Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1854-04-20
Pc IL TIC A l..
10 the People Of iowa.

THE Wing State Convention assem-.
bled at Iowa Ci,y, on the 22d of Febru-
ary last, did me the honor to present my
name before the people of the State as
candidate for the Office of Governor
| accept the nomination.
AZ l am compelled to be absent from
the State during portion of the sum-
mer, and shall, in consequence OF such
absence, be deprived of the pleasure OF
addressing the people in many places
where have desired to address them,
take this method of stating my views in
relation to such subjects as are likely to
enter into The canvass, and about which
the public mind is now agi.ated. The
limits of this paper will necessarily COM
pei me to be brief.
FIRsT.-For the Constitution OF our
State, l do not entertain the highest rev.
erence. believe ,ha, the best interests
of the State require ite speedy amend
men,. In favor of suck amendment nu.
merous substantial reasons might be as
signed, bu, one or two will be sufficient
TO be stated here.
The experience of the pas, eight years
has demonstrated that the power to elect
judges is more wisely and ctorily
exercised by The people. than by the
Legislative Assembly. The people have
shown iha, they will no. be dragooned
into voting for incompetent and faishless
parlizan Judges. Every body admits
that the character of the inferior tribu.
malls of the State Is superior to tha, OF
the Supreme bench. Ii, therefore, il is
important to elevate the character Of the
Supreme Court, us | believe tits, the
Judges of that Court should be elected
: by the people, as are now the Judges of
the District Courts. If learning, firm
ness and impartiality. are superior as
qualifications for Judges, TO party fesliy
and pariiZan services, the selection of
those importan, officers should be lief,
with the people instead Of being made
the subject for corrupt Legislative bar
gainings.
Tha, part Of the Constitution which
prohibits Banks and Banking Ins,iiu.
tions, should be changed so as to allow
them to be established in the State, un-
der proper restrictions. On this subject
am sorry TO differ as far as | believe
do, from my respected competitor, Mr..
Bates. He was member of the Con-
sti,utional Convention, and was Chair.
man of the Committee on lncorpora-
lions. by whom the prohibilory article
was framed and reported. He at that
time thought that it was the highest
reach of human wisdom on that subject.
| never thought SO. But it is question
about which our respective political par
ties differ. as widely as their candidates.
The Wing State Convention on the 22i
February, unanimously adopted reso-
luton In favor of amending the Consii-
tuition, SO as to allow the introduction OF
Banks. TIE Democratic Convention
on the 9th Of January last, refused to
adopt such resolution. On this ques-
zion, therefore, the Two parties are at is
sue in this S,a,e-,he Wings believing
that banking should oe permitted. and a
domestic currency furnished TO the peo-
ple Of the State, and the Democrats neg
atiying those propositions.
When the Constitution was adopted
eight years ago, its advocates predicted
that long before this time. Iowa would
: be blessed with an exclusive metallic
eurrency. They will hardly pretend
that their prediction has been verified
So far from it, the entire business of the
State during those eigh. years, has been
conducted upon the issues OF foreign
banks, and the profits derived therefrom,
have gone into the pockets of foreign
stockholders. instead of enrirhing our
own citizens. In place Of having do
mes,ic currency, the value OF which
niea be known to every one, the coun.
,ry has been furnished with The worst
conceivable currency from every State
in the Union, and of the value of which
nothing could be known. II has been
estimated that from quarter to half a
million of dollars has been annually re-
allied by foreign banks upon this kind
of circulation furnished TO Iowa, all o.
which might be saved to the State, but
for the Cons titutional prohibition.
II every other State in the Union
would abolish banks. and the value o.
the supply and products of the whole
country were reduced TO specie stand
ard, there would be but few advocates
for the creation of banks here. But sc
long as they are allowed and encouraged
elsewhere, their circulation cannot bt
driven from the State, except BY cur