The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1864-03-12
Letter fromsthe Capital
DEs MONIES, Iowa,
March 5th, ga.

since swe miss your friendly face in our
,,,;S.t. IL reminds us that your people still
,vili desire letters from the Capital, des.
cribing men and doings Of the honora-
bies. -.'.=i
The yexed R. B. question is still abb
sorbing most of the time Of the House,
and Is filing the Lobby with attentive
listeners and active wire-pullers, while
they still are pursuing the silly policy OF
seeing who can speak the longest; and
one whole day is the usual time spent in
a speech. 1t is very strange indeed that
gentlemen do not try to concentrate
their thoughts on the subject before them,
and Quit when they state-their points.
There are some pleasant intervals and
q few practical men, with desire to be
understood who, in clear, concise Ian
guaRe, make an impression and exert an
influence. Prominent among that class
of speakers is Mr. Holdridge, of Buchan-
an, who can make good. sound speech
in an hour, and the house will listen to
such efforts, while the long-winded mem
bsrs can talk the House empty, or near
" so and some members give way to
natures sweet restorer, and are quietly
sleeping in their seats. Before you con-
denim o man for sleeping at his post, inn
agine gentleman on the floor speaking
all the forenoon; commencing again i'm
rnediately after dinner, and keeping up
his hsrrangae the balance of the day
and, he so near on all sides, that a dis
tingaished stranger, after listening full
hour to one of those dry harrangues,
quietly asked member what side of the
question the gentlemen was advocating;
and the member, who had listened over
half q day, was unable to give the desired
information. Is it any wonder members
20 to sleep under such speaking?
This monotony was broken into yester-
day by that prince of good fellows, Max
well, of Story county. He, spoke less
than an heur but really did more good
than all the speeches previously made;
and, | think, for the future, members
will keep their classical figures outside
these halls. And the gentleman from
Story deserves the lasting gratitude of
every member of this Assembly for the
real service he has done in putting q stop
to the intolerable practice Of classically
boring The members to sleep, if not to
death. Maxwell is live man, and his
influence will be felt in any body ofwhich
he is q member, and is true picture of
live Western man.
Well, the real question is, what will
this body do on this resumption question.
One thing is certain, the railrod men do
virtually acknowledge that something
must be done for the relief of the settler
upon the odd numbered sections and,
while have no idea that the members
viii do any intentional wrong to the rail-
road, they will certainly pass an Act
giving relief to every actual settler; in
short, conditional resumption will pass,
if anything can be predicted with GER
t&inty, and if the R. r. release those &C.
tual settlers in, say 90 days, they can 60
on in the even tenor of their ways and
If they ever build the roads without re-
sumption, the conditions they propose
to attach win net stop the progress q
single day; and we fondIy hope to see
the settler protected and the Roads 20
on.
The attorney, officers, &c. of the N. L
II. R. R. are here in earnest, and prom
Use well; and they seem to be earnest,
active men; and do give US every assur.
anee that the road will be pushed rapidly,
and that Council Bluffs may we'll feel
proud of her central position in the great
highway between the Atlantic and Pa
ci6e; and intelligent gentlemen predict
snpid rise in property in your central
city on this great highway.
Today Richards, the iionof the copper
head tribe, is speaking, and win occupy
the day, no doubt; and while he says
many true things, he. also takes some
ridiculous positions, and I cannot think
ne can command much influence but if
yonr correspondent remains long enough
no viii report on this peculiar speech.
! notice your Representative, who sits
on nsar the speakers desk is unusually
busy 9 his desk during Richard 5 speech,
end, froza the indications, think ysu