, 1840-05-16
AWEsrERN OaAroR-Go it Hank Eps!A

AWEsrERN ORAToR-Go ii Hank EpSI
The following extracts from an address to the
voters Of Des Moines county. !nTa) Terri
tory are full OF the spirit of independence
| was born Z republican, sucked Il demo,
crat mo:her, rocked in 4 hickory cradle and
voted torGcn. Jackson. know these, with
many, will be considered sufficient qualilica-
tons Tor the most exalted and dignitied office.
But my claims upon your sufirages are not
all told. | am one of the oldest citizens in
the Territory. | e1Iigrated to Burlington
when Iowa was Il bowling wilderness. | en-
tered all the suflerings and privations conse-
quent upon emigration to a new and unsettled
country. | have labored, toiled, and strur-
gled for a subsistence among you, and have
assisted more probably than any other man,
TO build up this flourishing city. ] have resi-
ded among you for the six past years, and my
character Tor industry. temperance, probitv
and honor, are generally known and | trust
properly appreciated. | have coveted no
mans OK, or his wife, or his man-servant,
or his maid-servant, but have endeavored TO
pursue strictly my own business, when not
otherwise employed. | had held several re-
Sponslble public offices, which although of
no pecunIary advantage, | have endeavored
10 discharge the duties of with fidelity. !
have for W successive yearsh held the respon-
slble offices Of overseer Of the highways aud
and street engineer; | was likewise public
agent for the construction ofthe upper wharf
for burlington; have had to pay several of
the hands out of my own private funds,
and am daily threatened with suits from 9th
ers OF them, while the subscribers TO that
important work, refusing TO pay their sub
crIptIon, are quietly reaping the benefits Of
the Improvement at my expense. But,
"lf Ot, ers promise and neglect to do,
They'll trouble maryland be loved by few"
"Gentlemen! that are 4 factr'
IL | shall have the honor, fellow-citizens.
of being elected, | will endeavor TO Cooper
up your political fiyings to the very best pos
slbIe advantage of the people generally, and
myself in p~drticHldr-the SpOiIS Of rictory
shall ddcrH the brOrs Of my friends. But
should | be defeated, it will be your faults
and not mine; if ruin and desOIation shall
come, be the evil upon your heads, ! shall
have washed my hand of tine matter. Then
can | exclaim with Woolsey; "Farewell to
the little good you bear mc-larewcll; Il
long farewell toall nv greatness. = i = Vain
n3mp and glory of the world | hate ye.-
" Oh! how wretched is that man
that hangs on public favor-there is bctwixt
him and that smile he would aspire TO. more
pangS and fears than wars or women have.
ltmay heexpected, iellow-citize that | should
express my preference as to the several as
plrants 10 the supreme rule of the nation
This intend promptly to do, so soon as it is
ascertalned who is elected-until then, any
onmy part, mightin the estimation
OF the polite be construed into Il want o ffact
and discretion, ingredients so indispensably
necessary 10 the success of the true politi-
so far as regards the present in
cumbcnt. | am even now ready to exclaim,
IN the language of the psalmist: "Let his
lays be few; and let another take his Office"
l09th Psalm. 0 verse.
Burlington, April LIST, 1910.
THOMAS COOPER.