Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-05-13
q MUSCATINE IOWA, FRIDAY, MAY I3. 1854
Davenport View ed from . Patriot.
&c stand Point.

Davenport Viewed from . Patriot
&c stand Point.
No place in Iowa has been puffed and Gu
logized SO much Is Davenport. No city o
town in the State has been louder in its pfo
testations Of log yalty, than that same city
Geographically and commercially, the deni
zens Of the outer wilderness have been in
duced to believe that Davenport was the on
ly city in Iowa-the very hub of the Uni
verse. We know that her citizens regsrt
themselves as the chosen instruments in th,
hand Of Providence to civilize and develop,
the untold riches of the American continent
No spot in Iowa can compare with Daven
port for beauty Of location. No town does al
much business, none has such bridge, none
such hotels, none such enterprising people
so they believe, and we might add, no towr
is half as Classy. 'o '..
We shall not at the present time attempt
to compare notes with the people of that city
but do not hesitate to hazard the opinion th''
in the transaction of legitimate home bus,
ness, Muscatine, not by any means frs,
class city in Iowa, is the peer Of Davenport.
We buy as much grain, sell as many goods,
pack more pork, buy and sell as much lumber,
with less blow about it, than Davenport.
But il is not of Davenport commercially,
that we sat down to write. Early in this
war the records Of the Adjutant Generals
Office were removed to Davenport, for reasons
best known to the authorities. The Govern.
ment called for men, and for their sccommo.
datioa barracks were erected at different
points in the State. The calls having been
filed, the Government sold these barracks,
save those at Davenport. In the mean time
q discussing officer Of the government was
located at that city, and then followed the 10.
cation of the Board of Enrolment, the Pro.
vost Marshal General for the State, and the
General commanding this Department. That
city thus became the great military depot for
Iowa. Was it because Davenport afforded
any extraordinary facilities? None that were
not possessed by Dubuque, Clinton, Musca-
tine, Burlington and Keokuk. The Govern.
ment owned there no property. The lands
upon which are located the barracks are lea s.
ed, the buildings occupied by the State and
Federal officers are leased. Davenport had
telegraphic communication, Dubuque Ind
Clinton had better. Davenport had railroad
and steamboat communication, so had the
other points named. Davenport has been a
military post at an unnecessary cost to the
State and nation of thousands upon. thou.
sands of dollars. Troops have been trans
ported from the Missouri slope, up the
Mississippi river to Davenport, only to 60
down again. With coed barracks at Keokuk,
Burlington and Muscatine, troops have been
sent to Davenport on their way to Vicksburg
by river. Troops have been enlisted aud
mustered by thousands at Davenport, and
millions Of money paid out at that point, and
what does that city givein return? As re.
turn for the hundreds of thousands of dol
lars spent in that city, by virtue of its being
official headquarters, what does it give the
Government? Nothing that it needs. 1t has
given its citizens with beggarly hand. Her
citizens talk loudly of patriotism so long as
the Government deals out to them its money.
But when that Government calls for MEN. it
hoc 70 ors, Thara 10 "a
county in the State, not excepting Dubuque,
that has not responded more promptly and
literally than Scott county, and its great me-
tropolrs. If we mistake not it is about the
only county in the State where draft would
be necessary. With population second to
no city and county, there is none so devoid
of patriotism. Three rousing meetings have
already been held in that city to raise mne
under the new call, and the people have re-
sponded with "cheers and clapping of
hands," This is very cheap patriotism, and
is upon par with the former efforts made
in that place.
Will the Government longer encourage
these leeches upon its Treasury? Is there
no other place in Iowa more patriotic where
the Government can be as we'll accommo.
dated? We submit to the authorities that
the time has come when the greedy SELFISH
ness of the people of our neighboring town
should be snubbed. Let the Government of.
fees be removed to a more patriotic town,
anywhere, not excepting Dubuque.
INMIGRATIoN.-Reports received at Castle
Garden, N. Y, from all parts of Europe, in