Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-09-07

Il
terrible financial revuision of 1851
found us in this deplorable dilemma.
The entire State was utterly prostra-
ted by the storm. All classes of our
people were suddenly reduced to al
most total bankruptcy. judgments
at law, and forced sales of property,
were the order of the day. For these
appalling calamities, not yet forgot
ten, the people of Iowa were mainly
indebted to the Democratic party.
Constitutional reform was among
the first measures of the Republican
party. The new Constitution was
speedily framed and adopted. Under
the influence of this wisely conceived
and admirably adjusted instrument,
the State has grown and prospered
as it never did before. A whole
some system of State banks was
speedily established, which supplied
us with an ample circulation, readily
convertible into specie at the will OF
| the holder. This home currency
impaired new life and energy into
every department of business, and
served us well until supplanted by
the still wiser currency of the FEEDER
al Government.
In this connection l will also ad
vert to the fact, that under the old
Constitution the Legislature was
prohibited from creatinga a State debt
of more than 100000, and yet, III
time Of profound peace and general
prosperity, a bonded indebtedness
was created to within few thousand
dollars of this Constitutional limit,
the most of which was paid off after
the Republican party came into
power.
THE BLACK LAWS OF IOWA.
1 By indorsing the recent Amend
ments to the Federal Constitution,
the Iowa Democracy accomplish q
very great departure from the policy
which that party pursued, while in
power. toward the coiOreara The
older citizens will not have forgotten
the infamous Black Laws OF Iowa,
which constituted such disgraceiul
chapter i'm our Territorial history.
Under these laws, no negro or inu-
latto person, either male or female.
was permitted to remain without
furnishing certificate of freedom
from some Court, and giving bond
for his or her good behavior, in the
penal sum of five hundred dollars.
! If this certificate and bond were not
furnished, the person SO falling was
to be hired ou, by the Commissioners
of the proper County, for The best
price in cash that could be had! And
these laws further provided, that
any Southern STAKEHOLDER might pass
and repasS over and through cur
Territory at pleasure, with his hu-
man chattels! And they also still
further provided hat when any
, STAKEHOLDER from (outhern planta-
. ton claimed as hN slave any black
, or mulatto person, who had sought
, refuge i'm the Territory, any Judge
, or Justice OF the Peace, upon appN-
, cation for that purpose, was required
: to issue his precept to some sheriff
, or constable for the arrest Of the nn-
| fortunate person so claimed, that ~"
e might be returned to some loath-
= some Southern slave pen! Here we
Z have the primitive spirit OF Iowa
!, Democracy fully eScmpiiiied. rec
a men of Iowa, what do you think "f
. this chapter of our history! " hat :,
. foul blot it aiiixes to the fair fame o
5 our Commonwealth! IN violation -
: that great charter, secured to u ",
' the sagcs Of 1920, which d"dicaf"''
D this soil to Freedom forever, Iowa
: became the prison house Of the lonG-
: man. The painting and bleeding,
J fugitive was denied Il shelter within
f our limits, and Our praiyies beam"
a hunting ground for the bloodhound.
, Of slavery. But the genius Of uni
vcrsal freedom, guided by The band
Of Republicanism, has wiped thee
infamous laws from our statutchookf,
and no such outragcs can heagaiE ! e.
= petratcd on our American manhocd.
: / have thus hurredIy given yCu
Q only few leaves from the dark
: record Of Democratic mal-admini>
! tration in Iowa. ] have not TIM.
I row to give you more. 1T would re
{ supernuous to remind you Of TIE
S reasonable opposition Of that party
: to the war, how they sympathizf {,
e with traitors in arms against The
Government, and how bitterly ana
meanly they denounced our hefob}
soldiers as thieves, robbers and ca.
threats. These things you we'll re-
: member, and they will certainly NO.
j be forgotten by the men and womc2'
a of this generation. The Rebellion
J was organized by Southern Demo
. Gratis, encouraged by their brethren
Q in the Northern States. Our terrible
! war was the bloody work Of Demo.
D cratic treason. They may now at
: tempt to disguise, deny or palliats
: ACCOMPLISHMENTS, utimpartial
D history will so record them. FnE
every precious life that was sacri-
: feed, for every home made dtsolate
: and every heart broken, the Demo
{ cratic party is fearla!ly responsible
e before God and man. In view Of all
: these undeniable ia, IS, which hover
like the ghosts Of murdered VICTIMS
: along the pathway Of this now AFRO
$ CANT Democratic party, do you eel
} safe in transferring your State hn'
! Local Governments to their tentef
? keeping? Standing, as it were, ~
G the graves Of your martyrcd dehn,
> are you willing to commit the ship