The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-09-03
From the Ke0kuk Gate City.
THE DODGE DYNASTY BY A DEMOCRAT.

Years ago the people of Iowa, disgusted
with the corruption, rascality and tyranny
of the Dodge dynasty and its subscrviency
to the slaye power, drove its leaders and its
'.strikers" from our Congressional councils,
from the administration Of the State gov
ernment, and even from influential positions
in the various counties of the State. The
few of that old clique who, like Jones and
Knapp, vet remain in office, are not indebt-
ed to the public OF Iowa, but to the Wash
ington City partner of the concern for their
honors. But as this dynasty is making u
desperate effort to get control Of the party
and of the State once more, and have put
tho same old leaders up for Office, we would
recall to the recollection of the citizens Of
the State some passages IN the infamous
career Of these corrupt politicians, and re-
mind our people generally that the same
men who were guilty of the base frauds and
the scandalous political yillalnles which dis
graced our State years ago. are now asking
the people to vote for them, and are eogag-
eG in concocting similar frauds to enable
them once more to usurp the direction Of
public affairs in Iowa. We propose to es-
tablish the character Of these politicians
from Democratic authority. and we quote
the following from a speech delivered in
keokuk on the 2lst Of September, 1851, by
Delazon Smith, for years prominent Dem
ocrat Of Iowa, and since Democratic United
States Senator from Oregon. The speech
was subsequently, written out and revised by
the speak er and furnished US for publication,
and may be found in the TdHey Wing Of
Nov. 81, 1851.
Permit meas predatory to what have
to say-to assure you that nearly five years
ago. when | first came to Iowa, was by no
manner of means ignorant Of the political
power of few men here. then under
stood, as now well know, that Gov. Dodge
Of Wisconsin, Gen. Dodge Of Iowa, Gen.
Jones, Gov. Clark, and one or two others,
aided by Buchanan of Penn. &c. &c., con-
troIled the entire political power Of the
State, and dispensed the immense patronage
of the General Government, pertaining to
the Western and North Western portions of
the country. Gov. Dodge and Generals
Dodge and Jones had acquired ce'ebrity
(God save tho expression y in the 'sBlack
Hawk War; The senior Dodge became
the Governor of Wisconsin Territory; the
Junior Dodge opened the first Land Office
ut Burlington, and subquently became the
Delegate in Congress from the Territory of
Iowa, after its separation from Wisconsin.
Gen. Jones-as the ex- ex-Represetativs in Con-
gress Wisconsin-becomes the Surveyor
General of Iowa and Wisconsin, possessed
with a hundred thousand dollars annually,
with which to secure partlzan favorites,
purchase friends, compensate political
hucksters, and influence votes nnaese men,
in conjunction with other kindred spirits,
have. fo9 years: had well considered and
we'll established sort of Political Solar Sys-
tenn! The sun of this system has been in
Washington City; the Western planet has
been, and still is, the city of Burlington !;
aud this planet has as many moons as there
are organized counties in the State =
Dodge-the great Augustus Caesar Dodge
is the ever and prevailing deity upon
this planet and the Samples of Lee, the
Bonneys and Baileys and knapps Of Van
Buren, the kisters of Davis, the Hender-
shots Of Wapello, and the Henns of Jef.
ferson, etc., etc., have played the part OF
little demi-gods upoa these several satel-
litest s-r s7es< as 10 .sre+s q : '-'+@
With the system thus organized, GREAT
CESAR named the men who were TO be Gov
~ernor and Secretary; who were to be Regis
ters and Receivers of your Land Ofhces
who Marshal, who Judges, who Indian
/ Agents, who Postmasters, etc., etc! Whom
he cursed, they MUST be cursed, and whom
he blessed, they MUST be blessed! No better
| illustration Of this fact is needed than the