History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 21

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1316

USA > Iowa > Butler County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 21
USA > Iowa > Bremer County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 21

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The Democrats adopted the following platform :

As to national policy-

1. That we have undiminished confidence in the present administration. That the policy adopted is eminently wise and proper, and should command the support and approval of every rational man.

2. That the opposition to President Buchanan is now composed of the fire eaters of the Soutlı and the Black Republicans of the North, who are vieing with each other in abusing the admin- istration and Democratic party. We therefore place them in the same category, and brand them as a united opposition, and will treat them alike as factionists, disunionists and ene- mies of the Democracy and the country.

3. That we will maintain and preserve the Constitution of the United States, with all its checks and balances, and that treaties made by the President and Senate, laws passed by Congress under the Constitution, and decisions made by the Supreme Court of the United States, are equally binding on the people, and must be maintained in order to preserve the country from anarchy, and that it is the duty of every citizen to sustain these departments of government against the assaults of bigots, fanat- ics and traitors.

As to State policy-

1. That we will preserve and maintain the institutions of this State in a just relation and harmony toward the general government, and we repudiate and condemn any effort that has been made, or may be made, which asserts the right or remotely tends to bring our State into collision or conflict with the general government.

2. That the conflict of the Black Republican party, acting through their Representatives in passing a law authorizing the Negroes and In-

dians to become witnesses against the citizens of this State, was an unjustifiable innovation upon the laws of the State, passed without ne- cessity, and the first step towards a system to equalize the black and white. races.

3. The late Constitutional Convention, com- posed of a large majority of Black Republican members, openly advocated the cquality of the black and white people, and unanimously recom. mended, through an appendage to the constitu- tion, that the word "white" be stricken from that instrument; we, therefore, feel free to charge upon that party the design and purpose of abolitionizing the people of this State, and placing the negro upon an equality with the white man.

4. That the National Democracy of Iowa re- gard the new constitution just adopted by the people, in many of its features, as essentially anti-Democratic, unjust, and containing prin- ciples that tend to subvert the distinction be- tween the black and white races, and looking to equality between them.

We, therefore, now proclaim open and undis- guised hostility to each and every action and part of said instrument which contains these ob- noxious provisions, and we here raise the stand- ard of opposition and reform, and call upon every true patriot in the State to carry these questions to the ballot-box, and to elect officers for government of the State who will take every honorable measure to reform and amend said constitution.

5. That the laws of the last Legislaturc ap- portioning the State into Representative districts and the adoption of that law by the late Black Republican Constitutional Convention, by which the majority of the members of the General Assembly are given to a minority of the people, and many thousands of our citizens are virtually disfranchised, was a tyrannical and flagitious outrage,-a violation of every principle of a Republican Government,-and demands the severest rebuke from the people; that we recog- nize in these proceedings a manifest conspiracy against the rights of the majority, and a wanton violation of the principles of our Republican form of Government.

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6. That the refusal of the late Constitutional Convention to allow the constitution to become the supreme law of the land, when sanctioned and adopted by a majority of the people, and postponing the taking effect of portions of the same for more than two years after its adoption, which was avowedly done to withhold political power from the people, and retain it in the hands of already condemned officers, is an insult and an outrage upon the people, and deserving our condemnation.

7. That the Democracy of the State of Iowa take this method of expressing their gratitude and confidence in the Hon. George W. Jones, our Democratic Senator, and the Hon. A. Hall, late Democratic Representative, for their faith- ful adherence to Democratic principles, and their untiring vigilance for the welfare of our young and promising State.

Fisher was elected Superintendent. over Buzbee by 505 majority; Manning over Baily, for Commissioner, by 315; Lowe over Samuels, for Governor, by 2,149.

The campaign of 1858 was opened by the Republicans, meeting in convention at Iowa City, June 17, and adopting the fol- Jowing platform:

WHEREAS, We, the representatives of the Republicans of Iowa, being again permitted to assemble in State Convention, deem this a fitting occasion to briefly express our views of national and State policy, and to affirm our adhesion to the principles of constitutional liberty, for which we have been long and earnestly con -_ tending. We believe this Republic specially ordained by the blood and treasure of our fore- fathers for the free homes of the mechanic, the operative and the farmer, and we, their descend- ents, are determined it shall be preserved and administered for our common welfare; and that the great problem of the ability of the pcople to govern themselves shall be clearly solved in the onward progress and prosperity of our Republi- can constitution; manifesting to the nations of this earth that the free spirit of this nation is unconquered and unconquerable; therefore,

Resolved, That the principles laid down iu the Philadelphia platform, adopted on June 17, 1856, are founded upon the Constitution of the United States, are consonant with the teachings of Christianity, and are most heartily endorsed by the convention.

2. That in the contest now waging between freedom and slavery, our sympathies are wholly and strongly with the former-that we have no truce to offer, no mercy to ask, that with us the watchword is victory or death.

3. That the effort made to extend the area of slave territory on this continent, by the Demo- cratic party, is contrary to the spirit of the age and the genius of our institutions.

4. That by the passage of the English swindle for the admission of Kansas into the Union under the infamous Lecompton Constitution, whereby an unjust discrimination is made in favor of slave and against free States in the amount of population required to form a State government, the so-called national Democracy have proven devotion to slavery extension, their opposition to the interests of free labor, and their total disregard of the popular will.

5. That the new doctrine of the so-called Democratic party originated by Chief Justice Taney, in the Dred Scott decision, and carry slavery into our national territory, has no foun- dation in the Federal Constitution, is at war with the verities of our history, civil and judi- cial, and this is calculated to tolerate the en- slaving of our race in all the States.

6. That we view with satisfaction the course of those who, without respect to party feeling. and uninfluenced by the threats and in scorn of the bribcs and corrupting influences of the- Buchanan administration, boldly, and as free- men fighting for freemen's rights, opposed with all their might the passage of the Lecompton Constitution and the English swindle through Congress, and we trust that among the people there will continue the sante strong opposition to the encroachments of the slave power, which they have so gallantly manifested before the nation.

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HISTORY OF IOWA.

7. That we look forward hopefully to that good time, not far distant, when it shall be deemed legitimate, proper and constitutional for this government to extend its protecting care over free labor, the commerce and industrial interests of all the country, instead of bending its whole energies and treasure for the aggrand- izcment of a slaveholding aristocracy in one section of the Union.

8. That the corruption which stalks abroad . at noonday, pervading every department of the National Government, the gross and shameless use of Presidential power and patronage to in- fluence the action of Congress, the astounding increase in national expenditures in a time of peace and universal financial embarrassment (involving, as it does, a debt of forty-five mil- lions of dollars, and an expenditure of nearly one hundred millions of dollars during a single financial year), bringing upon the government the burning disgrace of bankruptcy and threat- ening the onerous burthens of dircct taxation, demand a solemn, earnest protest from us in behalf of the people of Iowa.

9. That the mismanagement and reckless squandering of the school fund of the State by the late Seperintendent of Public Instruction, and the manner in which this sacred fund has been dealt with in many counties in the State, as developed by the investigation already insti- tuted, under a Republican State administration, demonstrates the wisdom of that thorough ac- countability and scrutiny provided for by the State Legislature.

10. That we, as Republicans, pledge our- sclves to use all honorable efforts to promote the administration of the State and general government with strict economy and a just regard to the growing interests of our State and Union.

11. That our State should have that consider- ation from the general government to which her resources, power and future prospects entitle her, and that we will demand from the general government five per cent. of the proceeds of those lands hitherto entered with land warrants within the State; the improvement of the navi- gation of our great inland seas, and such addi-

tional grants of lands to aid tbe building of railroads through unoccupied portions of Iowa as will upbuild the population and wealth of our State and the general welfare of our common country.

12. That the members of this convention heartily endorse the candidates nominated to- day for the various offices, and promise their united and zealous support in the ensuing cam- paign, and, if their labors can achieve it, a triumphant election.

13. That the entire Republican delegation in Congress are entitled to the gratitude of the nation for their able and zealous advocacy of true Republican principles; and that our imme- diate Representatives, Messrs. Harlan, Curtis and Davis, have the unqualified approbation of their. constituents for the talented and cfficient manner in which they have represented tlic State of Iowa, and especially for the earnest and uncompromising opposition waged by them against the Lecompton English Bill bribe and other tyrannical abuses of the present adminis- tration.

The following ticket was then nomi- nated: Secretary of State, Elijah Sells; Auditor of State, J. W. Cattell; State Treasurer, John W. Jones; Attorney-Gen- eral, S. A. Rice; Register of State Land Office, A. B. Miller; Com. of DesMoines River Improvement, Wm. C. Drake.

The Democrats met June 23 at Des Moines, nominated the following ticket and adopted a platform: Secretary of State, Samuel Douglas; Auditor of State, Theodore S. Parvin; Treasurer of State, Samuel H. Lorah; Attorney-General, Jas. S. Elwood; Commissioner DesMoines River Improvement, Charles Baldwin; Register of Land Office, James M. Reid. The following is the platform:

The Democrats of Iowa, through representa- tives in State Convention assembled, proclaim their unalterable devotion and adhesion to the principles embodied in the resolutions following:

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Resolved, That we adopt, abide by, and will cherish and defend the platform of principles promulgated by the representatives of the De- mocracy of the nation, when assembled in national convention, at Cincinnati, in June, 1856, believing, as we do, that the platform there laid down is brond and strong enough to uphold and sustain every true patriot, and with such only do we desire companionship.

2. That all attempts to engender sectional prejudice and animosities are pregnant with mischief, tend to hinder the progress and devel- opment of our country, and must, if persisted in, Icad to the dismemberment of the union of the States and the destruction of the only free government of the world.

3. That the rights of the people should be maintained alike against the encroachment of federal power, the zcal of blind partisanism and wiles of unscrupulous and demagogue politi- cians, and that the office of the Democratic party is to see these cardinal principals main- tained in their party.

4. That the agitation of the slavery question tends to weaken the bonds of our union by de- stroying that confidence which should exist between the different States, and begetting sec- tional animosities, and that it is the duty of all true patriots to frown upon such attempts, and secure, by all honorable means, the discredit alike of the extremists of the South and North.

5. That the decision of the judicial tribunals of the State and Federal Government should be respected, must be submitted to, obeyed and carried into effect; and that any attempt to set them at defiance is a step toward anarchy and confusion, tends to impair respect for the gov- ernment, and merits the unmeasured conderma- tion of all law-abiding and peaceably disposed citizens.

6. That the outrages recently committed on our shipping by offieers of the British Govern- ment demands an immediate and unequivocal denial and apology; that now is an appropriate time to settle finally the question of the rights to visit and search vessels on the seas, and in the event an apology is refused, the arrogant pre-

tensions of European powers should try the "last resort" of nations, the cannon's mouth, and the world taught the lesson that our flag cannot be degraded, nor our nation insulted with impunity.

7. That the administration of State affairs in Iowa for the last four years, under Republican rule, is of a character to warrant the most rigid investigation by the people, and that the expo- sure thus far of their speculations, fraud and extravagance calls for the denunciation of all honest men

8. That an empty treasury, extravagant ex- penditures, and the stifling of investigation into corruption, by Republican officials of Iowa, should be sufficient to arouse tax-payers to the enormous outrages perpetrated upon the people's treasury, and absolutely demand a change in the administration, that the guilty may be brought to punishment, and our State preserved from utter bankruptcy.

9. That the Democracy of Iowa pledge to the people their earnest, persistent and unalterable purpose to reform the State government, and to bring to condign punishment whoever may be found guilty of criminal default in any of its departments.

The Republicans carried the State by an average majority of 3,000.

The Republicans were again first in the field for the State campaign of 1859. They met in convention, June 22, at Des Moines, and nominated the following ticket: Governor, S. J. Kirkwood; Lieu- tenant-Governor, Nicholas J. Rusch; Su- preme Judges, Ralph P. Lowe, L. J. Stockton, Caleb Baldwin. The platform adopted was as follows:

Possessing an abiding confidence in the intel- ligence and patriotism of the American people, an unwavering faith in their devotion to the eternal principles of liberty, as they came from the hand and heart of the fathers of the Repub- lic, and invoking the blessing of heaven upon our efforts to maintain them in their purity, we

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commend them most cordially to the sympathy and support of the Republicans of Iowa and of the Nation.

Resolved, That we entertain an abiding confi- dence in the cardinal doctrines contained in the Republican National platform of 1856, and re- affirming the samc, we commend them anew to the discriminating consideration of the people.

2. That the sum of nearly one hundred mil- lion dollars, supposed to be necessary to support the government under rule of the Africanized Democracy, is incompatible with just ideas of a simple, economical Republican government, and the issue of National shinplasters to meet such demand shows the hopeless financial degreda- tion of the present administration.

3. That we condemn the principles advocated by the Democratic party-no prohibition of slavery in the Territories-and proclaim as our prineiples, no interference with liberty by the President, by Congress or by the federal court.

4. We claim for citizens, native and natural- ized, liberty and conscience, equality of rights and the free exercise of the right of suffrage. We favor whatever legislation and administra- tive reform that may be necessary to protect these rights, and guard against their infringe- ment or abuse, and opp se any abridgment whatever of the rights of naturalization now secured to emigrants, and all discrimination between naturalized citizens whatever, by the amendment of the State constitution or other- wise. And we cordially approve of the action taken by the Republican State Central Commit- tee in regard to the amendment proposed by the Massachusetts Legislature to its constitution.

5. That the Republican party will forever oppose the demand of the southern Democracy for the enactment of a slave code for the Terri- tories.

6. That we look with horror upon the revival of the slave trade, and view with alarm the apathy and abortive attempts of administration and judiciary in arresting and bringing to trial and justice those who have recently been guilty of open infractions of those laws of our country which declare it piracy, and in sending such as

have been arrested to places of trial where in- dictment was doubtful and acquittal certain; and while we will oppose, by every just means, the repeal of those laws, we will also insist upon their being hereafter faithfully executed and euforced, even though it involve the exercise of the full power of the federal government.

7. That we are in favor of granting to actual settlers suitable portions of the public lands free of charge; and we do most unqualifiedly con- demn the course of the present slavery Democ- racy iu Congress, in opposing and defeating, in the United States Senatc, the Homestead bill, which was designed to secure free homes for free people, whether of native or of foreign birth.

8. That the rights of citizens are equal, and they are equally entitled to protection at home and abroad, without regard to nativity or dura- tion of domicile; and that the late refusal by the federal government, as expressed in the late official communication of Lewis Cass, Secretary of State, to guarantee against arrest and deren- tion, abroad, of naturalized citizens, on the ground of their allegiance to foreign power, is a cowardly abandoument of the true and noble position hitherto occupied by our government.

9. That we re-assert, as cardinal principles of Republicanism, the maintenance of a strict economy in public expenditures, and the prompt and faithful discharge by public officers of their public duties; and we congratulate the people of Iowa that the present State officers are honest and enjoy their confidence in the execution of their official duties.

10. That while our State tax has been largely reduced, being less in 1858 than the preceding year, and less the present year than in 1858, the increasing county taxation is becoming so bur- densome as to call imperatively for reform in the system of county administration.

The Democrats met at DesMoines, June 23, adopted a platform, and placed the fol- lowing ticket in the field: Governor, A. C. Dodge; Lieutenant-Governor, L. W. Bar- bitt; Supreme Judges, Charles Mason, T.

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HISTORY OF IOWA.

S. Wilson, C.C. Cole. The following is the platform, as to National policy:

WHEREAS, In view of the double relation in wh ch we stand toward the federal government on the one haud, and our own State on the other, we deem it expedient and proper, before enter- ing upon a contest which may, in no small de- gree, influence the character and destinies of both governments, to adopt and promulgate the following declaration of principles for the gov- ernment of our conduct:

Resolved, That we affirm the principles of the national Democratic platform of 1856, and re- assert the doctrines of non-intervention therein contained, as the ground upon which a national party can be maintained in these confederate States.

2. That the organized Territories of the United States are only held in their Territorial condition until they attain, a sufficient number of inhabitants to authorize their admission into the Union as States, and are justly entitled to self-goverumeut and the undisturbed regulation of their own domestic or local affairs, subject only to the constitution of the United States.

3. That, inasmuch as the legislative power of the Territories extends undeniably to all right- ful subjects of legislation, no power can preveut them from passing such laws upon the subject of slavery as to them may seem proper, and whether such laws, when passed, be constitu- tional or not, can be finally determined, not by Congress, but by the Supreme Court on appeal, from the decisions of the Territorial courts.

4. That the Supreme Court of the United States, being under the constitution, and an independent co-ordinate branch of the govern- ment, with a tenure of office which cannot be chauged by the action of parties, through the instrumentality of Congress, we hold the Democ- racy entirely irresponsible for its doctrines, and in no case couclusively bound by the same, except so far as to inculcate obedience to its decisions while they continue in force.

5. That without courts of justice, both State and national, respected by the people, and sus- tained in their proper functions by popular sen-

timent, anarchy and violence become inevitable, and all rights of both person and property be- come insecure and worthless.

6. That the actiou of the public authorities in some of the States, iu attempting to set at defiance by State authority, decisions of the Supreme Court and acts of Congress passed in accordauce with the constitution, is the very essence of nullification.

7. That a tariff for revenue alone is the true policy of this country, but an incidental protec- tion is oue of its legitimate consequences. The amount of duties levied should be limited to the uecessary wants of the government, and they should be so apportioned as to fall as lightly as possible upon the people, by whom they are eventually to be paid.

8. That it is a doctrine of the Democratic party that all naturalized citizens are entitled to the same protection, both at home and abroad, that is extended to the native born citizeus, and that even a voluntary return of such citizens to the land of their birth, for a temporary purpose, does not place them beyond the range of that protectiou, but that our government is bound to shield them from injury and insult while there, at every hazard.

9. . That the expansion of our national domain is desirable whenever it shall be necessary for the safety, happiness and prosperity of the Re- public, and we will hail with pleasure the acqui- sitiou of the island of Cuba, wheuever it can be effected with justice aud in accordance with the wishes of the people thereof , and as a nation we can ucver assent to its appropriation by auy of the powers of Europe, and will iucur all the hazards of war to avert such a result.

10. That the building of a railroad connecting our Atlantic and Pacific coasts, by grauts of the public lands along the line thereof, or by any other constitutional meaus, will meet with the hearty approval of the Democracy of Iowa.

11. That we are in favor of granting a home- stead of 160 acres of laud by Congress to actual settlers, subject ouly to such restrictions as will exclude speculators from the benefits of such acts.

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12. That we are in favor of an economical administration of the federal government, and will lend our best efforts to those who advocate reform aud retrenchment in our national expen- ditures.

13. That we are unconditionally opposed to the re-opening of the African slave trade; that . its revival would not only renew those cruelties which once provoked the indignation of the civ- ilized world, but would entail a foul blot on our country's fair escutcheon.

14. That we cordially tender to the Democ- racy of the Union an invitation to unite with us in maintaining our organization on principles indicated in the foregoing resolutions, and that we earnestly appeal to them to drop past differ- ences, and assemble again as a band of brothers under the panoply of the constitution and Union.

As to State policy-

Resolved, That the burdens of taxation have increased and are increasing under the present administration of State affairs, and that a com- plete and thorough reform of existing abuses and expenditures is demanded by the highest interests of the people.

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History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 21

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company Number of Pages: 1316

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1316