Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-03-27
.REVIV ALOFINTEREST
History of Iowa is Receiving More
Attention.
INTERESTING RECORDS OF THE PAST
Benjamin r. shambaugh's valuable
Work ON the Constitutional Con.
-Anlions of ls44 and lsA0-
Harlan,s Memoirs. s

In current interest in Iowa historical
matters quite renaissance is noted nj
present by people concerned in such at,
fairs. Charles A. Aldrich, founder and
patron saint of the historical depart.
ment of the state, is of the opinion
that the next two or three years will
prino forth publications of the great
est value and interest to the people OF
Iowa, bearing on the early period OF
its statehood, and on the territorial
days. Mr.. Aldrich is also gratified with
the disposition of the legislature to
give generous consideration to the
work In which he has been so long in
terested.
The records Of early Iowa, both as
p territory and as state, are incom-
plete and in such condition that only
by the greatest effort is it possible to
y put them in shape for the use of the
ordinary citizen or student. For exam
pie, OF one general assembly of the
state there are no journals in exist
ence. The records of the constitution
al conventions of 1914 and 1916 have
never been completed until recently;
and yet they contain much OF the
greatest interest to the iowa student.
Prof. Benjamin T.. Shambaugh, OF the
State university, a young man who
fasvas born and educated in the state and
who has studied under John Bach Nc
Master, has taken up series of sya.
fematic efforts to revive interest in
Iowa history, and has made a large
5 contribution to it. He has Just pub
1ished at Iowa City a large volume COW
{ erings the records Of the constitutional
conventions of 1874 and 1886. In 1874
p constitution was submitted 10 the
people Of the territory, preliminary to
admission to statehood. That consti-
tuition provided, among other things,
taiat the western boundary OF the
state should run along the crest of the
wide. between the Mississippi and Mis-
souri; it would have left part of Cass
county in Iowa and part of it would
have been excluded; Dickinson coun-
d tn would have been similarly divided.
Many people considered that the Mis-.
souri, slope was a worthless desert,
which would only be an incubus on
iShe new state; but when the people
went to the ballot boxes that fail
they made a record Of their confidence
y an the Missouri slope by defeating by
1 very small majority the proposed consti-
tuition. This resulted in the postpone
1nept for two years of Iowa's admis-
! sion to the union.
Then in 1916 came another constitu-
tional convention. This time the boun.
/. diaries selected for the new state were
made as at present, and the people
i accepted the constitution, and in the
latter days Of December of that wear
the state was formally admitted. 1t
4 rs with the proceedings of these two
constitutional conventions that Prof
Shambaugh's book deals, and it is
most interesting volume. His training
under McAaster shows forth in MANY
ways. The book is a compilation Of
stiH and formal old newspaper reports
from the Iowa Gazette OF that time, the
sonly paper now to be found which
contained anything like satisfactory
& reports OF the sittings of the conven-
tons. Many questions were discussed
which seem decided archaicly to the
& reader of this day. For instance, there
Were long discussions OF the slavery
question, and whether the state wanted
4s 70 80 on record too strongly against
slavery. Some Of the delegates sol
n EMMY assured the convention thar a
negro was not really man, and that
At was useless to adopt system which,
would treat him as such. But the free
soil element was largely in the major
4 sty, and a free constitution was the re.
n suit.
Rev. William Salter, the venerable
Burlington minister who some time ago
celebrated his golden anniversary as
pastor OF the same church in that city.
4 as engaged on some memoirs which are
expected to be published in the near
future. They will have the merits Of
literary excellence, and will relate to a
period concerning which very few men
are able to write from personal recol-
s lection.
James Harlan's memoirs were com.
pleted, at the time Of his death, down
IN TO 1868. They thus cover the period
1 OF Iowa history concerning which least
Is known, as well as a large part of the
Il civil war period, during which Senator
harlan was serving in the senate.
That they were never completed is a
y matter Of regret to every body interest
ed IN such work. 1t is understood that
Mrs. Robert L. Lincoln, daughter of
Senator Harlan, will publish these
memoirs in the near future.
Henry Sabin, eX-state superintendent
OF public instruction, and his son.
a.. Z. Sabin, are just publishing a his
tory, entitled ''The Making of Iowa
" 1t is q neat volume OF about 800 pages,
y prepared with great care, a thoroly
conscientious work, dealing with early
times in territory and state, consisting
of many characteristic episodes, thread
ed together on a historical thread. 1t
is intended chiefly for use in the
! schools, and will be well illustrated.
The Annals of Iowa, published quar-
L..
the publications of the Historical soci-
ETY. at Iowa City, are constantly add