The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1858-08-19
Elijah Sells.


The Republican candidate for the Of
fee of Secretary of State, is a native of
Ohio, He emigmted in 1888 to Win
chester, Morgan Co., now in Scott Co.,
Illinois. In 1S4l he removed to Daven-
port, Iowa, where he engaged in the
manufacture Of stone ware, from which
place he removed to Fairport, Muscatine
Co., where he followed the same occu-
patton, and thence in 1853 to Muscatine.
| He was member of the first Consti-
tutional Convention in 1914, and then
advocated the adoption of banking sys-
tenn, similar to the one now adopted
Unfortunately, his counsels were reject
ed, and the State was left exposed to the
inroads of that worthless wildcat cur
rency which has since crushed it.
He was member of the first State
Legislature, and was Chairman of sever
al of the most important committees
He was also member of the extra ses-
sion of the General Assembly OF ls47,
and in that body advocated the diversion
Of the land donated to the Territory Of
Iowa, and known as the Des Moines
River Grant, to the construction of a
railroad up the Des Moines valley.
Mr.. Sells was again member of the
Legislature in 1852, and was there pre-
scented as speaker. During that session
he advocated most ably and efficiently
the passage of the memorials asking
grants of land for the construction of the
four grant railroads of Iowa, running
from the Missouri to the Mississippi.
To his services, with those of other
distinguished men, Iowa owes, to great
measure, the increased emigration and
travel which has flowed into it during
the last six years. In 1854 the nomina-
ton for Senator was proffered to him and
declined, as was also the nomination for
Secretary of State. In 1856 the first
Republican Convention of Iowa, also
offered him the nomination for Secretary
Of State. Believing that in the princi-
Piles Of that party lay the only safety
of the county against the extravaganza,
the corruption and the utter prohigacy
of the dominant party. fearlessly cast in
his fortunes with those of that growing
party, though inevitably defeat seemed
all that could be expected for its nomi-
nees, in view of the long reign of the
Democratic party, its hold upon public
offices, and its possession of the whole
Federal power. But contrary to human
probability, the banners of the young
Republican party were victorious. and
Mr.. Sells was elevated by the voice of
the people to the post which he now
holds.
Not even the blistered tongue of NAL
ice and party rancor can whisper word
against the private or public character of
Mr.. Sells.
So impartially and faithfully has he
discharged the arduous duties of his of
flee, that the same universal popularity
which surrounded him in his own coun-
ty in former days, now extends to the
yx-InIa State II, IL, IL a..
choice of four fifths of the Republicans
of the State for reelection to the Office
of Secretary, and doubtless will be elect
cd by an overwhelming majority.
Elijah Sells is self made man, a me-
chanic and a practical man in every
thing. 1t is his lot to belong to that
class of men, SO large in number here in
the North, whom the arristocratic Dem
ocratic Senators have reproached and
stigmatised AS laborers and mud sills.-
He is emphatically a man of the people,
and as such, sympathises with all the
interests and wants of the people.-Mus-
catine paper
The Illinois Journal asks if we can "throw
any light on kissing" We don't care to- The
thing is Just us well in the dark.-Frentce.
The Washington Union says there is to he mo
change in the Cabinet" There has been pre-
cious little if any in the Treasury for some time.
III.
The Washington Union says that ''the admin
stration has its hands full" One would sup
pose, from the very rapid disappearance of the
public money from the National Tr asury, that
the administration and all its officers have their
hands full.-Ib.
The Washington Union says that 'the oppo-
sition editors seem to be ut n stand" The adj
ministration editors, on the contrary, seem al
ways mt Il R.-H.
The New Orleans Crescent uttcrs the follow
ing prediction "Wm. II. Seward will be the
next President of the United States, if he lives,