USA > Iowa > Tama County > History of Tama County, Iowa, together with sketches of their towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 30
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123
It was soon after his term of office ex- pired in Ohio that he received from the President the Governorship of Iowa.
It was during his term of office as Gov- ernor of Ohio that the dispute arose between that State and the territory of Michigan, in relation to their respective boundaries, which came very near plung- ing both of them into a cruel, desperate and fratrieidal war. The matter was set- tled, finally, by giving Ohio all she claimed; and in order to keep the youngest child of
€
218
HISTORY OF IOWA.
1
the Republic in these days from being naughty, she was given a strip of poor territory, two hundred and fifty miles from her, and north and west of the main channel of Green Bay.
He commenced his career in Iowa with all the bouyancy of youth and better days, and looked forward with a great deal of interest to the day when he should see her a prond and noble State.
Scarcely had he time to look around him and gather information, in his new field of labor, before he found himself involved in another question of boundry, between Iowa and the State of Missouri. Missouri had set up a claim to a strip of country about six miles wide extending along the south line of our whole State; and on this strip of land she had several times attempted to collect taxes and en- force her laws.
The settlers resisted these claims of Missouri, and appealed to the Governor for protection. No sooner was their case made known to him than he resolved to call forth all the military force he could procure, and for this purpose he issued his proclamation. Hundreds responded to his call, and in a short time he had col- lected here and there through the territory a set of men who only wanted a nod from their commander, and they would have thrown themselves against odds into the very heart of Missouri. Gov. Boggs, of Missouri, had also called on his State for assistance, and he, too, was on his march with a desperate set of men to assert his claim. Hlad those two forces have met, nothing could have prevented a dreadful and fatal eneonnter.
But wise councils prevailed, and the legislature of Iowa, to its everlasting credit, drew up and passed a preamble and resolutions requesting both Governors to suspend hostilities until the first day of July thereafter. These resolutions had the desired effect; military preparations were suspended by both parties, and an- other cruel and fratricidal war averted.
The matter was afterwards submitted to Congress, where, through the influence of A. C. Dodge, with his uncle, Dr. Linn, who was at that time a Senator in Congress from Missouri; the matter was finally settled by giving to Iowa all she ever claimed.
Thus ended the celebrated "Missouri war," a war whose history is full of fun and anecdote, a war which has since fur- nished the theme for many an idle, but interesting romanee; and a war which will only be remembered in machine verse and burlesque song; for
"Missouri shall many a day" "Tell of the bloody fray "
"When the Hawkeyes and Pukies"
"First met on her border."
Governor Lucas never forgot the inci- dents of this war during his life; and long after the difficulties had passed away, he never could talk about it without flying into a passion at the conduct of Missouri. He cherished a holy hatred for the land of "Pukes" during his lifetime.
Not long after the dithiculties with Mis- souri were settled, he got into a desperate quarrel with the legislature, and for a time, everything about the capitai wore a bel- ligerant aspect It will be recollected that at that time the legislature was filled exclusively by young men; "mere boys,"
G
219
HISTORY OF IOWA.
as it was said of them at the time, and a higher set of fellows than they were, could scarcely be found. They looked upon Iowa as their own and each of them looked himself as the future Senator, Governor, or chief justice of a future State, which he himself was at that time laboring to bring about; and the history of occurring events will show, that with a large number of them, their early antici- pations turned out to be true; and with those who are still in obscurity, but yet in the prime of life, a bright and happy future is still before them. The Governor was an old man, and, as they thought, tinctured somewhat with "Foggyism," and they did not hesitate to declare that he was here for the office, and for the office alone, and that as soon as his term expired, he would return again to Ohio, as all Governors of new Territories have generally done. What wonder, then, that between such elements, there should, in the course of events spring up a collision.
The Governor attempted from time to time, to check these young law-makers in their public expenditures, and did not hesitate to call them a set of profiligates. In retaliation for these acts on the part of the Governor, the legislature appointed a committee, consisting of James W. Grimes, since United States Senator, Chauncey Swan, who subsequently died at sea on his return from California, and Laurel Summers, afterwards United States Marshal for Iowa, to inquire into his power, and define his duties. This committee after due delibera- tion, gravely reported to the legislature, that the Governor had full power and authority to vote all acts of the legislature, of every kind, name and description, except
acts for the appropriation of money, and then asked to be discharged from the fur- ther consideration of the subject. But the matter did not end here, for the legis- lature on the 16th of January, 1840, instructed their delegate to Congress, W. W. Chapman to use his influence in procuring a law, allowing the people to elect their own Governor, and provided in this resolution, that the Governor himself should circulate it. This resolution he took good care to approve, and actually sent copies of it to Washington city.
He was removed from the office of Governor, after the 4th of March, 1831, and John Chambers, of Kentucky was appointed to succeed him.
After his removal he returned to private life, and resided at Bloomington for a number of years.
He returned to Ohio and ran for Con- gress, but was defeated, after which he again returned to Iowa, and if I mistake not, was a member of the first constitu- tional convention.
Old age erept upon him at last, and he died a number of years ago, at Muscatine. He was always a Democrat of the Jack- sonian school, and throughout a long public life he was strictly and religiously honest. He was not a man of much talent, but his long public life had made him familiar with the whole routine of public affairs.
With his intimate aquaintance with public men and public affairs, he could have written an admirable history of the Great Wests. But he has left nothing behind him save his own acts.
a
€
220
HISTORY OF IOWA.
In person, he was tall and slender, and in his younger days, capable of enduring great hardships.
As her first Governor, and one of her truest and best friends, he will live on the pages of Iowa's history, when statues of marble and brass, shall have crumbled into dust.
- -
JOHN CHAMBERS.
On the 4th day of March, 1843, William Henry Harrison was inaugurated President of the United States. He was carried into office through one of the most renowned and exciting political campaigns our coun- try has ever witnessed.
During the administration of Mr. Van Buren, his immediate predecessor, our country, and indeed the whole civilized world, was visited by one of those great commercial revulsions which seems peri- odically to take place in the affairs of man. Never before had our country witnessed and felt such a universal depression of all kinds of business, nor could the most gifted seer in commercial pursuits tell how or when this great commercial calamity would end, or be remedied.
The people thought they could look back into the administration of General Jack- son, when the deposits were removed, as the primary cause of all the distress in every ramification of trade which followed during the administration of his successor, and in order, as they supposed, to apply a remedy, and restore confidence and secu- rity again to the country, demanded a change in the affairs of the government.
For twelve years previous to 1840, the government had been in the hands of a
party calling themselves "Jack on Demo- crats," and from their long tenure in office, many of them had come to the conclusion that they owned them in their own right, and that almost every office in the gift of the President was a life tenure.
Acting upon this principle, many of these incumbents had become notoriously cor- rupt, and appropriated the money belong- ing to their respective offices to their own private and pecuniary profit.
These things, added to the commercial distress I have mentioned, increased the popular clamor for a change, and General Harrison was triumphantly elected Presi- dent. And although the writer of this article heard him declare in a publio speech that he would suffer his right hand to be cut off before he would remove a public officer for opinion sake alone, yet one of the first acts of his administration was the removal of Robert Lucas from the Governorship of Iowa, and the appoint- ment of John Chambers, of Kentucky, to succeed him.
He arrived in Iowa a short time after he had received his appointment, and imme- diately took possession of his office.
He was a Whig, and of that Kentucky school of politics, in his day, which took rather a conservative view of public affairs. Ife was an old man, and had seen some service in his day. He was among the Kentucky volunteers on the frontier during the war of 1812, and distinguished him- self in several skirmishes with the Indians, and was looked upon as one of Kentucky's bravest men. Everything in Iowa was in the hands of the Democrats; they had, since the formation of the Territory, filled every office; they had controlled and di-
Y
HISTORY OF IOWA.
221
rected its whole legislation; they had carved and cut every act to suit them- selves. So that when the new Governor arrived he found Iowa in the hands of a joint stock company, with the shares above par, and none to dispose of at any price.
These same stockholders had been for several years accustomed to look upon his predecessor, although one of their own faith, with considerable distrust; and need we wonder that when a new man made his appearance among them, of opposite faith, that, for a time at least, he should receive the cold shoulder?
He had been appointed for four years, and in all probability would remain his time out; but four years was an age, at that time, to those who in fact controlled the destinies of a future republic.
A plan was therefore set on foot by those who owned the largest shares in the com- pany, to bring about a revolution, to change the form of government, to establish a State; and, in obedience to this plan, the legislature, on the 16th day of February, 1842, provided that at the August election following, a vote should be taken for or against a convention to form a constitution for the State of Iowa. At this time the general government had paid all the ex- penses of the Territory, in hard money. At every session of every court, in every county throughout the whole Territory, the Judge, the District Attorney, and last, though not least, the United States Mar- shal, or one of his deputies, always ap- peared together. As soon as the court was over, and justice had been meted out with unsparing hand, the Marshal called up the Grand and Petit Jurics, and the witnesses upon all criminal trials, cashed all their
accounts in half dollars, and they went their own way over the broad prairies, whistling or singing that good old tune,
"Uncle Sam is rich enough to give us all a farm."
Taxes they did not feel, for there was no occasion to gather them, and I know of no happier State on earth than where man can live and enjoy all the sweets of unre- strained liberty, be assured of protection from aggression and wrong, his fields and gardens yielding a bounteous return for the slightest touch of the hoe and the spade, upon his own soil, with a cabin reared by his own hands, and "children who cluster like grapes at the door," with a table covered by the choicest viands, the latch-string never pulled in, and at the same time a government scattering broad- cast around him annually thousands of dol- lars in hard money, and asking nothing in return but good behavior. Such was the state of things in the Territory, at this time; and when the August election came, the people voted against a convention, and wisely concluded to remain a few years longer in a state of dependency. in order to enjoy, as long as possible, the benefits showered upon them by the general gov- einment.
During all this time the new Governor had not been idle. He had, previous to this, collected all the information he could in relation to the country. He had held a treaty with the Sac and Fox Indians, and had succeeded in making a purchase of all their lands lying west of the Blackhawk Purchase and extending west to the Mis- souri, and north to the "Neutral Ground." By this treaty Iowa acquired jurisdiction to the Missouri on the west, and by an act
222
HISTORY OF IOWA.
of Congress a criminal jurisdiction to the British possessions on the north.
Long before this treaty could be ratified at Washington, tens of thousands rushed pell-mell upon the "New Purchase," deter- mined to make themselves "claims," and stand by them to the last. Troops were sent to drive them off until the stipulations of the treaty could be carried out, and in order to give time to the Indians to re- move.
But before the troops had time to re- move a few squatters in one portion, "claims" were made in their rear, adjoin- ing one another, at the rate of fifty miles a day. So great was the rush for "claims" that it was no uncommon thing for the in- habitants of an Indian village to wake up in the morning, and to their utter conster- nation and surprise, find a log cabin or "claim shanty" which had been erected in their town during the night, while upon the door, perhaps, with chalk or coal, the unmistakable pictures of the bowie-knife and revolver, indicating, as the Indians well knew, the desperate character of him who sleeps within, upon that pallet of leaves and grass.
No troops could restrain them, and the officers gave up in despair, thus in a short time the Territory had received a large addition to her population.
The friends of a State government thought they could now, after so large an increase of population as this new pur- chase had brought about, venture again upon their darling scheme.
On the 12th day of February, 1844, the Legislature again provided that at the April election following a poll should b> opened, and each elector interrogated "for
or against a convention?" This time it was made a party measure, and to be "for a convention" was a true test of a man's Democracy. The plan succeeded admirably, even beyond the expectations of the "share-holders," and upon counting there was a small majority in favor of a convention.
The delegates were elected at the Ang- ust election following, and the convent-o:, consisting of seventy members, assemb'ed at Iowa City on the first Monday in Octo- ber, 1844, and proceeded to form a consti- tution. After a few weeks deliberation, they produced what they called a constitu- tion, but, upon inspection, it was found to be rather a rickety affair; it was, however, in accordance with the doctrine of "Popu- lar Sovereignty," submitted to the people for their rejection or approval, at the April election, in 1845. At the time of its form- ation, the convention, in defining the boun- daries of the future State, had included on the north nearly the whole of what is now the State of Minnesota. Congress had, however, in anticipation of our coming, and in order to meet us half way, passed an act admitting us into the Union, but at the same time curtailing our boundaries, both on the north and west, cutting us off from the Missouri entirely. This act of Congress became known only a short time before the April election, and this fact, in connection with the unpopularity of the instrument itself, caused its defeat at the election which followed.
The legislature had wisely provided, at the session which provided for a conven- tion, mot in the event the constitution should be defeated, there should be an election for members of the legislature in
6
IIISTORY OF IOWA.
223
1
April, and that such legislature should assemble on the first Monday in May, 1845.
The election was held accordingly, and the Legislature assembled at Iowa City at the time designated.
Immediately after the organization, the Democrats called together a caucus, in which it was resolved to submit again the same constitution to another test; and, agreeable to this resolution, Shepard Leffler, of DeMoines, introduced into the Senate a bill for that purpose. This hill passed both Houses, and was submitted to Mr. Chambers for his approval. But he differed with the legislature in regard to their power to pass an act of that kind, and he returned it with his veto. The legislature, however, was too strong for him, and they passed the bill over his veto, and again submitted the constitution at the August election following But the people by this time had got tired of the old thing. Copies of it had been handed from one to another until they were worn ont; they believed the Governor was right in his veto; and the old man had the grand satisfaction in seeing his last public act in the territory triumphantly sustained by the people It was again rejected by a large majority, and came very near defeat- ing General Dodge for Congress, who undertook to pack it and run against R. P. Lowe, the present Chief Justice of the State.
Mr. Polk was inaugurated President of the United States on the 4th of March, 1845, and a short time after the close of the session of May, 1845, he removed Mr. Chambers, and appointed James Clarke, of Burlington, to succeed him. This closed the public career of John
Chambers, second Governor of Iowa. A short time after his removal by Mr. Polk, he returned to his home in Kentucky, where he soon after died.
He was a large, heavy man, round shouldered, and had rather a stooping gait. His manners were reserved, and at first sight you would not care about ap- proaching him, but a little familiar ac- quaintance with him would make him a favorite.
A half hour's conversation with him, and he was as pleasing as a child; and take him all in all, he was about the most perfect specimen of Kentucky gentleman that was ever my lot to fall in with.
The longer he remained in Iowa, the more the people loved him.
I bid him farewell for the last time on the steps of the Capitol at Iowa City, when he wept like a child.
When he left Iowa for his own bright and sunny land, he left no enemies behind him. A noble hearted man, he fixed his name forever on the pages of our history, and he left us to mingle his dust in that land which gave him birth. So far as my acquaintance with him is concerned, I can truly say with Burns:
"An honest man now lies at rest,
One who on earth was truly blest; If there's another world, he lies in bliss, And if there's none, he's made the best of this."
JAMES CLARKE.
Sometime in the autumn of the year 1837, when the trees were in the yellow leaf, a printer boy of slender form and gentle appearance might have been seen
224
HISTORY OF IOWA.
crossing the "Lanrel Hills" of his own State. Behind him rolled the waters of the "Blue Juniata," on the banks of which he had spent, in merry glee, his youthful days. He had heard and read of strange countries that lay far off towards the set- ting sun, through which broad rivers run, and spreading landscapes unfolded to human eyes the most rare and magnificent beanty.
These things inspired his youthful mind with a spirit of wild adventure-"fields looked green far away" to his imagination, and he left the scenes of his early youth, severed the strong and loving ties that bound him to the land of his nativity, bid farewell to all that was dear to him on earth, and with his youthful gaze fixed upon that star which never sets, he launched forth into the wilds of Wisconsin, a stranger in a strange land, an adventurer seeking his own fortune, depending upon his own exertions, with no recommend save an honest countenance and genteel deportment. This young man was James Clark, who in after years became the able, talented and popular Governor of Iowa. He remained in Wisconsin, working at his trade as a printer, until after the or- ganization of the Territory of Iowa, when he removed to Burlington, where the first legislature of Iowa assembled. After the death of Mr. Conway, he was appointed, by Mr. Van Buren, Secretary of the Terri- tory, which office he filled with great credit to himself and satisfaction to the people. During the time he held this office be contributed, by his kind, gentle and amiable manner, to soften the feelings of hatred and distrust which at one time ex- isted between leading men of the Territory.
Whoever had business at his office found him a kind, gentle, quiet, amiable man, always ready and willing to do whatever . was desired of him, regretting, at the same time, that he could do no more. No man ever labored harder in an office than he did, and it always seemed to me that his whole pride and ambition was to serve some one, and by so doing make himself nseful to his fellow man.
During the time he was Secretary he underwent great labor, but notwithstand- ing the large amount of business he trans- acted, he still found time to write for the press, and contributed many valuable articles touching the future greatness of Iowa.
After he retired from the office of Secre- tary, he returned again to the Printing office, and became the leading Editor of the Burlington Gazette. To the columns of this paper he devoted his whole- ener- gies, and by so doing, made it the leading democrat paper of the territory; a position which he has held to this day.
After the inauguration of Mr. Polk as President of the United States, in 1845, he removed Mr. Chambers, and appointed Mr. Clarke to succeed him as Governor of Iowa. Previons to his appointment, he had been elected by the people of his county, a delegate to the first convention which assembled to form a constitution for the State of Iowa In this convention he dis- tinguished himself, both for his talent and personal demeanor, and contributed to the pages of that constitution, these great ele- mentary principles which lie at the founda- tion of human rights.
And, although that constitution was defeated, he still had the satisfaction of
Y
225
HISTORY OF IOWA.
seeing their spirit and meaning transferred to another, and still continued as the fun- damental law of our State
The first legislature, after he received his appointment of Governor, assembled at Iowa City on the first Monday of Decem- ber, 1845. His message to the legislature after its organization is a model of style and clearness.
He set forth the importance of an early extinguishment of the Indian title to all the lands within the limits of Iowa, and urges the legislature to memorialize Con- gress to purchase a tract of land on the upper Mississippi for a future home for the Winnebagoes, and thus induce them to part with their title to a large tract of country known as the "neutral ground," a recommendation which the general government soon after acted upon and carried out.
As soon as the "Blackhawk Purchase" had been surveyed, and it was discovered that it contained within its bounds large tracts which were supposed to contain valuable mineral, these tracts were reserved from market, and the government set itself up as a great landlord to lease out these lands at a stipulated rent. Mr Clarke soon saw the evil and injustice of such a system upon the inhabitants of Iowa, and he set himself at work to break it up; and it was through his influence and exertions that the land was afterwards thrown into market.
There was not a barrier in the future greatness of Iowa that did not call forth his attention, and he had the grand satis- faction of seeing everything that he re- commended for the benefit and prosperity of Iowa afterwards carried out, and carried
ont, too, precisely, as he had suggested and wished. Ile seemed to be aware that he would soon be called upon to pass over the government, over which he presided with so much skill and ability, into the hands of the real sovereigns of the soil, and he was determined that nothing should be left undone by him to retard her future greatness.
On the 16th day of January, 1846, the legislature passed, once more, an act for the purpose of electing delegates to frame a constitution for the State of Iowa.
This time the friends of a State govern- ment took it for granted that the people of the territory wanted a constitution, so the legislature provided that at the April election following the passage of this act, the people of the territory should elect delegates to a convention. Accordingly, at the April election delegates were elected, and the convention, agreeable to said act, consisting of thirty-two members, instead of seventy as in the previous convention, met at Iowa City on the first Monday of May, 1846, and after a session of eighteen days produced a constitution, which con- stitution was submitted immediately fol- lowing, and was adopted by them as their constitution for the State of Iowa,
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.