Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1848-03-15
Thc No-Party Csandsdnfe-.-Tl Inc
Mask OF.

Thc No-Party Candsdnfe-..Thc
Mask OF.
Lest some Of our unsuspecting demo-
cratic friends, having forgotten the past,
should be in danger Of falling into the
J snare set By the enemy, We will call their
attention to : little episode in the politl-
cal history Of our State, which all will re-
collect. The contest to which We here
allude, is the only instance in which the
Iowa democracy at large ever struck their
cclors TO the federal foe.
Less than one short year ago, an indi
vidual by the name Of Jas. Harlan announ-
ced himself to the people as "a candidate
for Superintendent Of Public Instruction,
/ Independent 81 party nominations md eau
Gus dictaiion.'' The democratic press sug
gested suspicion that he was not, as y
candidate, so independent as he pro.
fessed to be, but tina, the pretence Of neu-
trali,y was the scheme Of an artful feder-
al,st to catch democratic votes; and le-
gislatiye wing caucus was pointed to in the
back ground IS the god father Of this fair
spoken independent candidate.
! This was regarded AZ lnoet scandalous
treatment Of the modest gentleman, and
, decrird, not only by him, but also by the
wing press, as the grossest persecution,
for opinions sake. He stoutly denied the
whig caucus nomination denied being a
| party candidate 1t al and almost forsswore
his political principles.
The wing press took lively Interest
in the matter, and repealed with becoming
/ spirit the slanderous barge Of his being
a wing candidate. He denied his party
and his party denied him. He solemhl,
aeseyerated that he was just wha, he pur-
ported to be-a true blue neutral. and Al,
up an down, thorough-eohrg, radical no.
party msn-that he was. They stout,
swore that he was no party candidate d
theirs; no sir e! They endorsed his ne,,-
tralny and appealed 10 the people to sup.
port him as a pure ard uncontsminated in.
dependent.
Well,for thine there was no positive evi.
, denre to disprove these neutral declara
,ions Of the wing party and their no. party
candidate. But, as murder will out, the
/, course Of events brought 10 our hands .
secret printed circular. over the official sig.
natures ofthe wing Executive Committee o
this State, copies Of which had been circu
lated in every county and township, Civ.
ing orders to the fithful Of the whig par.
ty how 10 vote for Superintendent. This
circular was headed ''confdential," anc
, commenced and ended as follows:
("CONFIDENTIAL.)
BuRL'Ne,oS. March 9Th, i847.
My Dear Sir:-The Wing Executive
Committee beg permission to call your at.
'en'ion to the coming election for Super
iutendrn, Of ublic Instruction, OH the >,
Monday OF April next.
The democratic candidate is the Hon
CHAS. MASON. No nominee could be
more obnoxinns to the Whig and indepeo
dent voters Of our State. Under the spu
: rious pretence OF lie .trali,y in politics, he
conceals The most LEV Filing locotucoism
The office in such hands as his, would BE-
made al eIsctione.ring machine, work
ing by secret stealth, an incalculable iniur,
s 10 our interests as partu.
Fer these reasons you will allow US to
urge your efficient Evaporation, to secure
II such be possible, his defeat.
Professor Harlan. o, Iowa CITY, is the
| opposing candidate; and we have such as
>nrances Of his worth and fitness, TO JUS
Itify us in bespeaking for him an energetic
ALI, cordial support.
With confident hope ofthe ultimate sue
cess Of our principles in The STATE and Ma
ton,
We are, sir, very truly,
Your friends,
[signed] FITZ henry WARREN,
1885, EHENEZER COOK,
JOSEPH Fl. HEDRICK,
State Executive Committee ="
Here the cat was out Of the bag. We
have only to add that the professor Har-
Ian" named in the above secre, circular,
was the same Jumes Hlrlan who is now.
/ under the same "no-party" disguise, soli-
citing your sufraees, irrespective of par
ty, for the same office. The State has
doubtless recently been flooded with an
other similar batch Of secret circulars,
marked "confdential' to the wings, and
\ ii xaiila IL i Ii Ill IL