Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-01-05


name is to be presented asa candidate
for United States Senator to the APP
preaching Legislature, il may not be
out of place, or inconsistent with that
spirit of fairness toward all the cam
didates which has aetuated THE CoUR-
TER from the outset of the Senatorial
canvass. TO say something of him per-
sonally, politically, and militarily.
His four years absence in the army,
and his six years service in the Cabi-
net. have put him out of the State for
ten years in the prime Of his life, and
hence he is not as well known. person.
ally to the people of Iowa, as either
of his worthy and distinguished OPP
poncnts. and hence the justification
for these personal illusions. which
would not be necessary as to the 9TH
or candidates, who have been more or
less in constant and intimate contact
with the people of Iowa during that
period.
His father was forty years in The
regular army, having been appointed
lieutenant from civil life at the
opening or the war of 1912, and dy
ing in an ambulance in Texas Il full
Colonel and Brevct Brigadier Gen.
eral. The son was born at the militia
Iy posi- of Tampa Bay. Florida; grad
nated at Princeton; studied law ut
Washington. and Immediately after
being admitted TO practice. moved TO
kcoklk i'm 1850. Wlierche was admit
ted to partnership with Ex-Gov. II. =.
Lowe, who is to this day his intimate
friend and admirer. From that time
until the war broke ont, he enjoyed
Il lucrative law practice. serving in
the meantime one term in the Legis-
lature. The war found him Doug
lass Democrat. commanding the crack
military Co. of the State. lie wasmadc
Major Of the 18th Iowa Infantry di-
rcctiy after the war commenced, and
subsequently became its Lieutenant
Colonel and Colonel, and ut the bat
tie of Atlanta, by conspicuous gall
lantry, won his Brigadier Generals
Commission. which was asked for by
Sherman in telegram. and of whose
promotion Sherman says in his
Memoirs that it was one OF the best
deserved that he ever recommended.
He was one among our most able and
worthy officers. and went out with the
dissolution OF the Grand Army at
Louisville. with the faHk of Brevet
Major General of Volunteers.
Directly after the close of the war
he was made Collector of Internal
Revenue for the First Iowa District
on the recommendation of the men,
Der from that District. to-wit: Hon.
j. +. WILSON, and was confirmed
through the influence Of GRIMES and
HARLAN. He had the reputation of
being the best Collector of Internal
Revenue in the service. and when he
was appointed Secretary of War by
GRANT, because of the President
personal knowledge of his fitness, and
on account of the endorsement for
that high position made by SHERMAN
and others, and had come to settle his
revenue accounts with the Treasury
there was but one single cent Of diff
ference between them.
lie is. not constituted 10 make a
rampant and bigoted partisan out of,
but from the firing upon Sumpter
there has been no trncr Republican in
the army or out of il. In 1863, when
the Iowa Possums were nosing around
for a soldier candidate to give respect
ability to that marsnpial dodge. he
was offered before Vicksburg. their
nomination for Governor, which he
refused in very emphatic language.
He. moreover, discouraged an army
effort made to bolt STONE: voted for
him himself, and through his aid and
instrumentality his regiment voted
almost unanimously for STONE and
. against TrTTLE. sin the Cabinet he
has been known by the whole coun-
\ try ms one of the staunchcst and most
reliable Republicans among the Pres
idanls immediate advisers. A gen
ilcman who has recently visited
Washington, calls our attention to a
few incidents III Ills official career
there.
a few years ago. when the Demo-
Gratis were cssaying to fill up the
.'bloody chaen." there was IA good
deal of talk about statues of LEE,
Jackson. aud other Confederate Gen
erals. being erected, in the Parks and
Public Squares of Washington, BEL
KNAF, Of course, heard of it, and since
then these places have been occupied
nv statues Of Union Generals. His
course on the Louisiana question two
years ago, will not soon be forgotten
by the country. He stood by the
President when many others bcsitat-
ed. and he pronounced loud amen
to SHERIDAN's characterization of the
White Leaguers down there. "SHER-
IpAN." exclaimed BELKNAp, s.calls Il
spade spade, and he's right" SHEER
IpAN and BELkNAP's nerve saved
Louisiana from anarchy, and we are
not likely 10 have any more foolish
ness there while they are in authority.
A few days ago, an applicant for an
appointment came to his Office with a
recommendation from two eX-Con-
federate Generals, now in the United
States Senate. The applicant received
a polite but decided refusal. He had
scarcely left, however, when another
appeared with recommendation
from a similar source i'm the House,
emphasizing the fact that the appJi-
cant himself was M ex-Confedcrate
soldier. This was too mach for the
soldier Secretary, as might have been
inferred from he character of his an
sAyer.
We now behold the spectacle of
Z. & = -.
sixty -four eN-Confederate officers oc-
oapying seats in the Senate and House.