The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1859-04-14

Elected to the honorable position of
Mayor Of your city by 3 handsome ma
jority of the Independent voters, and
under circumstances peculiarly flattering
to my feelings, as being the FIRST foreign
born citizen ever selected for that Office
in Keokuk, if not, indeed, the first in
any city west of the mighty Mississippi,
my best devotion and utmost exertions
are due you, and it becomes me to return
my most sincere thanks for the high and
distinguished honor conferred upon me,
and to here renew the pledges made
throughout the campaign, that, during
the period of my administration of city
affairs, retrenchment' and economy will
be the order Of the day, as far as the
same can be carried into effect consist
ent with good government.
In assuming the duties of my Office, it
is, doubtless, expected of me to follow
the policy of my worthy predecessors,
and present to the Council and public an
Inaugural Address, to which I cheerfully
conform and as it is my sincere desire
10 make my brief career more remarka-
Bile for work done than lengthy talk,
you will be pleased to excuse the brevity
of my remarks.
Having never been before honored
with seat in the City Council, and be-
ing indeed novice to the duties Of the
Office you have conferred upon me, il
will not be expected Of me to 60 into
full detail on the condition, policy and
prospects of our city. Drawn from the
ranks Of the private citizens, and fully
sensible Of my own faults and failings
I approach the execution Of my duties
deeply imbued with the grave and heavy
responsibilities of the Office, and throwing
myself upon your kindly forbearance
and generosity, | can simply promise
you that ] shall exercise, in the fulfill
ment of these duties, my best judgment
and untiring exertions. To quote from
one of my predecessors: 81 should be
recreant to my own interests, if
should fail to give my cordial support
!" to all measures calculated to advance
the prosperity of the city,"
1t is true, that cannot approach you
as in times past, singing songs Of rejoic-
ing about the general prosperity that
surrounds us, and the rapid progress of,
and vast amount Of work done in, oul
goodly city for the past year. No, gen.
tlemen of the City Council and fellow
citizens, instead Of songs of gladness
we have heard too often the wall of woe
instead of mirth, We have sorrow-in-
stead Of plenty, we have want INSTEAD
of being as formerly, borne along smooth.
ly on the gentle breeze Of prosperity, w
have been driven amongst rocks ane
shoals by the wild hurricane Of adversely
The commercial panic OF 1857, which
swept across the land, from ocean tc
ocean, made no exception in favor oil
IKSssokkuass , Ind many ssccdly vessel "=cn,
down before its sirocco blast, business
was paralyzed, improvement stood still
money vanished, corner lots were at I
discount, "and the boldest held his breath
for time" watching with much anxi.
ETY. the next turn Of the wheel Of fortune
The crops in Iowa during the years 1856
and '57 had been under the average, and
every one felt that the commercial, me.
chanical and financial prosperity Of this
city depended upon an abundant harvest
in 1858. The promise Of the spring
| was favorable, crops Of all kinds looked
we'll, and under that hopeful influence,
confidence and business began slowly to
revive and assume more healthful tone,
many buildings began to be erected in
our city, and there seemed fair pros
pect that the bitterness Of the "evil days.
had indeed passed. Alas the hopes Of