Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-07-26
D. N. COOLEY.
A Searching and Racy Analysis of His Char
acter and Record as held in Popular Esti-
matfOn-SOme Excellent and Conclusive
ReasOns Why He should not be the Re-
publican Nominee for Canwresa.
Fromthe Elkader Journal, July17,

matiOn-SOme Excellent and Conclusive
Reasons Why He should not be the Re-
publican Nominee for Congress.
Fromthe Elkader Journal, July17.
We aR an earnest Republican. The
life Of the Republic never more surely
depended upon the success of the Re-
publican party than now The battle
at hand is for Congressman. That the
party may strike the enemy with united
force, it is necessary that it should Sc
lect single standard bearer in each
district. The selection Of this one man
is the question under discussion, by Re-
publicans in this District. Who shall
he be? True Republicans will all say,
any man with the following qualifica-
tons:
First willingness to accept the po-
sition.
Second, such character and qualities
as make it reasonably certain that, if
elected, he would make true, honor;t-
BILE, faithful Republican Cong ressman.
Third, popularity and availability as
a candidate.
No man found to lack any of these
qualifications, should be for Il moment
further considered, in the present emer
gency. When these questions are set
tied, and not till then, minor questions
of personal preference" local claims,
comparative ability and popularity, very
justly come in. Four men are easily
found to fill the first condition: Hon.
Thomas Updegraff, Hon. Alexander
BLEEDING, Hon. w. G.. Donnan and
Hon. d. N. Cooley. We have no doubt
that Others might be found if looked
for. With present light, VIC should
most certainly exert all the power with
in us to push the Republican standard
to victory, should the McGrcgor con-
vention place 1t in the hands Of any one
of the above men.
Though we have decided personal
preference, which we do not hesitate to
state to any man that asks us, we should
most heartily and gladly follow the old
flag in the hands of Mr.. Updcgraff, Mr..
BLEEDING or Mr.. Donnan, Added to
considerations of duty to the cause, we
should have incentives of personal
friendship and very great personal con-
fidence in the man. In the case of MIR.
Cooley we should be moved alone by
the considerations of duty to the stand
ard Sincerely believing this to be true
of very large number of the best Re-
publicans, in every part of the district,
we heartily deprecate and protest against
the nomination of MIR, Cooley. We
base our opposition to his nomination
on no single letter or act, but upon CON
siderations touching his record and
character or reputation during the past
eighteen years-the years through which
we have known him. During all these
years We have had opportunities equal
to the majority of the newspaper men
of the District for the observation of pub
lie men and public sentiment. During all
these years, we have always understood
Mr.. Cooley to be regarded as more
than ordinarily able man; a kind, gener-
ous-hcarted man; man of rich, invit-
ing social qualities; an orator; scholar;
so far as outward graccs 90, and very
many inward ones, a gentleman. \ man
against whom it seems hardship to
say anything, or feel anything. A man
whose many good qualities tended to
ward off criticism; and yet, all the
while, a man of duplicity. A man fish
ing for popularity; man who puts his
loving arm around every conner, regard
less of age, condition or color-not of
sex-and declares, my dear brother,
you are just the best man in this whole
wide world" a man whose wealth was
rapidly accumulated in questionable
ways; man who profted by the mis-
fortunes Of the government: who fell
rather easily in with certain lax ways of
Indian finances; who prohted
as cotton claim attorney" by informa-
ton gained in pay of the Government,
and Of which the Government, on strict
moral principles, should have had the
full advantage. Mind we are not max
ing charges. The public has grown to
pretty thoroughly that when
we call a man liar and villain, the
evidence is close at hand We want no
more force attached to our words, eth
or by inference or otherwise, than be-
longs to them. We are undertaking to
state fairly the fact of long existing
widely held by the people of
this District. One which continues to
exist, and hence bears on the chief ques-
ton we are trying, like honest men to
decide. This impression may be terri
bly, unjust to Mr.. Cooley. That it is
not is a matter of belief, or at least
with us, and not of hnowledge.
If it is just, it goes to the core of the
matter. 1t utterly units him for Re
publican congressman. 1t fully justi'
ties any Republican in refusing to sup
port him, under any circumstances If
unjust, it goes to the mark of his avail
ability as candidate. The impression
has existed so long, and still exists so
strongly that there can be no hope Of
eradication in time to give us that free
dom and heartiness and confidence so
and necessary in such a can
vasS as we are sure to have.
Four years ago, it is generally under
stood that MIR. Cooley undertook to
push his political fortunes, in manner
which, to say the least, is exceedingly
to thousands of as good Re
publicans as we have-those who
think the Office should seek the man,
and not the man the office. This year
he is surely in the field with the same
sort of machinery. Minor considera-
tons, such as locality" personal
claims" and the like, are very much
against Mr.. Cooley. so that no man is
wild enough to dream that, resting upon
simple willingness to accept the nomi-
nation, without work and figuring in his
own behalf, the place would be spon-
accorded him, and yet this is
the only manner in which he had any
earthly right to ask for it. OF the
charge of an attempt to bride a news
paper, the people are likely to hear
enough from other quarters. We think
we can see just how Mr.. Cooley might
have given Judge Toman a hundred
dollars, or even more, under the circum-
with perfectly good motives.
Judge Cooley owes much of the good
things he enjoys in this world to devel-
opments which have been greatly aided
by the country press, and to have paid
part of the debt in time of such mis-
fortune, might have been an expression
Of gratitude and acknowledgement of
obligation honoring to the noblest heart.
always to charge good ac-
lions to bad motives we choose to hope
that the offer was made with no bad
intent.
1t should be remembered that whilst,
in the ordinary rights of citizenship,
men are presumed to be innocent until
proved guilty, that we have right to