USA > Iowa > Cass County > History of Cass County, Iowa; together with sketches of its towns, villages, and townships; educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of old settlers and representative citizens. History of Iowa, embracing accounts of the pre-historic races, and a brief review of its civil, political, and military history > Part 24
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4. That we are in favor of the strictest economy in the expenditures of public money, and that we demand at the hands of all officials, both State and national, a faithful and rigidly honest administration of public affairs.
5. That the Republican members of the Con- gress of the United States are entitled to the thanks of the nation for their firmness in resist- ing the conspiracy to turn over the control of the government to the hands of traitors and their allies, and defeating the purpose of a cor- rupt Executive, and thus sustaining the interests of liberty, in a great and dangerous crisis in our history.
The Democracy were in convention July 26th, and nominated the following ticket: Governor, Charles Mason; Lieutenant- Governor, D. M. Harris; Supreme Judge, J. H. Craig; Attorney-General, W. T. Baker; Superintendent Public Instruction, M. L. Fisher. The platform adopted by the convention was as follows :
Resolved, That the maintenance, inviolate, of the rights of the States, especially the rights of each State to order and control its own institu- tions according to its own judgment exclusively, is essential to that balance of power on which the perfection and endurance of our political fabric depends.
2. That we believe each State has the right to regulate the elective franchises for itself, and, as citizens of the State of Iowa, are opposed to striking the word "white" out of our State con- stitution.
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3. That the existing tariff laws are unjust and heavily burdensome to the agricultural States, without being of a corresponding benefit to the government, and only of advantage to a few manufacturing States, and should be re- pealed or greatly modified.
4. That all classes of property should pay a proportionate rate toward defraying the ex- penses of the government. We are therefore in favor of taxing government bonds the same as other property.
5. That we are in favor of repealing the pres- ent liquor law of this State, and in favor of enacting a well regulated license law in lieu thereof.
6. That we are in favor of an amendment to the constitution of our State giving to foreigners the elective franchise after they have declared their intention of becoming citizens of the United States, and have resided in the State one year.
7. That we demand of our public officers in the State of Iowa and in the United States the strictest economy in order to reduce the present burdensome taxation, and we denounce in the severest terms the profligacy, corruption and knavery of our State officers and Congressmen.
8. That the denial of representation to ten Statea in the Union, through odious military reconstruction, in violation to the constitution, should meet the unqualified oppostion of every good citizen.
On Governor the official vote was as fol- lows:
Samuel Merrill, Rep .90,200-27,240 Charles Mason, Dem 62,960
The year 1868 brought with it another Presidential campaign. Ulysses S. Grant was the Republican nominee for President, and Horatio Seymour that of the Demo- crats. In Iowa the campaign was opened by the Republicans, who nominated the following ticket : Secretary of State, Ed. Wright; Auditor of State, John A. Elli- ott; Treasurer of State, Maj. Samuel E.
Rankin; Register of State Land Office, Col. C. C. Carpenter; Attorney-General, Major Henry O'Connor. The following platform was adopted :
We, the delegates and representatives of the Republican party of Iowa, in convention assem- bled, do, for ourselves and party, resolve-
1. That it is as important that the principles of the Republican party should control, in the administration of the State and nstion now, and for the future, as at any time since that party's organization; and that the restoration to power, under any pretext or any form of party organi- zation of the men who would agsin apply the principles and policy of the pro-alavery party before and during the war, to the present and future administration of State and national affairs, would be an evil of the greatest magni- tude, and full of danger to the country.
2. That, while we recognize the fact that the electors of Iowa are to act individually and directly upon the proposed amendment to the constitution of the State; and while we recog- nize that the principles embodied in aaid amend- ment are more sacred than party tiea, and above all consideration of mere party policy, never- theleas we deem it proper to again proclaim it as a cardinal principle of our political faith, that all men are equal before the law, and we are in favor of the proposed amendment of the consti- tution of the State of Iowa, which will secure the righta of the ballot, the protection of the law, and equal justice to all men irrespective of color, race or religion.
3. That we demand the strictest economy in the administration of our State and national government.
4. That we are in favor of the nomination of U. S. Grant as our candidate for President, and as a guarantee of his life and safety as well as that of the nation, our delegates are especially enjoined to secure, as our candidate for Vice- President, a Republican of unswerving fidelity and unimpeachable integrity.
5. That the views, purposes and principles of the Republican organization of Iowa has ever
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been well defined, understood and sustained, and we are resolved that the Republican standard shall never be lowered or compromised; that on the battle-field, at the polla, and in the councila of the nation, Iowa has ever been radically in earneat in fighting for and maintaining our lib. erty, onr Union, the righta of man and the honor and integrity of the nation; and that we expect and demand of the national convention to as- semble at Chicago on the 20th inst., an unequiv- ocal avowal of our principles, and upon auch platform we propose to meet and overwhelm our political opponents.
The Democracy met at DesMoines and made nominations as follows : Secretary of State, David Hammer, Register of Land Office, A. D. Anderson; Treasurer of State, L. McCarty; Auditor of State, H. Dun- lavey; Attorney-General, J. E. William- son. They also adopted the following res- olutions :
Resolved, By the Democracy of Iowa, in con- vention assembled, that the reconstruction policy of Congress is unconstitutional and destructive of the spirit of American liberty, and, if carried out, will inevitably result in a permanent mili- tary deapotism.
2. That the present depressed condition of the country, with ita prostrated business, para- lyzed industry, oppressive taxation and political anarchy, are the direct results of the unwise and unconstitutional legislation of the dominant party in Congress.
3. That it is the avowed object of the Con- gresaional policy to continue in power the most venal and corrupt political party that ever dis- honored any civilization; a policy vindictively enacted and mercilessly prosecuted, with the unconstitutional purpose of centralizing and perpetuating all the political power of the gov- ernment in the dominant radical party in Con- greaa.
4. That for the maintenance of the national credit, we pledge the honor of the Democracy of Iowa; but that we will unalterably oppose that policy which opposes to pay the rich man in
gold and the poor man in depreciated currency; and that we believe that the currency which is good enough to pay the soldier, the widow and the orphan, is good enough for the bondholder; and that the bonda of the government, which are made payable on their face in "lawful money," popularly known as greenhacks, having been purchased with that kind of money, may be justly and honorably redeemed with the same; and it is the duty of the government to pay them off as rapidly as they become due, or the financial safety of the country will permit.
5. That the national bank system, organized in the interest of the bondholders, ought to be abolished, and the United States notea aubsti- tuted in lieu of a national bank currency, thua saving to the people, in interest alone, more than $18,000,000 annually; and until such system of banka shall be abolished, we demand that the shares of such banks in Iowa shall be subject to the aame taxes, State and municipal, aa other property of the State.
6. That it is the duty of the United States to protect all citizens, whether native or natural- ized, in every right, at home and abroad, without the pretended claim of foreign nationa to per- petuate allegiance.
7. That we are in favor of the repeal of the prohibitory liquor law, and of the enactment of a judicious license law in its stead.
8. That we are opposed to conferring the right of auffrage upon the negroea in Iowa, and we deny the right of the general government to interfere with the queation of suffrage in any of the States of the Union.
9. That the soldiers of Iowa, in the recent great revolution, exhibited a spirit of patriotism, courage and endurance, under great privation and sufferings, that have won for them the ad- miration of the nation, and entitle them to the kind recollection of their countrymen and the aid of a graceful government.
10. That Hon. Geo. H. Pendleton, of Ohio, ia the first choice of the Democracy of Iowa for President of the United States.
On Secretary of State, the official vote stood as follows:
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Ed. Wright, Rep. .120,265-45,801 David Hammer, Dem. 74,464
The Republicans, in 1869, re-nominated Samuel Merrill for Governor; - Waldon for Lieutenant-Governor; John F. Dillon for Supreme Judge; A. S. Kissell for Superintendent of Public Instruction. They adopted the following resolutions:
Resolved, That we heartily endorse the admin- istration of Governor Merrill as economical and honest, and that it deserves, as it has received, the hearty approval of the people of Iowa.
2. That we unite upon a continuance of strict and close economy in all departments of our State government in behalf of the maintenance of the happy financial condition to which our State has attained under Republican rule.
3. That the means now in the State treasury, and which may become available, ought to be issued for the purpose of defraying the neces- sary expenditures of the State government, economically administered, and for no other purpose; and no State taxes, or only the mini- mum absolutely required, should be levied or collected until such means are exhausted, to the end that the burden of taxation may be made as light as possible.
4. That we rejoice in the glorious national victory of 1868, which has brought peace, happi- ness and prosperity to our nation; and we heartily endorse the administration of General Grant.
5. That the public expenditures of the na- tional government should be reduced to the lowest sum which can be reached by a system of the most rigid economy; that no money should be taken from the national treasury for any work of internal improvements, or for the erec- tion of any public buildings not clearly neces- sary to he made or erected, until the national debt is paid or greatly reduced. That all the money that can be saved from the national revenue, honestly collected, should be applied to the reduction of the national debt, to the end that the people may be relieved of the burthen of taxation as rapidly as practicable.
6. That we endorse and approve the policy which the present Secretary of the Treasury of the United States has pursued.
The Democrats placed in nomination the following ticket: Governor, George Gillespie; Lieutenant-Governor, A. P. Richardson; Judge of the Supreme Court, W.F. Brannan; Superintendent of Public Instruction, Edward Jaeger. They, also, adopted as a platform the following:
WHEREAS, Upon the eve of a political canvass, the time-honored usage of our party requires that a platform of principles be announced for the government of those who may be elected to of- fice; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Democratic party view with alarm the action of an unscrupulous majority in Congress, in its attempt to absorb the powers of the executive and judicial departments of the government, and to annihilate the rights and functions reserved to the State governments.
2. That we favor a reform in the national banking system, looking to an ultimate abolition of that pernicious plan for the aggrandizement of the few at the expense of the many.
3. That now, as in time past, we are opposed to a. high protective tariff, and that we will use every effort to prevent and defeat that system of national legislation which will enrich a small class of manufacturers, at the expense of the great mass of producers and consumers, and that we are in favor of such reforms in our tariff system as shall promote commerce with every nation of the world.
4. That the pretended trial, conviction and execution of persons not in the military or naval service of the United States, by military commis- sion, is in direct conflict with the constitution, and we denounce the same as unworthy of a free people, and disgraceful to the American govern- ment.
5. That we demand no more, and will submit to nothing less than the settlement of the Ala- bama claims according to the recognized rules of international law, and that we declare it to be
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the duty of the government to protect every cit- izen, whether naturalized or native, in every right of liberty and property throughout the world, without the pretended claims of foreign nations to their allegiance.
6. That we are in favor of, and insist on, an economical administration of the national and State governments, that the people may be as speedily as possible relieved from the load of taxation with which they are now oppressed, and that public officers should be held to a strict accountability to the people for their official acts.
7. That a national debt is a national curse, and that while we favor the payment of the present indebtedness according to the strict let- ter of the contract, we would rather repudiate the same than see it made the means for the establishment of an empire upon the ruins of constitutional law and liberty.
8. That in the opinion of this convention the so-called Maine liquor law, which now disgraces the statute books of the State of Iowa, ought to be repealed at the earliest possible moment.
The campaign of 1870 was short, the first convention being held by the Demo. crats at DesMoines, August 10. The nominations made were as follows: Sec- retary of State, Charles Doerr; Auditor of State, Wesley W. Garner; Treasurer of State, William C. James; Attorney-Gen- eral, H. M. Martin; Register of State Land Office, D. F. Ellsworth; Reporter of the Supreme Court, C. H. Bane; Clerk of the Supreme Court, William McLenan; Judge of the Supreme Court, long term, J. C. Knapp; Judge of the Supreme Court, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resig- nation of Judge Dillon, P. Henry Smythe; Judge of the Supreme Court to fill the va- cancy occasioned by the resignation of Judge Wright, Reuben Noble. They adopted the following platform:
The representatives of the Democracy of Iowa, coming together in a spirit of toleration and de-
votion to the doctrines of representative govern- ment, and relying for final success upon public discussion and the intelligence and patriotism of the people, deem the present convention a fitting occasion to proclaim the following as the prin- ciples of the Democratic party of Iowa:
Resolved, That the internal revenue system of the United States is unendurable in its oppres- sive exactions; that to impose burdens upon one class of citizens, or npon one branch of industry, to build up another, and to support an army of office-holders to enforce their collection, is an abuse of the taxing power, and that we are in favor of the collection of all taxes through State government.
2. That we are opposed to the present unjust and unequal tariff system, and in favor of one which, while adapted to the purpose of raising the necessary revenue to provide for the liquida- tion of our national indebtedness, to meet the expenditures of an economical administration, will not oppress labor and build up monopolies.
3. That we are in favor of such disposition of our public lands as will secure their occupa- tion by actual settlers, and prevent their absorp- tion by mammoth corporations.
4. That we assert the right of the people by legislative enactment, to tax, regulate, and con- trol all moneyed corporations upon which extra- ordinary rights are conferred by charters.
5. That we are opposed to any attempt to abridge the most full and free enjoyment of civil and religious liberty.
6. That we cordially invite the electors of Iowa to co-operate with us in the support of the principles herein enunciated.
The Republicans met one week later than the Democrats, and nominated for Supreme Judge, full term, C. C. Cole; Su- preme Judge, Dillon vacancy, W. E. Mil- ler; Supreme Judge, Wright vacancy, Jas. G. Day; Secretary of State, Ed. Wright; Auditor, John Russell; Treasurer, S. E. Rankin; Register of Land Office, Aaron Brown; Attorney-General, Henry O'Con- ner; Reporter of the Supreme Court, E.
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HI. Stiles; Clerk of Supreme Court, Chas. Linderman. The following are the reso- lutions adopted by the Republican conven- tion :
Resolved, That we refer with pride to the his- tory of the Republican party, and congratulate the country upon its successful career. It has given to the poor man a homestead; it has abol- ished slavery, and established manhood suffrage; crushed treason, and given to us the Pacific rail- road; settled the doctrine of the right of expa- triation, maintained the honor, integrity and credit of our nation. It has vindicated the Monroe doctrine by preventing foreign powers from interfering with the government on this continent; and to perpetuate it in power is the only safe guaranty for peace and prosperity in the future.
2. That we heartily endorse the honest, faith- ful, and economical adminstration of General .Grant, by which our national debt has become so largely reduced, and our national credit and honor so firmly maintained.
3. That a tariff for revenue is indispensable, and should be so adjusted as not to become pre- judicial to the industrial interests of any class or section of the country, while securing to our home products fair competition with foreign capital and labor.
4. That we are opposed to any system or plan of granting public lands to railroad or other corporations without ample provision being made to secure their speedy sale at moderate prices, and occupancy upon fair and liberal terms by any and all who desire to pur- chase and settle upon them.
5. That we are in favor of an economical and judicious management of the affairs of the State, and with this view we endorse the present administration of the State government, and commend it to the favorable consideration of the people and to future adminstrations.
6. That we are in favor of such legislation as will protect the people from the oppression of monopolies controlled by and in the interest of corporations.
7. That while, as Americans, we feel in duty bound to preserve a strict neutrality in the con- test now waging in Europe, yet we cannot forget that in our late war the sympathies and material aid of the German states were freely given us, and we do not hesitate to declare our unqualified sympathy with the earnest efforts of the Germans to maintain and defend their national unity; and we condemn the course which the Democratic press of the country has been and is now pursu- ing in the support of a despotic, imperial dynasty, and a causeless war against a people desiring peace, and aspiring to perfect liberty.
8. That the Republican party of Iowa wel- come to our shores all human beings of every. nation, irrespective of race or color, voluntarily seeking a home in our midst; and all the rights and privileges which we, as citizens, demand for ourselves, we will freely accord to them.
9. That we are in favor of amending our naturalization laws by striking out the word "white" from the same, wherever it occurs.
The official vote on Secretary of State was as follows: Ed. Wright, Rep. 101,938-41,433 Charles Dorr, Dem. .60,505
In 1871 the Democrats were again first in the field, assembling-in convention at DesMoines, June 14th, and nominated for Governor, J. C. Knapp; Lieutenant-Gov- ernor, M. M. Ham; Supreme Judge, John F. Duncombe; Superintendent of Public Instruction, Edward M. Munn. They adopted the following platform:
Resolved, That we recognize our binding obli- gation to the constitution of the United States, as it now exists, without reference to the means by which the same became the supreme law of the land.
2. That we will faithfully support the consti- tution of the United States, as it now exists, and that we demand for it a strict construction so as to protect equally the rights of States and indi- viduals.
3. That we cherish the American system of State and local governments, and that we
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will forever defend the same against the central- ized federal power.
4. That universal suffrage, having been estab- lished, should now be coupled with its twin measure, universal amnesty.
5. That we denounce all riotous combinations and conspiracies against law, and demand that the same be suppressed by the proper State authorities, and that the federal power ought not to intervene unless such intervention is de- manded by the State authorities.
6. That the proposed annexation of the Do- minican republic meets with our earnest oppo- sition, partly on account of the character of the mongrel population, and that of their unfitness to become American citizens, but more especially on account of the corrupt motives in which that measure had its inception, and of the reprehen- sible means by which it was sought to be con- sunumsted.
7. That while we have a tariff on imports, it must be regulated with an eye single to revenue, and not with a view to what is called protection, which is only another name for the legalized plundering of one industry to bestow favors upon another; and that the recent election to the United States Senate, by the Legislature of Iowa, of a man wholly and openly committed to a protective tariff, demonstrates that the party in power sre in antagonism to the great agricul- tural interests of the State.
8. That the profligate corruption and wanton extravagance which pervade every department of the federal government, the sacrifice of the inter- est of the laborer to aggrandize a handful of aris- tocrats, the wicked deprivation of the people of their rightful heritage to public lands, which have been made a gift to railroad and other monopo- lists, the payment of more than $20,000,000 prem- inm during the administration of President Grant on government bonds, payable at par, the maintenance, at an annual cost to the people of nearly $30,000,000, of an unconstitutional, op- pressive and extortionate system of banking, whereby money is made scarce and interest high, are abuses which call for wise and thor- ough remedies.
9. That we are in favor of strict economy, of a large reduction in the expenditures of the federal and State governments, of civil service reform, of the collection of the internal revenue by State authorities and return to honest labor the myriads of tax-gatherers who inflict our land and eat up its substance, and of the speedy trial, conviction and punishment of the thieves who have stolen the taxes paid by the people.
10. That it is s flagrant outrage on the rights of the free laborers and mechanics of Iowa, that the labor of penitentiary convicts should be brought into conflict with theirs, and that it is the duty of the next Legislature to enact such laws as will certainly and effectually protect them from such unjust and ruinous competition.
11. That section 2, article 8, of the constitu- tion of Iows, which declares that "the property of all corporations for pecuniary profit shall be subject to taxation the same as that of individ- uals," should be rigidly and strictly enforced, and that by virtue thereof we demand that rail- roads and railroad property shall be taxed the same as the farmer and the mechanic are taxed, and we affirm the right of the people, by legis- lative enactment, to regulate and control all cor- porations doing business within the borders of the State.
12. That with the watchword of reform we confidently go to the country; that we believe the interests of the grest body of the people are the same; that without regard to the past political associations they are the friends of free govern- ment; that they sre equally honest, brave and patriotic, and we appeal to them, as to our brothers and countrymen, to aid us to obtain relief from the grievous abuses which wrong and oppress every one except the wrong-doers and oppressors themselves.
The Republicans met at DesMoines, June 21st, and placed the following ticket in nomination: Governor, C. C. Carpen- ter; Lieutenant-Governor, H. C. Bulis; Judge of Supreme Court, J. G. Day; Su- perintendent Public Instruction, Alonzo
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