Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1870-03-17
Political Rcnaifisce,sCc.


Improbable to make mention. Fol
Mr.. Burlngamc was prominent
member of that coalition which sent
Charles Sumner to the United States
Senate, revolutionized the politics Of
Massachusetts,, and had no little inf1u.
ence on the political destlnies OF the
republic This coali,ion to which we
refer overthrew the ancient reign oI
the Wings III Massachusetts, and really
| paved the way, in manner, tor the
rule of the Aboltionists in the Old
Bay State and, at length, in the United
| States.
The Wings had controlled the poll
tics Of Massachusetts from a time
whereof the memory of man runnetl
not to the contrary Webster, Choatc,
Winthrop, Everett, and the rest were
in politics hardly less supreme than SO
many Cars The literature and cul-
ture of the State were against the rul
ing dynasty, but were long powerless
to overthrow it. At length coali-
tion between the Democrats and the
Free Soilers of the State was formed,
whereby the Democrats secured the
Governor, and the Free Soilers the
United States Senator. Wings, Dem
ocrats, and Free Soilers ran each a
candidate for Governor, but the ID m
ocrats and Free Soilers coalesced on
Legislative tickets In 1850 the can
didatcs for Governor were: Mr.. Bout
well, Democrat; Briggs, Whic; S. G.
Phillips, Free Soiler. There was no
election by the people, but Mr.. Bout
well was elected by the Legislature
In 1851 he received IS, ,922 votes; Win
throp, Wing, received 6t6ll; and
pa!lrey, Free SoiIer, 27,599. The
Legislature stood however, Senate, 23
of the Coalition, II Wings; House,
2)2 Coalitionsts, 1876 Wings Mr..
Boutwell, was again elected Governor.
1t was during the session of this
Legislature that the famous coalition
Of which we speak was formed, the six
distinguished leaders thereof being
Mr.. Banks, Mr.. B. +. Butler, and Gov.
Boutwell,, Democrats; and Mr. Bur
lingame, Mr.. Wilson, and Mr. Sumner,
Free ooilers. Mr. Burineame was
the leader Of the House; Mr.. Banks
was the Speaker; Mr.. Butler was the
leader OF the Senate, OF which Mr..
Wilson was President. Mr. Boutwell,
was elected Governor without trouble,
and Mr.. Sncner received the vote OF
the Senate for the position he still oc-
cuples, early in the year, bat 1t requir-
cd time and all the sasaeity OF the e''coali
ton leaders to give HIM the vote Of The
House. Members voted 1jra cocr, and
amongst the 202 coalitionists there
were number OF Democrats who,
though willing to enjoy the triumph
OF q Democratic Governor, did not
have pluck enough to vote in the tacc
Of the hub of the universe and the civ
ilizcd world to send an Abolitionist
to the United States Senate. There
never was, perhaps, more earnest
political contest, CT one which more
completely attracted the interest of
the country, than this. 1t continued
Tor weeks, and even months passed be-
tore the end was reached Wings and
Democrats outside OF Massachusetts,
took common ground against that
Abolitionst, Sumner. This was cX-
celingly embarrassing, OF course, to
the Democrats of the Massachusetts
House of Representatives. Had not
the leaders OF the coalition adroit and
watchtul men, the result must have
been different. But neither theil
shrewdness nor their sagacity slept for
single moment. They out .maneu-
verel the enemy on every OCCASION
At length general law was passed
tor the secret bollot in all elections by
the Legislature. According to this
law, the tickets had to be put in en-
yelopes and sealed up in case Of the
election of any officer whatever by the
Legislature. The result was that
Charles Sumner was elected TO the
Senate in May, being the first as we'll
as the most lllustrious example OF an
office filed on the sealed envelope plan
of election Every one will recollect
how the Abolitionists-the "few but
undismayed1-in all parts of the coun-
try, rejoiced, Illuminated, jublated
over the result of this remarkable con-
test
How distinguished has been the his
tory of the six representative men at
this coalition! ALr. Sumner, whatever
may be his faults OF character, and
however numerous his Senatorial
"crotchets,n must be conceded to be
the leader OF American political opin-
ion among his country's statesmen. and
the most potential OF them all in re-
speet of inloctrinating his country
men with irrepressible enthusiasm for
national justice aud progress. Mr..
Boutwell,, at.er distinguished services
as Governor, Commissioner of Inter-
nal Revenue, Representative in Con-
gress, is now Secretary OF the Treas
ury, and fills that high Office with ac-
know!olged ability. Mr. Butler has
rendered his country the most remark
able administrative services OF which
our annals give any account. Mr..
Banks, in the opinion of good judges,
was the best Speaker the House OF
Representative has had since the time
of Henry Clay. Mr.. Wilson is known
and respected the world over as Sena-
tor, orator, and writer. Mr.. Burin
game, the youngest of all the six, was
the first to die; but he did not pass
away till he had lived long enough to
become highly distinguished in his
own country, and had achieved for the
political civilization, il we may 30 speak,
of the world one OF its greatest and
most memorable triumphs; till, before
the blast of his ringing trumpet, the
strong walls OF China had fallen down,
giving the nations entrance to new
scenes of usefulness, and upon q new