The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1859-04-06
BUyINEss NOTICE.


made quarterly.
HOW TT WAS DONE.
ADARKsAMPLE OF THE CONTEST.
The result Of the city election seems TO
have taken the Democracy by surprise, and
it may be an act Of kindness on our part to
let the uninitiated into the secret Of how it
was done. For this purpose We need but
briefly trace tho operations Of the Democrat
10 leaders in the Second Ward. This is the
strong Locofoco ward Of the city, the centre
and converging point Of oil the powerful Lo-
cofoco influences, the seat OF the Demo cratic
club, which has been in blast for six months
past, as well as Of the Postof6ce, the County
oihces, the United States Customs officer and
the Office Of the EUening Journal. In this
stronghold Of Democracy full meeting was
held some weeks ago and nomination was
made for Alderman. And to render assu-
rance doubly sure Democrats we're required
to pledge themselves in writing to support
the nominee.
1t seemed but an act of desperation to
make an assault upon such strong fortress
Of Democracy, so entrenched and guarded.
All Felt that We had but one man in the ward
who stood tho slightest chance of leading the
opposition to successful assault. All eyes
were directed to our noble hearted fellow.
citizen and whole-souled Republican, M. p.
Sharts, - the man to carry the Second Ward.
And for fortnight or 80 he was besieRed
with solicitations to stand as a. csndidate.-
After stout resistance, he finally yielded his
inclinations to tho opportunities OF his
friends, and few days before the election
consented to be candidate.
Then, the Democracy knew there Was to be
hard fight, and they forthwith reviewed
their forces, examined their Notifications,
doubie-shotted their artillery and increased
immensely their supplies Of whisky and lage,
beer. A thorough canvass Of the ward was
made, and it was ascertained that there wer,
two hundred and fifty odd voters, and a small
Democratic majority. But they dared mo-
trust to . small party majority against Mr.
STARTS, for they knew his popularity, and re-
membered that he and Timberman had re-
versed majorities in that stronghold Of tn,
Democracy time and again. They therefore
organized new recruiting corps and essab.
lished recruiting stations, the chief Of whicl
were one on the corner OF Third and Johnso,
and another in the lower part Of the ward
Ficklin's building on the corner Of Third an,
johnson was procured for the double pur
pose OF concealing the new recruits importe
from the opposite side Of the river and 70
dispensing the ample supplies Of liquor oh
tanned for the campaign. raw Irishma
Was put into the establishment, and the win
dows were painted so a. to exclude the curl
GUS gaze of passers-by, and the initiate
alone we're admitted to . full knowledge q
the uses and purposes for which Ficklen,
corner had been subsidized.
The Sergeant Of the other recruiting sta
ton tried to play sharper game on Shsrt
by protesting to be his friend. lie elaine
to have seventeen Irishmen under his contrc
whom he assured STARTS would vote for hir
and Leighton. Our friend, however, ben
pretty we'll posted as to the Irishmen in tha
part of the city, proved entirely too smart IL
the gentleman, who was seeking his comm
vance 1t the game Of bringing in Sample VI
tiers from Illinois.
During the last few days OF the conte.
the Locofoco candidates and operators, fro,
Sample down, were running day and nigh
Sunday not excepted, -ssfrom grocer ee
grocery" deluging the city with ssrot-gut
and swiliing the voters on all kinds Of liquors
And, we regret to say, that Mayor SaInp
was himself chief adviser and operator
most OF the disgraceful scenes OF this chara
ter.
But to return to our special account Of Il
Second Ward. On Monday morning ho
OF tbs most effective Locofoco operators fro
all portions Of the city collected around Il
polls Of the Second Ward. This combin,
ton OF forces, added to the concentration
powerful influences already at work, suocee
cd IN carrying the ward. And on a vote
some 80, about sixty more than the va
was entitled to, STARTS was beaten 40 vote
But to do this, the managers were forced
withdraw their best men from the 9th
wards Of the city and leave them all to I
mercy Of the Republicans, who carried ev
the undefended Democratic Fourth Ward
% overwhelming majority. STARTS wou
have beaten his opponent on their own pc
sonal popularity four to ono, but the Dem