The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-02-04
Letter from Washington.
casionsl Correspondence Of the O ourier,

Occasional Corr espondence Of the O ourier.
remember that, when was lad, carr
ing the magnificent sum Of six dollars
month at cotton factory in Hamilton, Ohit
the "Eooser Country" used to be conside,
ed sort ofland of savages. It was Barbs
rian to the Buckeyes. Afterwards, when
went to Indiana, about twenty years ago,
cav plenty OF Indians on the way, drunke
fellows, whooping and yelling, squaws,
straddle Of ponies, pappooses around loose
II was long journey in those primeva
days-a trip you can now take between
breakfast and supper. 1t has not been Ion,
since Indiana was about as far tout of tn,
world" as Dacota Territory now is.
There never was anything more sublime
than the growth of our country within the
past quarter ola century. The story of the
good giant who went forth into the wilder.
ness and with his huge axe levelled the
trees of the forest whence sprung up by
magic hamlets, towns, cities, country Of
beauty, filed with people contented and hap.
pv. has been more than realized here, where
innumerabe forests have been leveled, an
immense expanse Of country improved and
settled up by people possessing all the
advantages ola civilization infinitely supe-
rior to the civilization Of the mythical ages
when giants, genii, and fairies were the i'm.
agnary instruments ofabout all the coed
enjoyed by man. '.F@+. 81 ~.''..
There is Dacota. thousands Of miles from
the political centre Of the government, only
organized into Territory short time ago,
yet already asking to be cut into two terrific.
riea The probability is, the request will be
granted within a few weeks. There can be
no doubt that the territory here referred to
is rich auriferous region, and will ere long
be peopled by large numbers Of that adven.
turous and hardy class of our citizens which
loves to dwell on the frontiers of the nation.
Judge Hubbard, the able and industrious
representative in Congress of our northwest
ern district, showed me letter from friend
of his in Dacota, the other day, from which
gather some interesting facts. There are
now between twelve and fifteen thousand
people in the Territory. on this, or the east.
ern side of the Rocky mountains. The
mountains, as is we'll known, divide the
territory into two parts about equal to each
other, but'large enough, I should think, to
make four good sized States. Gold abounds
both on the eastern and western slope of the
mountains. Miners get from six to hun
dred dollars worth Of the precious metal a
day, and some have been known to get out
three or four hundred dollars worth a day.
These cases however are rare. The writer
says that an industrious hearty man can
earn from six to ten dollars day without
anything like excessive labor. OF course
there is a chance for an extra lucky hit,
knocking out hundred dollars or so near
ly as quick as one can say Jack Robinson.
The mountains are covered with a deep
snow during the winter months, which com.
mence early. The climate is salubrious
the soil rich, the water abundant and excel.
lent. In short. Dacota is fine country
and will soon be scene of much busy life,
where will speedily be brought about just
that sort Of development necessary to the
formation of prosperous State not only, but
Of several prosperous States.
''No pent up Utica contracts eur powers,
But the whole boundes, continent is our g."
If contracts" be not the right word, the
learned reader will please apply the correct
one-it has been nearly score of years
since have seen or heard the couplet. p"
The country has grown otherwise than as
regards the geographical boundaries within
which its people live. The public intelli-
gence never reached its present high posi-
ton till recently. Upon that great moral
question Of which there are so many polti-
cal adjuncts, the question of slavery, we
have passed from the darkness of the old
subservient era into the marvellous light Of
praot's"l STANDARDIZATION. -UUhA-a.s ten YEARS
ago, we were slave.driving, slave. apologi.
zing people, passing national laws coldly in
different to the claims Of freedom for terrific.
ries equal in extent to France and Austria,
we arc now as to II q loyal portions of the
country and our gallant armies everywhere,
a nation Of abolitionists. Ben. Butler and
Gov. Sprague, Dan'l s. Dickinson and John
Cochl ane, John W. Forney and Henry W.
Davis, John Brough and Joseph A. Wright,
Gems. McClernand and Logan, Croker and
Bussey, bunker democrats only four years
ago, except Que and he no freesoler, do not
now essentially differ with Owen Loveioy or
Thaddens Stevens. With these stand the
majority Of the old time democrats. Take
from the ''Democratic' party its old.line
wing element ard there would scarcely he
enough Of it to bury the old coffin hand
bills.
At Nashville, Tenn, the other dav. they
celebrated the anniversary OF the battle Of
New Orleans. A Jackson democrat, Andrew
johnson, spoke these words
THE people made the Gov ernm~n Mt. and IL must
remain under the control Of he people. The gov.
eminent being under the people, and the institu-
lions under the government, any institution antag.
onistic to the government must NECESSARILY civ.