Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-04-22
What . Calamity we Have Es.
capped.

What q Calamity we Have Es.
capped.
Let there be solemn tolling of the church
bells-let there be closed doors and suspend
ed business-let the people clothe themselves
in their fx-ups and prepare for Thanksgiving.
Dear people, ye know not what day nor
an hour may bring forth. Ye know
not what horrible dangers ye have escaped.
Little do ye dream, sweet innocents, how near
the abomination Of desclation ye have pass.
ed. We did not know, did not dream, until
We pickad up our dear friend the Courier.
Judge Of our surprise aud ready willingness
to at once fall on our knees and offer up
Thanksgiving to the dear boys in army
blue for their friendly interposition in our
behalf.
This was our first inclination, but our ears
were startled by = sharp cry from the " devil"
(whose throne is in the northwest corner d.
rectly over the ladies' entrance to the post.
ofice,) and We paused to give him copy.
Our spirit Of devotion has, however, return
ed, and here We sit gazing on these flaming
words published on page 1874 of the Weekly
Courier, of April 18th: elf the Courier
Office is destroyed by mob, THIS CITY WILL
LAY IN Ashes"
"Great God on what slender thread
Hang ever blasting thingsi"
Tho returned veterans have proved that
thread. The Courier is one of the slender
things. We trust no worldly mind will con-
strue these expressive lines ioto hangman's
rope. Such was not their primary signiA-
canoe. Ought We not to be thankful, dear
people! Don't we owe a big debt Of graft
tuds to the veterans who did not mob tho
Courier oficei What do our people sup
pose that Office il worth? Its products are
not worth the kick of dead rebel. What
is its actual value? Say it is worth s., 900,
and suppose it to be destroyed by any num-
Der Of men who are responsible to the laws
for their violation. Suppose the material,
the press and the editor, were all thrown into
the river, what remedy does the law point
out ? Is the Courier editor such consum-
mate knave and fool IS to believe the people
Of this city would not vindicate the law !!
What does he propose? Just this Destroy
this office, devoted to the interests Of the
rebels, and the city of MuscATISE WILL LAY
IN ASHES as penalty.
Poor, craven spirit stupid fool--vsin
boaster. For the act OF lawless mob YOU
threaten to lay the city in ashes-to make
the sky lurid with flames ascending from the
dwellings Of industrious but poor mechanics,
from the widows cot-from the law abiding
merchants home-from the Strangers rest
from school house and from Church dome.
You poor, miserable, driveling rebel, propose
to iuflict upon this people this terrible calam-
ity as recompense for an unadvised, illegal
act-not Of the public-not Of the masses-
but few men at most, who are at oil times
amenable to our laws.
Had your anticipated mob caused you to
realize your fears the people knew not of it.
The people were innocent. Whatever few
may have known should not cause. the inno-
cent to suffer. The hour TINT this city is
laid in ashes will be an hour of death. But
it will never come. The cowardly fears OF
the Courier are not to govern US always.
Better be struck by lightning to day, Mr..
Thayer, than live to see the hour Of the exc
cution of your desperate threat. What q
citizen of Muscatine. How inestimaby val.
liable is his presence. Business men, bank.
ers, you might have something turn to ashes.
Don't you think the man is deserving Of you
patronage! If SO, feed him, keep him alive
starve him not.