The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-01-09
FROM THE CAPITOL.


DEs MONIES, Jan. b, 1866.
Pretentious in its designs, and emulous O
the proportions of the National Capital, ii
the capital city of our Hawkeye State. This
too, is "the city of magnificent distances. y
Two miles laterally and four miles Longitude
nally can one range, it is said, and maintain
his identity geographically, for he is still
within the corporate limits of this ambition.
municipality. In part Of this extended terri
ritory, it's true, it requires severe stretch o.
the imagination to people the unpopulated
and "give TO airy nothing local habitatiou
and name," but Des Moines has proms.
ing future, and why should it now, upon the
city chart, extend itself commensurate with
its "Great Expectations7" Before you an.
swer No, look at Qtley l. Stripes map of our
goodly Gate City, and then your conscience
will condemn you if you answer negatively
at all.
Reached here Friday night. Were lucky
In getting quarters at the Savery," which
We found well filled with the legislators elect
of our sovereign State, and with the members
of the Supreme Court and the va4ious Exec
utive Departments, and many others of more
or less notoriety, forming that indispensable
part of any well regulated legislative body,
"The Third House." The political atmos-
phere is already warm with the heat of the
Senatorial contest, the most exciting subject
now on the tapis. Harlan, Kirkwood, Kas-
son, Hubbard, Warren, Vandever, Dodge
Eastman, and this deponent saith not how
many others, have their champions, who urge
the claims of their respective candidates with
The contest, however, has narrowed down
mainly to kirkwood and Harlan for the pres
ent, and for further on this score you must
await further and definite action on the part
of those to whom the political fortunes of
those gentlemen are committed. The result
cannot be forecast
The members Of the two houses have near
ly all arrived, and are ready to commence the
cirouniocutory and how not to- do-it process
Of legislation. Impressions Of men and
measures we laave to be sketched hereafter.
Subordinate TO the Senatorial contest is
that for the various legislative offices and
clerkships. For the Speakership, the only
gentlemen talked of are Hon. Charles Ben
Darwin, of burlington, and Col Wright, of
Cedar county-both excellent men, of fine
abilities, and either of whom would fill the
place well. Col. Wright has, we believe, be.
fore filed the Chair, and proved himself
popular and efficient presiding officer and
although Mr. Darwin is not thus proved, his
fine talents and long professional and public
seryice, adaed to bis tried political integrity,
are reasons for his election that his friends do
not overlook.
Our genial, sharp and competent friend,
Charles Aldrich, will probably be the sue
cessful candidate for Chief Clerk of the House.
His discharge of the duties of the place last
session make bis election if not . military
At least clerical necessity.
Our sparkling confrers Wilson, of the Pella
Blade, is an aspirant for q clerkship, which
hope he will get and know he will fll well.
So satisfactorily has the State Printing
been done by F. W. Palmer, of the Register,
that his reelection is as nearly fact consum-
mate as futuritive fact can be.
The Supreme Court is now in session.
Judges Wright, Lowe, Dillon and Cole give
as an array Of talent, legal learning and judi.
cial fitness that honor the Bench, and make
our Judiciary one to be proud Of We visited
the Court room during the morning session,
Saturday. We found the attention of their
Honors occupied with the the trial Of libel
case, wherein one Mr.. Kinyon, refugee
from the county of Tishomlngo, in the State
Of Mississippi, claims of the propristors of
the Register Office the sum of ten thousand
dollars for damages to his i'm paired character.
Mr.. Kinyon is lawyer: he is also a gushing
poet and has, in this locality, won for him
self the pleasing and honorary appellatiop pf
1.-THE Mississippi Bard" He came here
some two years ago. He told a sad story of
his grievances at the hands Of his secession
friends, from whose bellicose disposition and
general depravity he had to seek safety and
quiet in flight He had unwittingly resem-
bled the great Apostle in one particular. he
bad been sin perils often.'' He came TO Des
MONIES, to find protection and , law practice.
He succeeded in getting an endorsement from
the Register to which he contributed the patri:
otic doggerel and rhymthmic stupidity which
Won for him his name, be wrote copperhead
Logic for copperhesd journal, and filed full
the measure of his offending against the loyal
sentiment this community, by making upon
one occasion a speech, which, however, it
in the palmy days of the Southern Confedera-
cy, wasn't just the thing for Des Moines.
Then did Dixon open his battery upon the
sad exiled patriot, and he didn't use blank
cartridges, either He called the exiled .
copperhead, wherefor he claimed damage to
the extent stated and brought suit. Beaten
inthe lower Courts, he has reached the Su
PRIME one. This is one of the beauties of
litigation, that HO~ever the seedy patriot as
BEG going down socially, and PROFESSIONALLY
sndanancially, he has been going up in the
cours' We didn't know anything about the |
legamerits of mis- argumsut, butwe admired
his dlcrstion, when, in giving his rsnealogy. |
he intrnsd the Court that he ,ros not born in |
ma7sr-. He didn't wish the length Of his
ears "a his eyidant ssininity 70 mislsad the |
Court , to his nativity. It would have been
better pa he avowed that II was one Of his
kind th reproved Balaam, for he could then
have clAmed the protection Of the Court, un-
der the revision Of the code that Furnishes
cruelty animals.