History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 99

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 99
USA > Iowa > Bremer County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 99

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isfaction those in the arena, as, step by step, they pass from the humble walks of life, and ascend the ladder of fame. Much as it may be denied, nearly every true citizen has a political ambition, and even if he does not reach the highest pinnacle, the possibility exists that he or his children may.

There is an excitement about a political campaign which all enjoy, and although personalities are often indulged in, yet as a general thing, all yield gracefully to the verdict of the people, as represented by the majority vote, and submit to "the power behind the throne." There are always issues which arise, affecting the country, and which often lead to bitter struggles for supremacy. In this chapter is sketched a synopsis of the issues as far as possible, and the local complexion of the various campaigns since the organization

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HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

of the county, is given. Following this is presented the official vote of every gen- eral election.

Bremer county was organized in 1853, but as already stated it had been connected with Buchanan county for judicial pur- poses, and had a township organization. The first election was held in 1851, at the residence of John H. Messinger, in Jeffer- son township, all the citizens of the county going there to vote. Only township offi- cers were elected. In those days there was not visible in political campaigns the excitement or eagerness to win at the expense of others, but it seemed that more of the feeling of the brotherhood of man existed, and while contests may have been sharp and pointed the enmity and bitter- ness of to-day was unknown.

In 1853, Bremer county proper, came into existence, H. A. Miles being a promi- nent worker in effecting the organization. The first election of county officers was held at the house of Frederick Cretzmeyer in August, 1853. There was not much excitement in regard to the election, nor could there well be, as there was only eighty votes polled in the county.

Another election was held on the 3d of April, 1854. At this election the records show that only three officers were voted for-State Superintendent, School Fund Commissioner and Drainage Commis- sioner. The candidates for School Fund Commissioner were John H. Martin, and George W. Baskins, the former receiving 95 votes and the latter 84; John Wright also receiving two votes. Edward Tyrrell received 53 votes and was declared elected Drainage Commissioner.

At the fall election of this year, more interest was wrought up. The offices to be filled were of greater importance. He- man A. Miles, and Edward Tyrrell were candidates for Clerk of Court, the former whig and the latter democrat. Mr. Miles was elected by a majority of 24. There were two candidates for County Attorney, W. P. Harmon and Phineas V. Swan. Mr. Harmon came off victorious. A. A. Case and J. Stufflebeam were candidates for the honor of being the first coroner. The for- mer recieved a majority of 53. From the appearance of the vote it would seem that there were no party lines drawn. At this timne the republican party had no exis- tence, and the field was left to the whigs and democrats, the latter usually coming out victorious.

The August election in 1855, was, in reality, the first election in which political questions were considered, and was the greatest contest yet experienced by the new county. The candidates for county judge were Jeremiah Farris on the dem- ocratic ticket, and Henry Morehouse on the whig. Farris had the advantage of being the incumbent and was elected, after a decisive struggle, by a majority of nine. Morehouse was a Methodist preacher and was the largest man in the county, weigh- ing three-hundred pounds, but this did not save him. William B. Hamilton and James Queen were candidates for treas- urer and recorder, the former whig and latter democrat. Hamilton ran ahead of his ticket and was elected by a majority of fifty. Joseph G. Ellis, a democrat, was elected to the office of sheriff over Nelson M. Smith. Richard Titcomb was elected coroner without much opposition, Moses

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HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

Lehman and J. G. Ellis each receiving one vote. Israel Trumbo was elected sur- veyor. The highest vote polled was for the office of county judge-348-a grati- fying increase.

Former issues dividing political parties had disappeared in 1856, and new issues were rapidly arising. The whig party had ceased to exist, and on its ruins had been erected, two other parties, one having for its central truth, opposition to the further extension of African slavery, and the other that American born citizens must rule America. These parties embraced, of course, many of the members of the old democratic party. The American party, not being opposed to slavery, or at least, making no opposition to it, either in the States in which it existed or the newly formed territories, where it had been made subject to admission by the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, had become a pow- erful body in the South, with many adher- ents in the North.

The republican party, basing its claims upon its advocacy of freedom in the terri- tories, was not permitted to exist in the Southern States, and was of necessity, con- fined to the Northern States.

The first convention of the newly-orga- nized republican party, in this State; was held at Iowa City, February 22, 1856, plac- ing a ticket in the field for State officers, and adopting a platform in accordance with the principles of equal rights to all men, and a firm opposition to any further exten- sion of human slavery. The democratic convention met at the State Capitol, June 26, and nominated a ticket, and adopted a platform in harmony with that adopted by the national convention, at Cincinnati, the

same year. The nominations made at the national convention of James Buchanan, for President, and John G. Breckenridge, for Vice-President of the United States, were enthusiastically endorsed. In Bre- mer county the newly-organized republi- can and democratic parties had regular tickets in the field, to be voted on at the August election. The republicans won by a majority of from fifty to seventy-five. H. A. Miles was re-elected clerk of the courts, over G. S. Matthews, by a small majority; Phineas V. Swan was elected prosecuting attorney over G. C. Wright. The proposition for holding a constitu- tional convention carried by a majority of twenty-six.

For the campaign of April, 1857, the democrats rallied all their forces, and the election was very close. The office of county assessor, which had been created to take the place of the same offices in the townships, was the only important office to be filled. The republicans again carried, by a very slight majority. Simeon F. Shepard was elected over O. P. Haugha- wout, by one vote. George W. Ruddick, was elected prosecuting attorney, over G. C. Wright, by a majority of fifty-five.

The election held in the fall of 1857, was also very close, and followed an exciting campaign. The candidates for county judge were, George W. Maxfield and Thomas Downing; the former a democrat and the latter a republican. One incident connected with the campaign is worthy of relating. The Germans at that time, as at the present, held the balance of power, and were much opposed to extravagance, and the taxation that must follow. One of the active workers in the democratic

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HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

party was John C. Hazlett, a merchant of Waverly. In the heat of the canvas, he went into the wealthy and thickly settled German localities of Maxfield and Frank- lin townships, and spread the report that it was the intention of Thomas Downing, in case he was elected, to build, for the county, a solid marble court house. This story spread among the Germans, who ex- agerated it to a "solid marble court house, with silver-plated doors, knobs and win- dow sills," etc. The election passed off, the returns from Franklin came in slowly, and for several days it was supposed that Downing was elected; but finally the re- turns from Franklin were received, throw- ing the majority on the other side, and Maxfield was declared clected. Shortly afterward the township by that name was organized, and named in honor of the Judge.

The October election, in 1857, was for Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, and Rep- resentative. Ralph P. Lowe, republican candidate for Governor, received a major- ity of seventy-ninc votes, over Benjamin M. Samuels, democratic candidate. Orrin Faville, republican candidate for Lieuten- ant -- Governor, received a majority of 83, over George Gillaspie. W. P. Harmon was elected Representative.

The office of county superintendent was created by the new constitution, adopted in 1857, and candidates were voted for at the April clection. A. K. Moulton, repub- lican, and G. C. Wright, democrat, were in the field for the office, and the former elected by a majority of 112. He had the honor of being the first superintendent of common schools of Bremer county.

It should have been stated that at the April election in 1857, the question of giv- ing the right of, suffrage to negroes was voted upon, and was defeated by a major- ity of 138, the vote standing 114 for, to 252 against. It would seem from this vote that there were 327 voters in the county who were non-committal upon the subject. The proposition was defeated in both the county and State.

At the October election in 1858, only two officers were to be elected-clerk of courts and coroner. Louis Case was elected clerk, and W. W. Norris, coroner, without much of a fight.

In the fall of 1859, there were both State and county officers to be elected, and the contest was sharp in Bremer county. S. J. Kirkwood, afterward known as the "War Governor," of Iowa, was the republican, and A. C. Dodge, the democratic candidate for Governor. Mr. Dodge received a ma- jority of twenty-one in the county, out of a total vote of 855. The democrats car- ried the county by a small majority, elect- ing their entire county ticket. This left Louis Case, clerk of courts, the only repub- lican officer in the court house.

The country was now becoming deeply moved over questions which stirred the popular heart as none had ever before. The storm had been gathering ever since the repeal of the Missouri compromise; the struggles in Kansas had deeply inten- sified the feelings of the people of the North, and John Brown's attempt upon Harper's Ferry had been skillfully man- aged, so as to arouse the fury of the peo- ple of the South. That the Territories of the United States should be forever conse- crated to freedom was the solemn deter-

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HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

mination of a large majority of the peo- ple of the North and that the boundaries of the institution of slavery should not be further enlarged. The South seeking the perpetuation of the institution of slavery, by means of enlarged political power, de- termined that its territory should not be restricted, but should be extended. The questions dividing parties were chiefly sectional, and pointed directly to war. At this stage of public sentiment, the republi- can party met in national convention at Chicago, for the purpose of placing in the field candidates for the office of President and Vice-President. The names of Seward, Lincoln, Chase, Blair, and Bates were pro- posed for the chief office. In the conven- tion it was plain to see who was the favorite of the lookers-on. Every mention of Lincoln's name was received with cheer after cheer. Three ballots were taken. On the last Mr. Lincoln received a majority of the whole number of votes, and was made the unanimous choice of the conven- tion, amidst the most intense excitement. Hannibal Hamlin, of Maine, was selected as the candidate for Vice-President.

The Democratic National Convention met at Charleston, South Carolina, April 23, 1861. The friends of Stephen A. Douglas were active in urging his claims to the nomination for the presidency, the dele- gates from the Northern States being in- structed to use all honorable means to attain that end. His claims were stoutly contested by the leaders of the democracy of the South, and it was evident some time before the convention assembled, that it would be difficult to come to an agreement, especially as the rule of the democratic national conventions required a two-thirds

vote to nominate. The convention re- mained in session ten days, at the expira- tion of which time no nominations, were made. After taking fifty-seven ballots, it was found impossible for any candidate to receive a two-thirds vote of the entire body, as many Southern delegates had withdrawn. An adjournment to Baltimore, June 19th, was agreed upon. The convention met pursuant to adjournment; but even here no agreement could be reached between the factions. After a six days' meeting, Stephen A. Douglas was nominated for President, and Benjamin Fitzpatrick, of Alabama, for Vice-President. The nomi- nation of Douglas was received with great enthusiasm in the North. Mr. Fitzpatrick declining, Herschel V. Johnson, of Georgia. was substituted, and he accepted the nomi- nation.

That portion of the democratic conven- tion which seceded, held a convention, June 23d, and nominated John C. Breck- enridge, of Kentucky, for President, and Joseph Lane, of Oregon, for Vice-President. A "Union" convention was also held, at which John Bell, of Tennessee, was nomi- nated for President, and Edward Everett, of Massachusetts, for Vice-President.

With four Presidential candidates in the field, the exciting questions growing out of the institution of slavery, and the threats of secession by a portion of the South, in the event of the election of Lincoln, tended to make the campaign one of great excite- ment. "Wide-Awake" clubs, on the part of the republicans, and organizations of "Hickory Boys" on the part of Douglas democrats, tended to increase the excite- ment. Large and enthusiastic meetings were held by each party, in all the leading

HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

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towns and cities throughout the land, and n many of the smaller villages. The names of the "Rail-Splitter, and the "Little Giant" became household words, and evoked the greatest enthusiasm.

The Republican State Convention of Iowa met in Iowa City, May 23d, nominated a State ticket, adopted a platform in harmony with the action of the national convention at Chicago, endorsed its nominations, and favored rigid economy in State matters. The democratic convention met at Des- Moines, July 12th, nominated a State ticket and passed resolutions endorsing Douglas and Johnson. The "Union" ticket was strongly condemned.

In Bremer county the fight was waged as earnestly as in any county in the State, and political feeling ran high on all sides. There was only one county officer to be elected-clerk of the courts-consequently there was little to detract from the great national questions. The year before the county had gone democratic, but this year Lincoln received a majority of ninety-two, and the whole republican ticket ranged about the same. The total vote was 1,017. The candidates for the county office men- tioned were Louis Case, republican, and William Pattee, democrat, the former was re-elected by a majority of 115.

The war for the Union was in progress during the political campaign of 1861, and issues, growing out of the war, were form- ing. The republicans were first to meet in convention, assembling at Des Moines in July, they put in nomination a State ticket and adopted a platform licartily sup- porting the government in its assertion of the right to coerce, denouncing the doc- trine of secession, maintaining the suprem-

acy of the Constitution, and declaring in the most forcible language, that the Rebel- lion should be put down at any cost.

The Democratic State Convention passed .resolutions also unequivocally condemning the action of the seceding States, but de- claring it to be the legitimate results of the teaching of the "irrepressible con- flict," and also denying in toto the right of the government to perpetuate the Union by force of arms. State sovereignty was endorsed, and the opposite doctrine declared to be fraught with disastrous con- sequences. The campaign in this county afforded but little interest, the all-exciting questions of the war filling the mind of every voter. A light vote was polled but party lines were drawn very close, and the republicans elected their entire ticket.

The Union army had met with several reverses during the year 1862, and a gloomy feeling pervaded the minds of the people, having its effect upon the canvass for State officers. The democrats met in convention at Des Moines, and adopted a platform in which they declared in favor of using all constitutional means for the suppression of the rebellion, and opposed to any scheme of confiscation and emanci- pation; opposed to a suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, declaring the supe- riority of the white over the black race, and opposed to the purchase of the slaves. The republicans, in their platform adopted at Des Moines, resolved that it was the duty of every man to help maintain the government; condemned the course of secession sympathizers, and asked all favor- able to giving the national administration honest support, to co-operate with them. In this county the vote was lighter than

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HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

the year previous, but this was somewhat increased by the "soldiers' vote," the sol- diers being allowed to vote in the field and send the returns home. Henry C. Moore, republican, was elected clerk of the court over H. W. Perry, democrat, by a majority of 195. This was the average majority for the republican ticket.

The democracy of the State met in con- vention at Des Moines, July 8, 1863, and nominated a ticket for Statc offices. Ques- tions growing out of the war still affordcd issues between partics. The writ of habeas corpus had been suspended by the President, martial law had been declared in some of the States not in rebellion, and the Proclamation of Emancipation had been issued. These measures the democracy in convention, by resolution opposed, while the republican convention, which con- vened June 17, favored.

In Bremer county both republicans and democrats had full county tickets and a soldiers' ticket was in the field with D. F. Goodwin for county judge; and Barnes Thompson for treasurer and re- corder, making three candidates for both of those offices. A fair vote was polled and the entire republican ticket elected by majorities ranging above 300.

In 1864 Abraham Lincoln was re-nom- inated by the republicans, and associated with him on the ticket was Andrew John- son, the Union Governor of Tennessee.

The democrats put in nomination, Gen. George B. McClellan, for the Presidency and George H. Pendleton, of Ohio, for the Vicc-Presidency.

The republicans of Iowa held a conven- tion at Des Moines, July 7, and adopted a platform endorsing the re-nomination of

Abraham Lincoln, and paying high tributes of praise to the loyal soldiers and soldiers' wives, who were daily making sacrifices that the Union might be saved. The Dem- ocratic State Convention met at Des Moines, July 16, sclected a State ticket, but adopted no platform.

A peace convention, however, was held at Iowa City, August 24, which adopted resolutions denouncing the war and its further support, and denying the cquality of the negro with the white man. In this county both parties had a full county ticket in the field and the republicans clected every officer, by majorities ranging from 480 to 500, about 1,000 being the total vote.

In 1865 the republicans were first in the field, meeting in convention at Des Moines, June 14th, nominating a ticket and adopt- ing a platform. The Union Anti-Negro Suffrage party met at the capital, August 23d, and nominated a ticket and adopted a platform, in which they resolved to sustain the administration of Andrew Johnson; that they were opposed to negro suffrage, that the soldiers of the late war deserved well the sympathies of their countrymen. The democrats met in convention the same day, but made no nominations, the party sup- porting the "Soldiers' Ticket," as it was known. In this county the parties were somewhat divided on local issues. Thc democrats made no nominations, but after the republican convention had been held, some of the dissatisfied called a soldiers' convention and nominated a soldiers' ticket, endorsing all the nominees of the republicans, except for county treasurer and surveyor. For the first, they placcd W. V. Lucas against William P. Reeves,

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the regular nomince, and the former was clected. For surveyor they placed M. F. Gillett against H. S. Hoover, and the latter was clected. N. M. Smith for sheriff, and C. B. Roberts for county superintendent, had no opposition. Allen Holmes, soldiers' candidate, was elected representative over M. Farrington, the republican nomincc.

The campaign of 1866 was fought on the issue of reconstruction in the southern States. The republicans in convention resolved that the people who subdued the rebellion, and their representatives in Congress, had the right to re-organize the States that had been in the rebellion. This was denied by some of the repub- licans, and the entire democratic party. The conservative republicans, or those who were opposed to congressional action, met in convention and nominated a State ticket. The democratic convention adopted a platform, nominated two candidates, and resolved to support the ticket of the con- servatives. The republican. State officers received a majority of about 715 in this county. The republican county ticket was also elected by a trifle larger majority. The total vote was about 1,400. The gen- eral issues dividing the parties in 1867 were about the same as in 1866. In this county the republicans were victorious.

The year 1868 brought with it another presidential campaign. The Republican National Convention met in Chicago, and placed in nomination Ulysses S. Grant, the victorious Union General, associating with hint, Schuyler Colfax, of Indiana. The Democratic National Convention nom- inated Horatio Seymour and Francis P. Blair, Jr., for President and Vice-Presi- dent. The financial question began to be

a leading issue, especially with reference to the payment of the bonds in coin or greenbacks, the republicans favoring the payment in coin, the democrats opposing. The latter also, by resolution, favored the abolition of the national banking system, and the substitution of United States notes for those of national banks. This was opposed by the republicans.

The campaigns of 1869, 1870, and 1871, were devoid of much interest, and were but repetitions of the results of previous years, as a glance at the official vote in this chapter will show.

In 1872, the movement known as the liberal republican had a large influence, politically, having virtually dietated the democratic nomination for the presidency, and the platform of principles on which the campaign against the republican party wasdictated. The liberal republicans were those connected with the republican party who were opposed to any extreme meas- ures in the reconstruction of the Southern States, and who believed the time had come when past issues should be forgotten and new issues formed, that the hand of recon- ciliation should be offered to the South, and a united country working together to build up the waste places in the South. Many of the most able men in the republi- can party, including Horacc Greeley, Charles Sumner, Lyman Trumbull, John M. Palmer, and others, united in the movc- ment. In May, a National Republican Con- vention was held in Cincinnati, which nominated Horace Grecley for President, and B. Gratz Brown for Vicc-President. The democracy in convention ratified the nominations of Greeley and Brown, and adopted the same platform. The re-

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publicans re-nominated President Grant, and associated with him on the ticket, Henry Wilson, of Massachusetts, for Vice- President.

The disaffection among the democrats in consequence of the nomination of Hor- ace Greeley, a life-long enemy, politically, was so great that a third ticket was nomi- nated at the head of which was Charles O'Conner, the distinguished lawyer of New York. The democrats and liberal repub- licans met in State convention and nomi- nated a State ticket composed of two dem- ocrats and three liberal republicans, and passed resolutions endorsing Greelcy. The liberal ticket in this county did not meet with much encouragement, the vote given it being only that number usually polled by democratic nominees. The presiden- tial vote stood: Grant 1,490; Horace Greeley 463; Charles O'Connor 7. The total vote was about 1,960, and the re- publican majority was about 1,080, on an average.

The question of capital vs. labor, engaged the attention of the people in 1873. The Republican State Convention met at Des Moines, June 25th, and after nominating candidates, adopted resolutions declaring against monopolies, and urging that the several States should carefully restrict the powers of railroad companies and other monopolies. Class legislation was also demanded. The democratic party of the State made no regular nomination this year but generally supported the anti-monopoly ticket. A convention was. licld at Des Moincs, August 12th, nominated candi- dates and adopted resolutions declaring that the old party organizations were no longer useful, denouncing corruption in

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History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 99

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