The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1870-02-10
FROM DES MONIES.
DEs MONIES, Feb. l, 1S70.
Special Correspondence.

DEs MONIES, Feb. l, 1S70.
Eds. COURIER:
viii you open the
columns Of the COURIER and give
place to brief epistlc, which shall
contain a mirror in which will be
rafactad some Of the most tr""nainont I
features Of the present General As
sembly, as seen by an outsider,
whose constituents at aome neg
leted to send him here clothed with
legislative honors and authority
Having stationed my camera in
the lobby ofthe hall of the House of
Representatives, my first aim will be
at that body. To-day tho sun is
shining brightly, II 9 atmosphere is
warm and pleasant beautiful
scene indeed, and in striking contrast
with the one shall here present.
Imagine the iercest wind that ever
swept down from Grcenland's icy
mountains and howlad around the
grim walls of our ancient capitol
building, and you will have faint
conception of the ,ciad which daily
answers to the House roll call of the
18th General Assembly. If any
considerable amount of useful legal
enactments should be left on record
to perpetuate the memory of the
present House, it will be because
members finally turned from the
errors of their ways, ceased TO bio
viate, talked less with their mouths,
and brought their brains into requi-
sition. 1t should not be inferred,
however, from these remarks that
there are not those in the House who
fill their seats magniticently. How
could this 5a otherwise, when num-
bers of them can make the scales
kick tho beam at from 200 to ESQ
pounds averdupois weight. 1t is to
be hoped that after the recess they
will put on the harness, and give the
State an exhibition of their lcgisla-
tive wisdom. There are within the
body many members of ripe expert
ence and sound judgement, who if
they can succeed in turning off the
gas will undoubtedly serve the State
ably and well, but with that vera
tious question OF Woman Suffrage,
staring them in the face, Capitol
bill pending, and numerous other
measures which will afford ambitious
Solons fine opportunity for soaring
aloft into the sublime realms of
oratory, we fear that printers will
receive a small pittance this year
under the law which provides for
publishing the Acts passed by tho
General Assembly.
Among the members who will first
attract the attention of q looker-on is
Cults, of Mahaska, who is rightly
ramed, and oftentimes very cutting
in his remarks, as the pyrotechnica
Irish can fully attest. This, COZ bi
ned with Mr.. QUITS acknowledged
ability, makes him a leading member.
Like Dudley, Of Wapollo, he has but
little liberation for any measure
which looks towards the useless ex
pendirure of public money, aud those
who advocate the passage Of such
measures are continually made the
victims of his keen thrusts. But my
letter is already sufficiently lengthy,
therefore l withhold further pen pic
lures of individual members for an
other time, when / shall cross over
into tho Senate chamber and give the
COURIER readers photograph of that
body also.
Your regular correspondents will
doubtless keepyou well informed with
regard to the daily routine of business,
consequently nothing of the kind is
attempted in this letter. In the Sen,
ate the Capitol question is now the
absorbing topic. On Saturday the
bill was brought up for its third read
ing, but its opponents succeeded 10
getting an adjournment before any
action was had. To-day it was again
brought up and after spirited con