The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-03-24

/
or commitment, and isusually referred to
a committee whose perogative it is to get up
substitute Of their own, make any amends
ment they choose, a report back the origin.
al recommending its passage or indefinite
postponemcnt. Then it has to take it's plac,
among the reports of committees unless
sooner called up by unanimous "leave"-
When it is again up for action, it has to
pass through another ordeal more regid,
scatf ing and fiery, until if by some unusal
good luck it has passed through unamend
ed, unimpaired and uniting d, it is but Just
ready to "run the gauntlet" in the other
branch. As an example let us refer to the
Resumption Bill understand that the or.
irinal Bill which was introduced into the
House, and has undergone two weeks con-
sideration is now mutually dstaseful to all
parties. From what have seen and heard
in the discussion of this Bill am well sat.
:stied that no blame should be attached tn
the House for the time they have spent in
its discussion, for, to conserve the conflict
ing interests Of all the railroads, and all the
settlers and innocent purchasers and all
sections Of the State certainly could not be
perfectly satisfactory to all. Some sections
have very injndiciously sent Representative
here, who, so far from seeming to wish Fl.
nal adjudication and settlement of the Re-
sumption question, have stolidly and facti-
ously refused and opposed every concession
The speech Of Mr.. Richards Of Dubuque.
forinstance, was predicated in nothing but
the charge he made against all in favor ofre.
sumption as enemies TO railroads. 1t was
full Of overweight imaginary appeals to
mems sympathies for railroads, which ac-
cording to his speech were civilizing, human
izing, enlightening, outstanding, and edu-
eating institutions. That they would bring
about the millennium. That we would need
no teachers-we could all become WISE
| That we would need no prcachers-we
would all become good That we would
need no cultivation-we would all become
refined. And TO give you an idea of this
style of oratory here is a specimen: why
said he, "if all railroad men were demons
straight from hell, and should fiendishlv de
light to crush me to the earth, and trample
me under foot, in the DIRT and dust and
blood, would get up from my gore with
the feeble but earnest response-God bless
the Railroads. Notwithstanding this, if
the House, on whom has devolved this dis
cussion, succeeds in finally and forever set
ting this great question, it will confer as
lasting and undying honor on this Assem-
bly, as the members of the last General AS
sembly did infamy on themselves by pass
ing the "dog law" The Senate has Just
perfected and ordered engrossed for third
reading, bill which forever settles the Des
Moines River grant question, over which
was some of the hardest fighting of the SEES
sion. The details of this Bill will be given
when it passes the House ......
Now if you please, let rs take look over
the Senate Chamber. The very first man
on our right on entering is Mr. Cue, from
Davenport, looking over his papers, and an
ON clipping from them; for remember the
Senator from Scott is now an editor, having
lately purchased the FL. Dodge Republican
Hais going to cast his lot among the swamp
lands" of the Fit. Dodge District. Where
ever he goes he will gain the esteem of his
neghbors, ana respect Of all. Immediately
to his right sits little gentleman with specs
who knows just what IS going on all the
time, but seldom speaks. 1t is Senator
Brayton, from Delaware county, as fine lit
tie fellow as ever lived, as true gentleman
and as influential member as any on the
floor. Hesser, the ''lesser light" from Lee
county. sits still farther to the right on the
outer row. He never says nor does any,
thing, so it is supposed the copperheads who
elected him will be perfectly satisfied with
his record. lust ahead of him on the inner
circle, sits Cults of Poweshiek whose name
identifies his character II does certainly
cut and slash and knock things end wise
whenever he gets up to speak. He is John
Randolph sort of fellow and votes against
almost everything, for reasons best known to
himself. To his left is McCrary of Lee, the
leader of the Senate. Whatever he says
though not peculiarly graceful nor eloquent.
but rather homely commands, respect and
elicits confidence. He is statesman not
politician. an honest upright christian man,
a Good Templar-a lawyer second to none
in the State, an 'Israelite indeed in whom
there is no guile" To his left sits the most
indomntable worker in the Senate-Mr.
Woolson of Mt. Pleasant, the most tenacious
advocate of whatever he undertakes ever
saw, and man who, from the way he snaps
out his "I' or "no' believes just what he
says whether he has made others believe it
or not. He don't believe in adjourning Of
ten. To his left is Crookham's empty chair.
Crookham from Mahaska-who generally
votes right but whose collar is always awry,
and whose coat and hair and pants and boots
are not always in good state of preserva-
ton, and who walks the floor most all the
time-that is the reason his chair is gene
rally empty. Mr.. Crookham is good man
"a good Senator, and as an evidence of the
correctness of his principles the copperhead
paper here hates him more than any man in
the Legislature. But enough. This is al
ready too lengthy. Next week 7 hone tn