The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1861-07-30
TO THE PEOPLE OF IOWA.

When the President called upon tn,
loyal people of the United States for hell
to save the government from rebels anc
traitors, no State responded more prompt
ly than Iowa. Thousands of her son.
are now in the field, ready and eager tc
peril their lives in defence of their coun
try. The base treachery of some of tht
sworn servants Of the government dur
ing the administration Of Mr.. Buchanan
had SO disorganized our government, tha
when the call was made for troops, the
Administration was wholly unable tc
clothe and equip them in proper time
and it became necessary for the State fur
nishing troops to furnish also clothing
and equipments. OF course these States
were compelled to, and did, incur expen-
ses larger or smaller, in proportion to the
troops called from, and clothing and
equipments furnished by, each.
To meet the expenses thus incurred
and other expenses that mi ght be incur
red, the General Assembly, in extra ses-
sion, provided by law for the sale of the
bonds Of the State. In accordance with
that law, the bonds were advertised for
sale in the city Of New York. Immed-
ately after such advertisement, certain
parties in the city of New York, and as
| have reason to believe, certain parties
in this State, combined together to de-
preciate the value Of the bonds, for the
purpose either of wholly preventing their
sale, or of compelling their sale at ruin
GUS rates. The means by which they
sought to effect this end was, TO declare
that the bonds were unconstitutionally is
sued, that the General Assembly Of the
State had been guilty of a gross fraud in
authorizing their issue, and that the peo-
pie Of Iowa are so base and dishonest
that they would hereafter repudiate the
bonds that might be sold. Whether the
motives of these parties in publishing
these vile calumnies, and thereby seeking
to discredit the bonds, was to render The
State unable to do her part in the strug.
gle now going on for the preservation Of
the Union, and to that extent strengthen
the hands of treason and rebellion, or to
crafty feeling of revenge for some real
or supposed wrong inflicted by some por
ton of our people, or to enable the par
ties to buy up the bonds thus discredted
by their own efforts, at ruinously low
raies-is not now question Of practical
importance. II is sufficient for us TO know
that they have been successful, and that
our bonds remain unsold.
This position Of affairs is to me very
annoying and perplexing. Relying upon
the anticipated sales of these bonds, and
carrying out your well-known and clear
ly expressed wishes, have incurred
large expenses in enrolling, subsisting,
and clothing the brave men who are now
in the field for the defence Of the flag we
love SO well. These expenses are wholly
unpaid. In some instances the money
due directly to the persons who have fur
nished the articles needed, and in others,
10 persons who have generously adyanc.
ed the money 10 meet pressing necessi.
ties What renders this situation Of af
fairs particularly unpleasant TO myselfin in
dividually, is the fact that il has been and
is made a matter of serious complaint by
many of you, that have been too back
ward in expending the money of the
State While the same time was and
still am, unable to meet the pressing de.
mands upon me for the expenses already
incurred.
Much complaint was made that our
first three regiments were not clothed as
soon as they should have been. They
were clothed as soon as it could be done ;
and to day that clothing worn by your
sons and brothers, is unpaid for, while
the person who furnished it is suffering
for his pay. Complaint was also that the
money due by the State TO our soldiers
was not paid to them promptly
Before it could be paid to them it had
to be borrowed. 1t WAS borrowed on the
responsibility OF individuals, and to-day.
these individuals are liable for the mon
eys thus paid 10 your soldiers. The ex
penses incurred in the various counties
for subsisting companies and transporting
them 10 the place Of rendezvous, has
been paid by borrowing, and is due to
the lenders. or is yet due to the persons
who furnished the subsistence and trans
portation. Al Keokuk certain patriotic
individuals purchased large amount oi
produce for the use of the State, giving
their obligations therefor | have not
had the means 10 pay the debt thus in.
Cured, and these parties have either 10