Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1865-08-31
The Bogus Soldiers State Convention.


The so-called Soldiers State Con-
vention at Des Moines on the oath
inst. was very slim affair, only sew
enty-two delegates being present. On
attempting to permanently organize,
the copperheads showed their hand,
and about two-thirds Of the soldiers
withdrew to another hall. Claggett
& Co. then ran what was left of the
Convention to their own liking. 1t
was declared that both the soldiers
and citizens were opposed to Cover
nor Stone and the entire Republican
ticket. Resolutions were adopted in
favor of the Monroe Doctrine, Presi-
dent johnson and his reconstruction
policy, the amendment to the United
States Constitution, the repeal of the
State anti-liquor law, Of soldiers hold
ing Office, and opposed to negro suf-
frage, also denouncing the assassina.
ton of President Lincoln. The party
was declared the Union Anti-Negro
Suffrage Party" After a lingering
and dull session till 10 o'clock in the
evening, the following ticket was
nominated by the reclamation Of 46
voters
For Governor-Col. Thomas II. Ben
ton, Jr. of Pottawatomie for Lieut..
Governor-G. S. Vananda, OF Della
ware for Judge of the Supreme
Court--H. II. Trimble, of Davis for
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Capt J. w. Sennett, of Jasper.
The candidates are all Republicans,
except Trimble, who is copperhead.
Most of the delegates were from Lee
county, and after the split Lee, Davis,
Jefferson johnson, Jasper and Polk,
were the only counties represented in
the Convention.
B. F. Murray, soldier from Madi-
son county, offered a resolution that
none but soldiers be admitted as men,
bers of the convention, and that none
who are delegates to the Copperhead
State Convention tomorrow be admit
ted to this convention.
Considerable disorder followed the
introduction of the resolution.
Mr.. Murray held the floor, and in
sisted upon his right to know whether
this was or was not a soldiers conven-
ton. He knew that rebels and trai-
tors-men who had staid at home and
kept up the fire in the rear upon the
army, and said upon the stump and
through the press, that they would not
vote a man or a dollar more for the
support of the country in time of war,
when he and other soldiers were sus-
tanning the flag on the ield--were
here with credentials as delegates to
the Convention. So help him God al
ways, he never would sit in council
with the rebels and traitors of Iowa,
and he wished to know, before going
farther, whether such men were to be
admitted. The remarks of Mr.. Murray
were received with uproarious ap
plause, and attempts to put him down
by Kisses, whoops and threats were in.
effectual.
After several severe shocks of con.
fusion, and yells, and several speech.
es by Edwards and others of Lee coun-
ty, Ballinger, Of Lee county, acting as
President, declared Murray's resolution
out of order. Whcreupon the soldiers
from Madison and other western and
central counties, withdrew from the
convention and proceeded in body to
Sherman Hall to hold Soldiers con.
vention. The hall was soon packed
to its utmost capacity, and none but
the "boys in blue were allowed to
take any part in the proceedings.
Eloquent and stirring speeches were
made by Capt. Mcpherson, B. +. Muir
ray, Sergeant Mcleod and other SOL
diers, and the following resolutions
were adopted: . E
Resolved, That we, the citizens and soldiers
of Iowa, never have affiliated and never will
affiliate with the Copperheads of Iowa in any
political party whatever.
Resoiced, That leaving the question of negro
suffrage in allegiance, we will support the
nominees OF the Republican Convention, held
at Des Moines on the 14th of June last