Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-12-15
.asNEmar, nrI.xrAr..E.

Iuoiic opinion docs not seem 10
change materially on the all abs.rbir .
political themes of the day, viz: "Tbe
eicctlon OF the United States Scnator ],
Inc various gentlemen named fer IL
coveted position. have All been ins y,
| noncn heretofore in our columns. A
TINS time there does not appear ~ Il,
\ any decided choice among cants; d.,os
although it il generally belle vea i, :,
persons best qualified to jn9 ge tha,
the contest has narrowed down 10
Coy. hirkwood and Gen. R,lknap m,
present Secretary OF War. I OF Cover
nor hirkwood, we have. nonaht dia
parging TO say He has made = h;S
tory for himself in other wears tha,
| will speak for him ss lono a. ou,
young aud vigorous Iowa shalt have
name in this great constellation !,
otatcs. And because we now. bclievs
the best interest of Iowa, demand Mai
nc should remain in the chair TO which
nc was elected, and serve the peonlr
| who placed him in it. VIC do not be.
lieve that any unfair means sbonl1 ha
used to crowd him from the platform,
on which stands SO many able and
earnest men. eagerly pushing towsr,l
the coveted prize
In language ofihe State EeojSte,
| we gay "sive honest Old Sam 4 chance. J,
and II the choice of the lerislatnrs
should fall upon one no tried ana lrnc.
let the whole people cay "Amcn.1 Bnt
we 90 not now believe ii will fall up4
on HARDWOOD, hut upon another of
lowas gifted aud worthy pona, Gen
w. w. Belkhap. Many OF our read
era are not fully familiar with thia
gentlemai,s life and record, he being
Ia younger man than certain of the
other candidates mentioned, hut pos-
sessinG none the less brilliant history
IN hia line Of services To the State
Atthe outbreak Of the rebellion Gen
BeiEnap entered the service IA Major
OF the 18TH Iowa, and fought in his
first battle nj Shilo, in the army Of the
Tennessee lie served on Gen. Me-
Fhersnna stan aud nnder both Sher-
| man and Graht, and by tho latter HIS
seryicea were very highly commanded.
At the battle OF Atlanta, i'll 1864 Gen.
Mcpherson fell, and the command de
volved upon Gen, h., and il il saii he
thoec who participated in that ever
memorable conflict, that the bravery
and discretion manifeetea hy General
Belknap on that occaainn had scarcely
All equal among Other commanders in
all the after history OF the war.
In All the brilliant campaigns of
Sherman IN his march 10 the sea. Gen.
Belknap tooka prominent part, ever
being distinguished IN battle for his
bravery ami excellent Judgment. and
in camp for good discipline and I'm
name treatment OF thoso under his
command. Ecsknap WAS volunteer
soldier and not = graduate OF any mil
| itary institution. Since his appoint
mcnt as Secretary of War. he has sery-
| ed in the cabinet Of President Grant
| with great acceptance. 1t is said that
the affairs of the Secrctary's office
| wore never in better condition than
they arc to-day. This fact is sustsin-
ed not only by the officers of the army
but by the country at large.
Again, among all the congressman
and senator's from Iowa, not one has
| been soldier. Would it not be well
to give the citizen soldiers which con-
stitntes so. large proportion Of our
| great state a. least a recognition OF the
| value OF their services TO the country
| by the election of Gen. Belknap? 1t
would be an honor well merited. And
then, with eighty fonr rebel SOL
dicrs in congress to-day, Iowa would
do for the country at large a wise act
| in the selection Of one of our noblest
| and best soldiers to represent her in
the highest legislative body of the
natioD. Let THE fact be remembered.
Looking at this matter as it appears
to ns, no other man in Iowa, to-day, is
better suited for The position OF Uni
| ted States Senator than Gen. w. w.
! Belknsp. Progressing large experience
in public affairs, and being emphatic
| ally a man of the people we take it
that the citizens of Iowa would have
a representative in Gen. Bclknap,
whose services they could lily afford
to lose. For his great ability. large
experience in public life, pure public
record as man, and high official, and
lastly, because of lis intimate relations
with the people of his own state. we
hoist the name of BelknAp to onr
mast head as orr choice under all ey-
! isting circumstances TO the United
States Senator.