America. They
had fine scold around, these most amiable
old ladies' did. They scolded my particular
and admired friend Mr. Lincoln soundly.
they scolded Congress roundly, they scod
ed white men and black men, red, brown
and peppcr-co!ored; they scolded in the alb
stract and in the concrete; they scolded
because the Union wasn't as it was, and be-
cause the Constitution was as it was: they
scolded because the war wasn't yipor
ously prosecuted and then again with iuleps
between) because it was; they scolded in
prose and they scolded in rhyne, whilst one
of the most heroical of 'em scolded in blank
verse, but which was not precisely Miltonic.
1t was most inveterate scold, well spiced
with brandy julep and whisky punch, the lat
ter from Bourbon. And then this bakers
dozen OF most excellent old ladies shut them
selves up in room together and went to
raising spirits Just as though eve,y rul,.
works both ways, and you could raise sririts
as easily as you could put them down 1t
was an insult to the shade of that respectable
organlzati' of ancient times, the Wing party,
which, 1t is reported, the shade resented in
very cavalier terms, and when asked to speak
replied, as though partly animated by the
dashing spirit Of Henry Clay and partly by
that of the lamented Mrs. Fillno'e, that ut
would see them d ID lirst-it would stick to
its luleps and its Democratic tickets" And
so the bakers dozen cur; sled away, and like
the famous nine tailors who began their p4ti-
ton to majesty, eve, the people of England"
got up an equally modest manifesto to the
fec that the select few who raise Rochester
ghosts are the ony ones who can cont oil the
affairs of this nation! No wonder the shade
came near swearing outright at such folly. 1t
stands paated, if not excused, in MY chari-
table judgment.
This balance-ofpower doctrine, enunciated
by these mis- rable, scare-crow, s-tag. seedy
politicians, is, in all seriousness, monstrous
doctrine. 1t is the doctrine of the privileged
classes in Europe-o kings and mobiles. 1t
is the doctrine which keeps Hungary en-
slaved which hangs like night mare over
Venetia, shutti g up the glories of her older
lime in the loathsome dungeon Of present
misery; which kept Italy down for long
years aud still prevents the full njoyment of
her liberty; which boited out the nationality
of Poland, and yet keeps it blotted out
which claims Ireland to a government it
hates and a hierarchy it loathes. Such is the
lovely picture OF the balance-of power doc
trine in Europe And in tn country it would
e scarcely intolerable, though it might not
result in so much practical dest o ism, be-
cause of the difference in our Institutions
But only think of Leslie Coombs, Garret Da-
Wis, AMI few other ancient and talkatlve
gentlemen getting together for the very pur-
pose OF torml party to prevent a plurality
electing President and sending The election
from the people to the House Of Representa-.
lives. And to keep such mach,ue running
all the time! This is sticking to the letter Of
he Constitution with the affection OF prude
and abandoning its spirit with the effrontry
of prostitute indeed 1t is amlablv relieving
TIE people of all control over their most vital
matters, and giving it into the hands of DO
litica stock gamblers and skulduggers. 1t is
reducing our Republican Government to a
practical oligarchy. And, as present contem-
plated, to an oliga'chy of old ladies'
The Army of the Potomac, about sixty
thousand strong, holds the eft bank of the
Rapidan, andsweats through this hot weather
aft.r the old quiet style. Its ranks are being
filled up with the drafted men, and it will
hardly be frosty in Virginia, hope, till the
army shall again take the offensive. But
see no good reason why it should remain SC
far from its base of supplies now. 1t in
wolves great expense without any correspond
ing benefit, and should not be surprised to
learn at any moment that it was falling back
to position nearer this city.
suppose had better commence nv '.per-
sonal matters" with the expression of admra-
ton for the Herntt's brace of candidates For
President in 1864, A Lincoln; for Speaker
OF the House in 1863, Fernando Wood
rather like that ticket. It's bringing up the
copperh ad rear into line with the conserva-
tive front, don't you see. And moreover, it
shows how kindly j. G. Bennett and his set
really look upon the President. By the way,
there are three names mentio ed in connec-
ton with the Speakership from which the
choice will probably be made: Dawes, of
Massachusetts, Colfax, of Indiana, and Wash
burne, of Illinois, Frank Blair, l learn from
good authority, will not be cand date.
hope Casey, Of Kentucky, will be the Clerk,
and thus put on the shelf Mr. Emerson Eth
eridse. who is the nastiest blackguard that
ever lived
Hons. John A. Kasson and VIM. B. Allison
OF Iowa, were in the city few days ago. W.
H. +: Gurley, Esq, U. s. District Attorney
for Iowa, is here now, as is Capt. Geo B.
Corkhlll of Mt. Pleasant-all looking hale
and hearty. LINKENsALE.
n@ 1t is claimed that Gen. Grant, though
hut forty wears of aor, has hoau -oftono. IN