USA > Iowa > Hardin County > History of Hardin county, Iowa, together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 17
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Alfred Rich was again nominated for Delegate to Congress.
The Democrats held their convention June 7, at Iowa City, and passed the fol- lowing resolutions :
WHEREAS, The Federalists, or self-styled Whigs of Iowa, flushed with their recent victory in the Presidential contest, and secure in the enjoyment of power, are laboring zealously and perseveringly to effect a revolution in the polit- ical character of the Territory, to accomplishi which all their united energies wiil be brought into action at the next general election; an -! ,
WHEREAS, The Democracy here, as well as elsewhere, believing the principles of their party to be based upon the immutable and eternal doc- trines of right and justice, feel it to be their duty to maintain and assert them upor. all prop- er occasions-in the hour of defeat as when tri- umphant; and,
WHEREAS, By union and harmony, exertion and activity, we can administer a rebuke to the arrogant spirit of Federalism, at our next gen- eral election, which, while it will exhibit Iowa to the Democracy of the Union in the most en- viable light, will also demonstrate to the enemies of our principles the futility and hopelessness of their efforts to obtain the ascendency; there- fore,
Resolved, That it is the duty of every Democrat of Iowa, no matter what may be his station in life, to be watchful, vigilant and active in main- taining the ascendency of his party in the Ter- ritory; and it is earnestly urged upon all that
they lay aside local questions and sectional frel- ings, and unite heart and hand in exterminating their common enemy, Federalism, from the Territory.
Resolved, That Iowa, in defiance of the efforts of the National administration to throw around lier the shackles of Federalism, is, and will con- tinue to be, Democratic to the core; and she spurns, with a proper indignation, the attempt of those in power to enslave her, by sending her rulers from abroad, whose chief recom- mendation is, that they have not only been noisy, but brawling, clamorons politicians.
Resolved, That in the appointment of David Webster to be Secretary of the State, we see the destinies of our beloved country committed to the hands of a man who, during the late war with Great Britain, pursued a course to which the epithet of "moral treason" was justly ap- plied at the time. In the gloomiest period of the war, Mr. Webster was found acting, upon all occasions, in opposition to every war meas- ure brought forward by the friends of the country; and the journals of Congress and speeches of Mr. Webster clearly established the fact that, though not a member, he connived at and leagued in with the traitorous Hartford Con- vention.
Resolved, That the recent astounding and extraordinary. disclosures made by the stock- holders of the United States Bank, with regard to the mismanagement, fraud and corruption of that wholesale swindling institution, prove the correctness of the course of the Democracy of the Nation in refusing to grant it a new charter, and redounds greatly to the sagaeity, honesty and Roman firmness of our late venerable and iron-nerved President, Andrew Jackson.
Resolved. That the distribution of the public lands is a measure not only fraught with evil, on the grounds of its illegality, but that, were it carried into effect, would greatly prejudice the rights and interests of the new States and Ter- iitories.
Resolved, That a permanent prospective pre- emption law is the only effeetual means of securing to the hardy pioneer his home,-the
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result of his enterprise and toil, which alone has brought our lovely and cultivated plains from the rude hand of nature to their present high state of cultivation.
Resolved, That in Thomas H. Benton, the bold and fearless leader of the Democracy of our country, on this as well as all the matters of western policy, we behold the poor man's true and firmest friend, in whom, as the advocate of their interests and rights, they have the highest confidence, and on whom they can rely for sup- port and protection in the enjoyment of rights and privileges which it has ever been the policy of the Federalists to divest them of.
Resolved, That Democracy is based upon the principles of equal rights and justice to all men; that to deprive man of the privileges bestowed upon him by the laws of nature and his country, without yielding him a just equivalent, is to take from him all that renders life worthy his possession-independence of action; such we believe to be the effect of the recent order of the present Chief Magistrate.
Resolved, That we respect all, of whatever station, who boldly and fearlessly advocate our rights and secure us in the frec enjoyment of the same, while we heartily despise and con- demn those, come from whence they may, who are leagued with our enemies in their efforts to wrest from us our homes and sacred altars.
Resolved, That it is the characteristic doctrine of Democracy to secure to all the enjoyment of rights and privileges inalienable to freemen, and that the proscription of foreigners by the Federalists is a contracted effort to secure to themselves the inestimable privileges of free- dom and free government, and thus cut off a large portion of the human family from rights which the charter of our liberties declarc are granted to all.
Gen. A. C. Dodge was placed in nom- ination, and elected by the following vote: A. C. Dodge, Dem .4,828-513 Alfred Rich, Whig .4,315
No platforms were adopted by the par- ties in 1842; neither was there in 1843.
William H. Wallace was nominated by the Whigs and A. C. Dodge by the Dem- ocrats for Delegate to Congress. The vote stood:
A. C. Dodge, Dem .6,084-1,272 William Wallace, Whig. .4,812
On the 9th day of January, 1844, the Whigs met in convention, at Iowa City, and without making nominations adopted the following platform:
Resolved, That -ublic meetings for the free in- terchange of feelings and opinions on the part of the American people, in regard to important measures, are interwoven with our political insti- tutions, and necessary to the perpetuity of our national liberty.
Resolaed, That it is the duty of all patriots to keep a watchful eye upon their rulers, and to resist at the threshold every inroad to cor- ruption; that we deprecate the prostitution of the patronage of the President and of the dif- ferent officers of the Government to the services of a party and the practice of offering the offices of honor and profit as a reward for political treachery; that we believe this exercise of ; ower to be eminently dangerous to the political integ- rity and patriotism of the country, and that a limitation to one Presidential term would, in a great degree, arrest the progress of corruption and political profiigacy.
Resolved, That inasmuch as the States, in the formation of the constitution, surrendered to the General Government exclusive control of all the sources of incidental revenue and reserved to themselves the right of taxation alone as a source of revenue to meet their individual wants; justice, reason, and common honesty require that the General Government should provide an incidental revenue equal to all the wants of the Government, without resorting to the proceeds of the public lands or the odious and oppressive measure of direct taxation as contended for by the so - called Democratic party.
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Resolved, That we regard the proceeds of the sales of public lands as the legitimate property of the States, and as only a trust fund in the hands of the General Government, and that the trust should be executed without further delay by a distribution of the same among the States and Territories; that this measure is especially a debt of justice at this time, when many of the States are groaning with taxation and almost driven to bankruptcy by an accumulation of debts, which have resulted in a great measure from the ruinous policy of the so-called Demo- cratic party.
Resolved, That we deprecate experiments in legislation where the result is uncertain and un- ascertainable, and that while we should avoid the errors of the past, we should cling with unflinching tenacity to those institutions which have successfully stood the test of experiment, and have received the sanction and support of the framers of the constitution.
Resolved, That we deem the establishment of a national currency of certain value and every- where received, as indispensably necessary to the greatest degree of national prosperity; that the international commerce of this widely ex. tended country is greatly retarded and heavily burdened with taxation by the want of a com- mon medium of exchange, and that it is the constitutional duty of the General Government to remove all impediments to its successful pros- ecution, and to foster and encourage the internal commerce and enterprise, the interchange of commodities among the States, not only by a reasonable system of internal improvements of a general character, but also by furnishing to the nation a currency of equal value in all parts of its wide-spread domain, and that the exper- ience of the past fully proves that this end has been accomplished by a national bank, can be again accomplished by a national bank, and in no way so safely and so certainly as by the agency of a well regulated national bank.
Resolved, That a tariff which will afford a rev- enue adequate to all the wants of the General Government, and at the same time protect the agricultural and mechanical industry of the American people, is a measure necessary to secure the prosperity of the country, and
warmly advocated by the Whig party of this Territory.
Resolved, That although we have no right to vote at the approaching Presidential election, yet we look forward to the exertions of our friends of the States for the elevation of Henry Clay to the Chief Magistraey of the Union with intense interest and assurance of our most ardent wishes for their success.
Resolved, That governments should be admin- istered so as to produce the greatest good to the greatest number, and that this is true Democracy; that the self-styled Democratic party, by the policy they have pursued for the last ten years in their efforts to destroy the prosperity of our farmers and mechanics by rejecting a tariff for revenue and protection, by destroying the best currency ever possessed in any nation, by seck- ing to deprive us of all currency except gold and silver, in refusing to the indebted States relief by paying to them their proportion of the proceeds of the public lands, in their continued uniform and violent opposition to all measures caleulated to advance the national and individ- ual prosperity, by means of the encouragement of commerce and internal improvements, by a narrow and selfish policy in converting the ex- ecutive power into an engine of party, by their federal and aristocratic exertions to maintain the veto power, and consolidate all the powers of Government in one leader, thereby rendering the administration of the Government a mere machine of party, in their repeated efforts to undermine and destroy the constitution and laws of Congress, by openly disregarding the rights secured by those laws, in their demoraliz- ing efforts to induce the States to disregard their honor and repudiatc their debts, in their open violation of private rights, by repealing charters and violating the obligation of contract; in short, by their whole policy and principles which, in a time of peace, and abundant crops, and with the smiles of heaven, liave reduced this wealthy, proud and prosperous nation to actual bank- ruptcy, rational and individual, they have for- feited the name of Democrats, and as a party are no longer to be trusted with the reins of power.
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The Democrats adopted no platform in 1844.
The Legislature on the 12th of February, 1844, passed another act submitting the question of a constitutional convention to the people, which was carried. A consti- tution was framed by this convention, and Congress passed an act providing for. the admission of Iowa as a State; but curtail- ing the northern and western boundaries. At an election held in April, 1845, the people rejected the constitution. The August election, 1845, was for Delegate to Congress. Ralph P. Lowe secured the Whig nomination, while A. C. Dodge was nominated for re-election by the Demo- crats. The vote stood:
A. C. Dodge, Dom. 7,512-831 R. P. Lowe, Whig, .6,681
In April, 1876, delegates were chosen to a second constitutional convention, which met at Iowa City, May 4, 1846 The con- stitution framed by this body was accepted by the people in Angust, Congress having repealed the obnoxious features respecting boundaries, giving Iowa the territory to which it was justly entitled.
After the adoption of this constitution, the Whigs met in convention at Iowa City, September 25, and nominated the following State ticket: Governor, Thos. McKnight; Secretary of State, James H. Cowles; Auditor of State, Eastin Morris; Treasurer of State, Egbert T. Smith. The following platform was adopted:
Resolved, That, considering it our duty, as Whigs, to effect a thorough organization of our party, and, by use of all honorable means, faith- fully and diligently strive to ensure the success of our political principles in the State of Iowa.
Resolved, That we, as Whigs, do proudly and unhesitatingly proclaim to the world the follow- ing distinctive and leading principles, that we, as a party, avow and advocate, and which, if carried out, we honestly believe will restore our beloved country to its prosperity, and its insti- tutions to their pristine purity :
1. A sound national currency, regulated by the will and authority of the people.
2. A tariff that shall afford sufficient revenue to the national treasury and just protection to American labor.
3. More perfect restraints upon executive power, especially upon the exercise of the vetc.
4. An equitable distribution of the proceeds of the sales of the pul lic lands among all the States.
5. One Presidential term.
6. Expenditure of the surplus revenuc in national improvements that will embrace the great rivers, lakes, and main arteries of com- munication throughout our country, thus secur- ing the most efficient means of defense in war and commercial intercourse in peace.
Resolved, That the re-enactment of the thrice condemned sub-treasury, which will have the effect of drawing all coin from circulation and locking it up in the vaults and safes of the Gen- eral Government, the passage of Mckay's Britishi tariff bill discriminating in favor of foreign and against American labor, and striking a blow, intended to be fatal, to home market for Ameri- can agricultural productions, and the executive veto of the river and harbor bill which paralyzes the western farmer's hope of just facilities for transporting his surplus products to a market, and cripples the enegies of commerce in every division of the Union, should consign the present administration to a condemnation so deep that the hand of political resurrection could never reach it.
Resolved, That we hold these truths to be self- evident, that the forty-ninth degree of north latitude is not fifty-four degrees, forty minutes; that James K. Polk's late letter was a deception and falsehood of a character so base as none but the most dishonorable mind would have resorted to; that Mckay's tariff is not a judicious revenue
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tariff affording incidental protect to American industry; that the anncxation of Texas is not a peaceful acquisition; that lamp-black and rags, though called treasury notes and drawn on a bankrupt treasury, are not the constitutional currency, and that locofocoism is not Democ- racy.
Resolved, That we believe the American sys- tem of Heury Clay, as exemplified in the tariff of 1842, is essential to the independence and happiness of the producing classes of the United States; that in its protection of home protec- tions it nerves the arm of the farmer and makes glad the hearts of the mechanic and manufac- turer by ensuring them a constant and satisfac- tory remuneration for their toils, and that it is found by the test of cxperience to be the only permanent check on the excessive importations of former years, which have been the principal cause of hard times, repudiation, bankruptcy, and dishonor.
Resolved, That we regard the adoption of the constitution at the recent clection, by reason of the highly illiberal character of some of its pro- visions, as an cvent not calculated to promote the future welfare and prosperity of the State of Iowa, and that it is our imperative duty to pro- cure its spcedy amendment.
Resolved, That we pledge ourselves to usc our utmost exertions to keep up a thorough organi- zation of the Whig party in Iowa; and although our opponents claim errouerusly, as we believe, to possess an advantage in numbers and depend upon ignorance, prejudice and credulty for suc- cess, yet, having a superiority in the principles we profess, we have implicit confidence in the dawning of a brighter day, when the clouds and darkness of locofocoism will be dispelled by the cheering rays and invigorating influence of truth and knowledge.
On motion, it was
Resolved, That we recommend to the support of the people of Iowa, at the coming election, the ticket nominated by this convention; that we believe the candidates to be good men, and that the members of this convention, in bchalf of those for whom they act, pledge to them a cordial and zcalons support.
The Democratic Convention was held September 24, which nominated the fol- lowing ticket: Governor, Ansel Briggs; Secretary of State, E. Cutler, Jr .; Auditor of State, J. T. Fales; Treasurer, Morgan Reno.
The following platform was adopted:
Resolved, That the conduct of James K. Polk, since he has been President of the United States, and particularly during the last session of Con- gress, has been that of an unwavering and un- flinching Democrat; that Young Hickory has proved himself to be a true scion of Oll Hick- ory; and we tender to him and his coa ljutors iu the executive department the gratitude of the people of the State of Iowa.
Resolved, That the recent sessiou of Congress has been one of the greatest importance to the people of these United States, since the time of Mr. Jefferson, and we confidently regird the acts passed by it, particularly the passage of the Independent Treasury Bill, the settlement of the Oregon question (though the people of Iowa would have preferred 54, 40), and the re- peal of the odious tariff act of 1842, as destined to advance tlie welfarc, promote the interest, aud add to the peace and harmony not only of our people, but of the civilized world.
Resolved, That the repeal of the nnjust, un- egnal and fraudulent tariff act of 1842, at the recent session of Congress, deserves the highest praise from the people of Iowa, aud cntitles those members of Congress who voted for it to the lasting gratitude of all good citizens; that by its minimum and specific duties-by its unequal and nnjust protection of the captalists and moncyed institutions, and by its casting the burden of taxation npon the laboring masses, and exemptiug the nper ten thousand, it was absolutely a federal tariff, based on the doc- trines of the great God-like Bclshazzer of Massa- chusetts, viz: "Let the Government take care of the rich, and the rich take care of the poor"; that the conduct of the Vice-President of the United States, upon that great question of the age, cntitles him to the highest place in the con- fidence of the Democracy of the United States.
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Resolved, That all modes of raising revenue for the support of Government are taxes upon the capital, labor and industry of the country; and that it is the duty of a good government to impose its taxes in such a manner as to bcar equally on all classes of society; and that any government which, in levying duties for raising revenue. impresses burdens on any one class of society, to build up others, though republican in form, is tyranical in deed, ceases to be a just governnicnt, and is unworthy of the confidence or support of a free people.
Resolved, That the separation of the public moneys from the banking institutions of the country, in the passage of the Independent Treasury Bill, meets the approbation of this Convention, and the recent vote of the people of this State, adopting the Constitution, is a de- cisive indication of public sentiment against all banking institutions of whatever name, nature or description.
Resolved, That the repeated unjust aggression of the Mexican people and Mexican Government have long since called for redress, and the spirit which has discouraged, opposed and denounced the war which our Government is now carrying on against Mexico, is the same spirit which op- posed the formation of a Republican Govern- ment, opposed Jefferson and denounced the last war with Great Britain, and now, as they did then, from a federal fountain.
Resolved, That General Taylor and our little army have won for themselves the cverlasting gratitude of the country, for which they will never, like Scott, be exposed to a shot in their rear from Washington or any other part of the country.
Resolved, That we repudiate the idea of party without principles; that Democracy has certain fixed and unalterable principles, among which are equal rights and equal protection to all, un- limited rights of suffrage to every freeman, no property qualifications or religious tests, sov- ereignty of the people, subjection of the Legis- lature to the will of the people, obedience to the instructions of constituents, or resignation, and restriction of all exclusive privileges to corpo- rations to a level with individual rights.
Resolved, That henceforth, as a political party, we are determined to know nothing but Democ- racy, and that we will support men only for their principles. Our motto will be: Less leg- islation, few laws, strict obedience, short ses- sions, light taxes, and no State debt.
The vote on Governor was as follows:
Ansel Briggs, Dem .. .7,626-247 Thomas McKnight, Whig 7,379
The office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction having been vacated, it was provided in the act that an election should be held the first Monday in April, 1847, for the purpose of filling the office. The Whigs placed James Harlan in nomi- nation, and the Democrats, Charles Mason. Harlan was elected by a majority of 413 out of a total vote of 15,663.
By act approved February 24, 1847, the Legislature created a Board of Public Works for the improvement of DesMoines river, and provided for the election of a President, Secretary and Treasurer of such on the first Monday in August. The Democrats in State convention at Iowa City, June 11, placed the following ticket in the field: President of Board, H. W. Sample; Secretary, Charles Corkery; Treas- urer, Paul Bratton. The following plat- form was adopted:
WHEREAS, Our country is at present engaged in an expensive and sanguinary war, forced upon her against her will, and carried on to repel aggravated and repeated instances of in- sult and injustice; and,
WHEREAS, There are those among us, native- born Americans, who maintain that Mexico is in the right and the United States in the wrong in this war; and,
WHEREAS, The public mind is, at the present time, agitated by other great questions of na- tional policy, in relation to which it is proper that the Democracy of Iowa should speak out
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through their representatives here assembled; therefore,
Resolved, That we indignantly rcpel the charge made by the Whig press and the Whig leaders, that the war is one of aggression and conquest. The United States, we fearlessly assert, have for years submitted to treatment at the hands of Mexico which, by any European government, would have been regarded as a good cause of war, and which our own government would have made cause of quarrel with any transat- lantic power.
Resolved, That we triumphantly point to the repeated efforts made by our government, since the commencement of the war, to re-open nego- tiations with Mexico with a view of putting an end to hostilities as evidence of the pacific motives by which it is actuated, and we rely upon this testimony for the justification of our government in the eyes of the civilized world. We also point, with the highest satisfaction, to the humane and Christian-like manner in which the war has been conducted on our part, show- ing, as it.does, that the United States have throughout acted upon principle in every respect worthy of the enlightened and civilized age in which we live.
Resolved, That we have the most unlimited confidence in the ability and statesman-like qualities of President Polk; that the measures of his administration, standing, as they have done, the test of time, have our most cordial approbation; that in the prosecution of the war with Mexico, he and the several members of his cabinet have evinced the most signal energy and capacity; that the brilliant success of our arms at every point, and the fact that in the short space of one year more than one-half of Mexico has been overcome by our troops, and is now in our possession, furnishes a refutation of the assertion sometimes heard from the Whigs, that the war has been inefficiently conducted, and that the country has the amplest cause to con- gratulate itself that, great and importaut as the crisis is, it has men at the head of affairs fully equal to the emergency.
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