The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1870-07-28
THE WOODBRIDGE SELL;
A Chapter from the Unpublished
History Of Cedar County.
BY wM. Ir. TUTHILL.
From the Annals of Iowa. !

/
one of the roads running toward Iowa
City, may be found a post office bear
ing the euphonious name of Wood
bridge, snuyly nestled in a pleasan,
dozen or more thriving farmers, who,
desrous of mail facilities, had during
the Polk administration, procured the
establishment of the office and secnred
the appointment of Mr.. Henry Bagley
IAN ardent and devoted whig) as post
master, there being, strange as it may
seem in our degenerate days, no compeet-
ing aspirants for the situation, although
perhaps the emoluments of the office,
estimated at something less than
twenty-five dollars per annum, might
be considered a good and sufficient
reason why the "Nasbys" of that day
were not more numerous.
The duties of the incumbent were
performed to the entire satisfaction OF
the mail patrons thereabouts, and ''all
was quiet ut Woodbridge. Time
. EpiiVa oii aiiu III VIZ nlutdlloliS WA
political history. General Zachary
Taylor succeeded James X. Polk, and
had complmented the young and
thrifty state of Iowa by appointing our
old friend Fitz Henry Warren ESQ,
assistant postmaster general when the
removal of democratic incumbents and
substitution of whig officials became the
order of the day.
This procedure, although only
practically carrying out the Jacksonian
policy, was looked upon as gross
outrage by the losing party, If the
indignant comments and denunciations
Of the democratic newspapers OF the
day are to be considered competent
evidence, and amongst them the fierce
County Democrat, or ..Threshing
Maciine,' as it was sometimes faceI-
ously entitled then edited by J. Is. Dorr,
Esq, were prominent in intensity and
bitterness, pouring with nnsraring vio-
lence on the hapless head of Fitz Henry
the full volume of its inky fulnina-
tons.
Now, it so happened that Just at this
particular juncture, our Woodbridge T..
N. being about to remove from the
neighborhood, it became necessary to
obtain successor, but upon enquiry,
not single whi- could be found willing
to fill the vacancy, and only after much
solicitation, an honest, staid and quiet
farmer by the name Of Asa Haskin,
wlro, by ihe way, was faithful Demo
crat. consented to receive the important
trust. Whereupon the writer was
called upon to make proper statement
to the department. Of the merits OF the
case, which being done, the resignation
Of Henry Bagley was received, the
appointment of Asa Haskin made in
due form of law, and the new appointee
Immediately entered upon the discharge
of his duties with the unanimous con-
currence of all the inhabitants of the
settlement.
1t was, perhaps, wicked to sell an
editor, but the opportunity was SC
tempting that the sin was overlooked
and communication concocted, pur
porting to be from u citizen of Wood
bridge, addressed to the editor Of the
Jackson County Democrat, headed III
large letters, "a MOTHER OUTRAGE >
and stating that "the citizens Of oui
usually quiet place have this day
! received the intelligence that we have
lost our worthy and efficient postmas
! ter, Henry Bagley, Esq, and that Asa
/ Haskn has been appointed in his place
No fault has ever been charged, no
could any be found against Bag'ey
He was not only popular as an officer
but highly esteemed as citizen, ant
the question may well be asked, VIII,
should he be displaced for such a maj
as Hasllin? Please, Mr.. Editor, Civ
this due publicity, as another of tn
high handed and tyrannical acts Of tn
despot now in power 10 thi
missive p. S. was added, that III
writer did not append bis name, an
would mail it at Tipton, as he wishe
to avoid any suspicion from the ne'
P. NJ.
The communication was intended
and did convey to the editor yer
different meaning from its literal reao
ing, and as anticipated, tie artic!
itself not only appeared III the neA
issue of the paper, but was aceompanie
by a half column ofindignant edtora
denouncing the oppressive and ou
+ rageous act, and in good hearty saxo
expetives abusing Fitz Henry Ware
for removing such an excellent an
; worthy man as Bagley, and appointin
in his stead so degraded Il specimen
humanity as Haskin, aud that TIL
despotic exercise Of power for part
purposes, precisely similar to oth'
tlagrant acts already noted, would sin
the perpetrator and his party to II
lowest depths of infamy.
> The sell was complete, and the expo
Il duly appeared in the Iowa u
: Republican, in the shape of a comnul
cation from Upton, calling attention
ha napsDprat