Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-09-02
The Great Saake SHOW at Iowa city.


As the Courier desired at leas, one car
load OF our citizens 10 attend Ryington's 5
great Equescursnakyrattl we call
Ell n family caucus and unanimously re-
solved to attend the show y in a body.
On Wednesday morning we repaired to
the mammoth depot of the NJ. 4 NJ. r..
r., bustling our way through the $ ire
MENUS crowd managed To find seats.
\ very large number of Democrats were
early on the ground and prepared to
take a ride. There was the editor of the
Courier, the Democratic candidate for
Secretary of State, the man who
ordered that thing" American flag.
To be taken Off the body of a brave SOL
dies who had died in defending its hon
or, the man who ran for the State Sen
ate last fall but didn't get there, the
Grandview martyr, "Col." j. H. Wal
lace, the man who took the oath of allie
glance, the Assessor OF Bloomington
township, the man whose wife spit on
the flag, and several gentlemen of mill
tary rank, among whom we noticed
Gen. Humphreys, Major Sherfey and
Capt. Wallace. The last Democratic
candidate for member Of Congress in
this district was also ia the car also the
President OF the Bloomington Demo-
cratic Club also the 4" Hon" T.. II.
the local column of the Courier was
also there also Mr.. Snal!ey. There
was one other gentleman present whose
name, owing to our ignorance, will 60
down unknown to fame. So soon as the
train was under full headway we went
10 counting up and found ON board 0 900, :
o07 conservatives. We believe they
were reinforced by three like unto them
selves at Atalissa, hailing from Cedar
county. At West Liberty there were
two or three more, and at Downey three
men, three women, two infants, very
small, two TASKS of whisky and a dorg,
joined the peace community. There
may have been others that we did not
observe who joined the crowd, but We
rather guess not.
AS we stepped off the car at Iowa City
our better half called our attention to a
procession just turning a corner. We
fastened to get an observing position,
and we saw Is men in grand procession,
carrying something in their ranks that
looked like flags and banners, but as
they were furled we were left in igno-
rance as to their true character. We
heard no music, save now and then a
whistle that might with propriety have
been sounded in the vicinity of a grave
yard. When we started for the business
part of the town we expected to meet a
great moving mass of people in favor of
peace, representing all parts of Iowa.
But imagine our surprise at seeing about
the usual number of teams and people
that may be seen in that city on a fair
trade day. About thirty persons were
gathered around the Crummey House,
who were evidently there to attend the
- ''show." Wewentto University Square,
but found no preparations for the great
outpouring." We went to the Court
y
went to a beer saloon and found few
peace men, but there was no attempt at
oratory. A friend suggested that per-
haps the meeting was at the Fair grounds,
but we were suspicious that it wouldn' t
pay to 60 over. After dinner we start
ed out and reached the crest of hill
lust in time to see another procession
turning another corner, with banners
floating in the breeze. We looked and
looked again, and saw white flags, but
no stars and stripes. We followed to
the Court House. When a body of
troops are overpowered by the enemy a
white flag indicates a surrender or de-
sire to remove their wounded, bury
their dead, or perhaps propose terms of
capitulation. We saw men at the Win
dows, and upon ascending the steps con-
cluded that those who were assembled
desired to surrender, or were preparing
to bury the remains of the Democratic
party, for over the door was suspendeda a
large white flag, upon the center of
which was an eagle, around which were
the words, Blessed are the peace-mak-
ers." On field of blue was lone star,
over which was inscribed estate Sow
ereignty."
We entered the door expecting to meet
old "Tax titles" ready to take small
admission fee, to defray expenses, &C.,
but found twas afree blow. Muscatine
county was honored (?) by Freeman AL
ger being called to preside, who declined
on account of i'll health, whereupon a
Mr.. MeGee, OF Iowa county, was sub
stituted, and Major Sherfey andsix 9TH
ers were appointed Vice Presidents,
Honored by this sudden elevation to a
high and responsible position, Major
Sherfey proceeded to run the machine,
leaving the President out in the cold.-
Old nose-tweaked stated the object of
the meeting, and also that somebody
was present from Rock Island, Illinois,
and somebody else from Henry county,
Illinois, whereupon those gentlemen
were added to the list of Vice Presi-
dents.
On motion Of Byington, Committee
consisting of himself, Thayer and 9TH
ers, was appointed to eportresolutions.
At this point it was suggested to Major
Sherfey that Mr.. MCGEE was the Presi-
dent of the meeting, and that he Major
S. was only Vice President, whereupon
the Major retired to a seat upon the
floor, somewhat demoralized. And then
Byington proceeded to read a letter
from the highest type of manhood, -
the great unwashed Dean, wherein the
letter promised the former to be nresent