Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-01-01
WASHINGTON Cry. Dec. o5. 1868.

Il
WASHINGTON CRY, Dec. 25, 1868.
l would wish your readers all merry
Christmas, only it will do them no good by
the time they can see it So on this merry
day, on the supposition that this lucubraton
will reach their eyes about the commence
ment Of 1864, l wish to each and all happy
new year.
Meantime, Christmas is "great institu-
tion" How many bright, how many sad
recollecions cluster about it. Here sit to-
night at my writing table "a noble piece of
work and convenient, made acc riding to
express orders), from above which look down
upon me Washington, Shakespeare, Webster
and Fennimore Cooper; opposite are Burns
old Joel Barlow, Mrs. Browning, Robert
Browning and Secretary Chase; at other con-
venient places on the unpapered wall are the
best Madonna l ever saw, the best Washing
ton Irving, landscape in oil, an engraving
of Forrest, photograph of sister whose
lovely name was that of the mother of God,
and who, years ago, with the words Lord
Jesus, into thy hands l commit my spirit"
died the death of the righteous and the pure.
Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall
see God. open convenient drawer, and
find daguerreotype Of my brother Joseph
the only brother ever had save little Lock.
wood, who died before he talked In ano Their
case is "mother dear" Many long years
ago she talked to me, one evening, as only
mother can talk, with the power Of benign
ant nature, and the glory of heaven lighting
up her young face (she was always thought
10 be my sister by strangers), and before the
next sun rose she was dead. No day ever
comes, and especially no Christmas, when my
thoughts do not recur to "the dear and holy
dead" who in the years gone by participated
with me in the enjoyments Of this merry sea-
son. Santa Claus now comes for my chill
dren May and Harri2, who sleep in their
trundle beds as happy and as pure as the an
gels, just as he used TO come for us. See
the little ones-their bed full of toys, ele-
plants, lions, tigers, all the domestic aniu.als
in luscious candy carriages, wheelbarrows,
soldiers, artillery, the drum, the bugle, the
martial sword, in gorgeously painted tin the
rocking chairs near by; hundred little things
great 10 them, about which We ourselves use!
to think SO much before the gala day, and
which we so much enjoyed, with those who
are now gone from US. The mos. important
family day is Christmas. Then we live our
lives over again, become children, are
happy and sad betimes, after the manner of a
changeful day, with the sun now pouring
food Of life and joy upon US, now shut out
by the darkening cloud. Tue old homestead,
the school house where we learned our letters,
the schoomaSter so kind and so true after
all, the schoolmistress whom, though twice
as large as ourselves, we loved devotedly, the
father then in his prime, now in the sere and
yellow leaf, or, may be, in the narrow house,
the mother, about whom center all our best
emotions, the brothers and the ssters-they
come before the mind on Christmas day more
than at any other time | bless God for
Christmas, ard from my soul am sorry for
tn Use men who can make nothing Of it but "a
time for carousal. We ought then to be merry,
and we ought to be sad, too. Most great re-
vivals of religion date from Chr ,tmas, so far
as my ob, ervation goes, and believe it is be-
cause it is so peculiarly family anniversary.
| move, therefore, that on every coming re-
currence thereof, veal Danish egg no.g from
our tables, and celebrate the Gay in the na.ur.
al and proper way.
The Hon. Isaac Arnold, of Chicago, and
Hon. john A kasson, of Des Moines, made
speeches at the Union League Reading Rooms
night tefore last. MIR. Arnold had his ad-
dress all written out beforehand, and, for
that kind Of an effort, it was all that could be
desired-sensible, polished, sound in doctrine,
admirable in it's construction, and, generally,
exhibiiive Of scholarly attainments and fair
degree Of mediocre native talent. Mr.. Arnold
is, by nature and education, carpet knight,
and his speech on this occasion was tiptop
essay for that style of man. For my own
part, do not like the style. Mr. Kasson
made a firstrate speech-he did not read an
essay He filled his audience with enthusi-
assn, and carried them with him in sympathy,
whether he appealed to their feelings of pa
trotism, or invoked their indignation against
the institution" which had brought all these
troubles upon the country, and which, he
said, must be effectualIy destroyed before a
lasting peace could be brought about. I will
not attempt report of the speech. I shall
only say further that have heard many of
the eminent men of the country speak from
the same stand, but never one who made
better speech. And this is not only my opin
ion, it is The general opinion. Let me say,
in winding up this branch of my letter, that
the report of Mr.. Kasson's speech in the
| Chronicle Of yesterday was monstrous out
rage, and an unmixed disgrace to that paper.
| Mr.. Wendell Phillips made a speech at the
hall of Cooper Institute, few evenings ago,
which, like all the speeches Of that brilliant
orator, made stir and a commoton all
| around. 1t was criticism upon the Presi-
dents Proclamation accompanying the last
message. The orator says some excellent
| things, in his usual splendid manner, and
then scolds at Uncle Abe, but, must con
| TESS, in no very atrabilarious mood. He has
to admit that Mr.. Lincoln is an honest. faith.
ful President in The main. The point upon
| which he most insists is this: That the
American people are not to be governed by
the Supreme Court. He urges, thence, that
he President erred in proposing to submit
the question of emancipation to the Court.
l. Were Phillips construction of the procla-
nation of amnesty the correct one, there is no
candid man but would admit the justice of
his criticism. But it is not correct. Mr.. Lin
coin does not propose to submit the question
| Of emancipation, as decided by his Proclama-
ton of January l, 1868, to the arbitrament
of the Supreme Court, in any such sense as
Mr.. Phillips supposss. the President is far
from bringing the executive branch of the
Government, or the legislative branch, into
subsection to the Judicial branch thereof, or
flom proposing any such thing. He says
nothing about his views or surmises touching
the future ac.ion Of the Court. He does re-
quire of all men who seek to reconstruct State
governments in insurrectionary districts, in
States now practi cally out of the Union if |