The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-03-09

OrTuMwA, MARCH 8, 1871.
psDEAR EDIroR :--- s
Monday, last, was
the day on which tho Republican
party was we'll nigh defeated at the
polls. Never, perhaps, has thero
been q time, since that party came |
into powor, that the Republicans Of
this place, have 60 disregardcd the |
interests dovolving on them as q |
party, and 30 neglectful Of those
principles entrusted to their care. |
Indeed, one might, with some degree
Of propriety, ask Cat least with re-
gard to city elections) the question
Is there any principle, which has
boon, heretofore, the characteristic of
that party, left romaining2 1t is,
doubtless, true that the Republican
party is Us strong today as it ever
was, but there is a class of mon, who,
in the progress of the party, barely
manage to keep up, and, who, since
they cannot control, devise many.
disingenious ways to rotard and de-
feat its ends. Witness their opera
tons last Monday, and then inquire,
is it any wonder that we were beaten
BY the Democracy? To state the
question is to answer it, when we
reflect for moment upon the method
resorted to by this set Of cronies,
who call themselves Republicans and
affiliate with that party, perhaps
merely for official gain, and who
practiced it both In the convention
and at the polls.
Now, sir, what method was resort
cd to by this ring at the last conven.
ton 2
OF course they attended it, and
their voice was not silent, either In
the choice Of candidates or for per
oonal prcferment. And whenever
tho name of q candidate was pro
posed before the convention, If i,
CHANGED that tho name was not one
Of their own especial and peculiar
choice, what did they do !?
They did not boldly oppose him Of
mon usually do, who are against one
but they acquiesced either directl,
or indirectly, and reserved thoir op
position, and, it may be, spite, TO
the purpose Of defeating him at tn
. polls.
i That this was tho case is to-
obvious to be overlooked, and wa
practiced against Mayor, Marsha
and Alderman, alike, BY this gus
, | set of republicans.
Il Such conduct is blot upon part
honor, and would, in the languag
, of Junius, seven rob misfortune {
dignity" say this not for Til
; purpose of having any personal COZ
troversy with any ono, but for th
/ purpose Of showing their consistenc
! Of these gentlemen in petty liver,
: 1 need scarcely say that to th
Inconsistency and deplorablc condue
4 is due, TO some extent, tho defeat {
! our ticket-yet tho very men VIII
are guilty, will stand up to-day wit
seemingly demure countcnance an
: wonder how there could be such
i falling of.
FL What IS tho use of placing o tickle
. in the field at all? IF private rim
= are to control and run the ticket, "
: cannot rely upon a party vote, muc
= less hope to succeed. Indeed, whe
> combinations of men sit in score
conclave plotting the defeat of the
: own candidates, and those who's
: avocation would seem to forbid al
Z suming the prerogative of the tricl
ster politician, setting up the doleft
3 cry that such an one sis an Infidel,
: a "beer and wine bibblor," or a ata
man," and the like opprobrious ep
thets, upon the day of election; mer.
, ly for the purpose Of defeating then
1 and this, too, against the very me
o whom they had placed in nomin,
J, ton, and by so doing implicitly al
!. serted their intention of supporting
!. When all this is done, is it any wor
!. der that the Democracy should tr
i umph and go wild with excitemen
the same night? There is certaini
e nothing strange in this. But it
f high time, for the interests Of til
party and the principles of liberty
t which have always been the prid
+ and ornament Of such party tina
: these rings and cliques which are az
Q tuated by merely personal motive
Q should DO spotted, their little ligh
D snuffed out in times of official prefer
0 ment, and their Inconsistency in thi
: respect revealed. For with wha
certainty of success can q party mag
: unanimous in power and great in prin
ciplo. labor, If it is to be weakened
} by personal prejudice and crippled
by petty side issues, such as wer
, presented by private Republican
cllques against their own ticket OF
Monday last? Better to remain idl
f and suffer defeat than to DO thwartet
by such potty trickstcrs at the polls
Are the democracy guilty of sucl
conduct? No sir! They, to man
support their ticket at tho polls.-
They do no scratching, and allow nj
petty personal animositics or secular
differences to operate against then
in the support Of their candidates.
4 Why can't wo do the same? UpoI
that day they bury the tomahawk
so to speak. But this cannot be said
of US, and until we learn simple
lesson in this rcspect-in fine, until
| we learn to be consistent with our.
solves and tho principles of the par.
ty, overcoming all merely personal
differences, and support our candi.
! dates, irrespective Of such, then, and
not till thcn, may we hope to sue,
coed. VINDEX.
Tho amount Of land remaining in
this State subject to homestead and
pre- emption entry, is estimated as
follows by the State Register:
Acres.
Iowa Falls and Sioux City
Railroad, from Dubuque
49, t.xI