The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-06-30
The State Convention.


met at Des Moines, the new Capital of our
State, on Wednesday last, the proceedings
Of which we publish in this issue, Is con-
coded to be the largest delegate body ever
convened in the State, and we doubt if a
party any where was ever represented by a
fuller, more harmonious or ADLER delegation
Ali but two or three of the organized coun-
ties in the State were represented, for the
most part, by full delegations. Some $50
votes were cast, and there were 800 delegates
actually present. The convention was held
in Sherman's Hall, one of the largest rooms
in the State, and it was pretty well filled
without spectators,-with them it was
good deal crowded.
This convention was not only large and
drawn from almost every county in the State,
but it had many other important character
istics, patent to the most casual observer.
1t was not composed as is so common now
adays, of lawyers and protested politicians,
but was fair representation of all classes o;
citizens, farmers predominating it was not
reunion of the same old set Of party hacks
deputed by county seat clicks to trade and
barter away the votes and Offices of the peo-
people, but it was meeting Of nearly 400
citizens offs counties, very few of whom
were ever in State Convention before, of
various avocations and without personal
friends to reward or personal enemies topun-
ish, on the contrary all were actuated by
sincere desire to promote the interests of
the party and the success of Republican prin-
ciples. Another remarkable popularity of
the convention was the great proportion of
young and middle aged men among the del
egates, showing what is the fact. that Sham
Democracy is confined to the old and pref
udiced, while the young, ardent, coming gen.
Grafton, young America, are Republicans.
The spirit of harmony and unselishness,
which characterised the meeting was another
remarkable popularity. There seemed to be
but one mind, one purpose, one motive &C
tuating that vast sea ofpatriotic men, coming
from the borders of the Father of Waters,
from the Prairies of the interior, or from the
slope-all were only anxious to find out the
men who would be most likely to lead the
great Republican Column to decisive victory
in October-when that was ascertained, as
it was when Kirkwood, Rusch, Stockton,
Lowe and Baldwin were put in nomination,
there was then only one feeling in that vast
assembly, as they sent up shout upon shout
which made the walls of that massive block
fairly shake, and carried dismay into the
hearts of the broken fragments of the dissol-
wing Democracy who were hanging around
in that vicinity. .s"H
The platform adopted by the convention
is noble expression, in concise but COM
prehensive form, of the immortal principles of
our party-It is full of living truth, and
great and momentous issues, upon which
depend the great questions of human rights
now on trial before the Country and the
Race. This platform is true; it is plain; it is
out spoken and manly; and 1t will receive
the hearty and enthusiastic endorsement of
not only those who have heretofore been
Republicans, bat of thousands who will be
converted by it from the errors of Democra-
cy, to tho true faith Of Republicanism and a
pure Democracy.
Of the men put in nomination by this
convention, we shall speak m re fully here
after,-sufice it here to say, that S. J. Kirk
wood, our candidate for Governor, is farmer
on large scale, in johnson county-a man
Of splendid ability-a fine speakers SIN
cere, devoted Republican, familiar with the
politics, condition and wants of the State,-
than whom for the office for which he is NOM
mated, not better selection could have been
made. 1t is quite unnecessary to say that
he will be the next Governor of Iowa.
N. j. Rusch, nominee for Lieutenant Gov
ernor, is an extensive and successful farmer
of Scott county, - years resident of the
State, at present a member of the State SEN
ate. He is gentleman of fine education, of
natural abilities of a high order, one of the
most active, sincere and influential Repub-
licans in the State. His nomination was
urged by the 81 Delegates from Scott county,
who knew him so well, as the best that
could be made, and the Convention came
readily to the same conclusion His major
ity will be very large and he will make a
faithful and most efficient officer.
The nominees for the Supreme Bench, Gov.
Lowe, Hon. L. ID. Stockton and Hon. Ca
leb Baldwin, all to well known, and have too
many friends in this part of the State, to
require any introduction from US. They are
all honest men emphatically, all well read
lawyers, and have all been on the Bench,
where they gave good satisfaction. They
will be elected, and we can vouch for them
that the Jurisprudence of the State in their
hands will be safe.
With banner unfolded over US inscribed
with such principles and with such names,
we feel that we have the very prestase of
victory, and that when the ides of October
,ome and pass, Iowa, the morning Star of
will stand, where she has
'to0d from the beginning, at the head of the |
.reat Republican column of the Union.-I