Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-09-19

tensible objects of the new party move
ment, nor have we spoken unkindly of
much less villified any honest man in it.
| We have said that of the score or more Of
men most active in diverting the farmers
| movement in this county into new po-
litical organization, for this purpose CO.
ing about the county inflaming the pas.
sions and ministering to the prejudices of
Ne people. wilfully or ignorantly misrep.
resentlng facts, and inventing falsehoods,
the greater number were Office seekers or
soseheads; and the Anti Monopoly coun-
ty convention furnished ample proof of
the truth of the assertion. All, or nearly
all, of these disinterested patriots were
there, and their mouths were open for
the expected plum. Now, Mr.. McLeish
has been one of the most assiduous. and
we might add, one of the noisiest of the
wet nurses Of the new party, and he will
pardon lis if we examine his record on
this score of office seeking, and small
demagogery, to see if we cannot discover
a justification of our charge. The rec
ords Of the county show him to be one Of
the most unblushing Of Office seekers, for
they show that he aspired to, and secured
election us Township Clerk Of his town.
ship, before he had right to hold office,
or vote in this country at all. This was
in the fall Of 1871. He did not become
citizen of the United States until May 80,
1872, nearly eight months thereafter.
modest specimen of the genus Office seek
ers, and is he not peculiarly appropriate
candidate for party that contemns
Office begging. Further, after this elcc-
ton contrary to law, Mr.. McLeish sent
in his bond for approval by the Board Of
Supervisors. That body, unwilling to
humiliate him, took no official action in
the matter, but quietly informed the
trustees of the township that he could
not quality; and by this means only, was
be dissuaded from holding Office here,
while yet subject of a foreign govern
mcnt. Nothing daunted by this rebuff,
he was up last year for election as JUS
tice, and successful. His appetite for
the loaves and fishes was not appeascd by
this however, and we find him early in
the field with aspirations tor seat in the
Legislature. He came to the Grange
picnic in June, and made speech. Other
farmers who were present and spoke,
contented themselves with calm, digni-
fed and temperate discussion Of the
wrongs and disabilities which attach to
them as u class, and the proper way to
remedy them. McLeish came to the
stand bursting with ranting, vehement,
incoherent TRADE against Gov. Carpen.
ter and the Republican party, and all who
adhered to 1t. His speech was the raving
of fanatic; he advocated the repudi.
alton of national obligations, and pcrpe-
trated such antics as disguised his sensi-
BILE auditors, and secured the applause of
but few unthinking hot heads like him
self. He evidently intended this insane
harangue to be the key note of the cam
paign which he proposed to inaugnrate
for his own advancement. He labored
ON this line all summer, and when the
convention of the party he had helped to
form, met two weeks ago, the majority of
the delegates declared by their action,
that McLeish was not fit for the place he
aspired to, and pensioned him for his Ia
bors, by the barren nomination for
Auditor. a place he is no filter for than
the other, but one in which his candi-
dacy will not appear quite SO inappro-
pirate.
We are told that Mr.. McLeish Is a
man Of good repute and square in his
private dealings. We have no DISPOSE
ton to question this, but we maintain
that his political record gives him no
right to stand up In public and make =
personal assault upon US for designating
men af his characteristics as office seek
ers and demagogues. But for that as
sault we should not have alluded special
ly to his exploits in the office seeking
line. 1t we had remained silent under
his imputations it would have been ia
ken as q confession of their truth, and
this we cannot allow. This experience
may teach Mr. McLeish lesson often
Necessary to be learned by men Of fiery
temperament and infirm record as well
as amateur soldiers, namely, that it is
not always safe to attack with your
tanks exposed. Even if were as bad as
he affects to believe US he ought to ap-
prcciate the force of the old Scotch pro.
verb: "He has need of lang spunc wha
sups kale wi the dell"