The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1859-03-30
To The Electors of Clayton County

TOR TIE tn1rQ time Wlthln tcfee years,
you are called upon to repair to the polls
and vote for the relocation Of the
County SEAT.
It is to be hoped that this election
will settle the matter for all time to
come and if every legal voter will de.
posite his ballot for the place that will
best accommodate the majority of the
citizens without regard to the pecuni-
airy interest of either, or any place, OF
the private interests of any person OF
persons whatever. there is no doubt but
this will be the last County Seat con-
test that the people of Clayton County
will ever be troubled with.
If the money that has been expended
by the county in elections for relocation.
and removals of the county seat, since
established at Garnavillo by the Com
missioners appointed by the Legislature
for that purpose, in le43 had been ap-
propriated to the erection of county
buildings, our county records, and the
record of every mans title to his farm,
would not have been in the exposed
condition that they now are.
A short history of The County Seat
agitation will show TO every intelligent
man that the whole thing originated in,
and has been kept up by local and per-
sonal interest ...
In l843 the county seat was to be
looted at Garnavilloby three Commis-
sioners, disinterested men from other
counties. Eighty AGREE Of land acere
donated to tho County. which was after
ward surveyed into lots, and sold for the
benefit of the county. The citizens of
Garnavillo and vicinity also contributed
largely to the erection of the old county
buildings, when the county was too
poor to bnild them alone.
The county seat remained quiet until
l847, when at the request Of gluten.
berg, and through the influence Of her
friends, . law was passed providing that
vote be taken between Garnavillo,
Gutenberg and Elkader, for the county
seat.
At the first vote, Garnavillo came
near beating both competitors. Elka.
der. receiving the least number of votes,
had by the terms of the law, Ito with
draw from the contest, and the remain
ing contestants had smother election in
which Garnavillo triumphed.
No further effort was publicly made
until 1856, and the people began to
think they were out of danger; but
Gutenberg, not being satisfied with the
judgment Of the Commissioners, nor
the repeated expressions of the will Of the
people at the ballot box, again renewed
the strife but this time, with the os-
tensible purpose of having it permanent
ly located at Elkader.
The friends of Garnavillo, not being
aware of the network of fraud that was
spread over the whole county by the
emissarics of Gutenberg and relying
on the sense ofthe people as express d
in previous votes. and the fact that the
true interests of Garnayilo and the coun-
ty were identical, made but very little
effort in the election. The consequence
was, the county seat went to Elkader, a
necessary step in its journey to Gutten-
berg, and at the next election, arrived
at the original place of destination
Such, Fellow citizens, is the history Of
the county seat, from 1843 to 1857.
Are the people satisfied with its pre-
sent location and will they let it re-
main there ? You are all aware of the
effor: to get it back to E!kader last
retained at Gutenberg.
The following extract from the North
Iowa Times, of April 14th, 1858. COM
mends itself to the good sense of the
people, and coming from a disinterested
source. is entitled to great Weight:
1.-The truth is, the removal from Gar
navillo was unfortunate for the county.
for that village and for it's rivals. 1t
was not in the geographical centre, bnt
it was conveniently accessible from all
parts of the county, and the county has
had no no rest since Garnavillo was
thrown out of the list of aspirants.-
There are large numbers Of people who
have no desire to keep this subject in
annual agitation. They would like the
question settled, and settled for all time.
SO that Court House. Jail, Public Of
fees Agricultural Fair Grounds. Coun-
ty Seminary and other evidences offs pir-
iland thrift may adorn one of the largest.
ablest. and most beautiful counties of
the State. Division is SO far from pro-
liable that it is idle to talk about it,
indeed we begin to think Division
would be humbug even if it could be
effected. The larger our territory the
lighter the burthen Of taxes. and this
argument strikes SO many empty peck
cts just now that it cannot but have force.
Let the idea of territorial diminution be
abandoned. let every man for let the
past and begin to make up his mind to
vote hereafter for the nearest compro-
mise between Business and Geogra-
phical centre. That point lies nearer
Garnavillo than any other village, and
We but repeat a conviction long enter
tanned. when We stale that Garnavillo is
the place for the Sounty Seat of CLAY
TON. Elkader has manufactures and a
rich farming country to sustain her,
Gutenberg has Commerce, so also has
the thriving village of Clayton City, and
so also has McGregor. Gutenberg is
II miles southeast. Clayton is east
and AcGregor is l2 miles northeast of
the proposed point. EIkader is II
miles westerly. and the other portions
Of the county could not be seriously in
conveninced by its re-establishment at
the old point. 1t is beyond our guessing
to imagine what motives the voting pub
lie ever had to abandon it.
In giving our notions we have no in
terest to prejudice us. no acquaintance
to crafty, mo enemies to punish. -
We want to see an end of the fnoliah