The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-08-26
The Archives to be Turned Ger to the
Iowa Historical sooisty
by the Score.
tary.

y
charge of his desk. Only about four
teen or fifteen were present.
The reading of the minutes was on
motion dispensed with.
1t was on motion decided that when
this meeting closes It adjourns sine
die and that the archives be turned
over to the Iowa historical society for
preservation, the organization of FIRE.
mont voters OF the first Iowa congress
stonal district Of Iowa being the only
one OF the kind In the United States
and the members being old 1t was
hard to get full attendance at any
point in the district.
d
The Veterans.
There are many old memories con- |
nected with the meeting, carrying the
mind back to eventful days happening
before the great civil war, an epoch
in the history of the union. Its begin
ming dates from the memorable con.
test for presidential ascendency in
1856. In that contest centered much
Of the policies and destiny Of this
country. 1t was the dividing of the
masses on sharply defined Issues.
There were candidates of three par
tiles in the field for the presidency,
John g. Fremont, republican candi-
date with William L. Dayton Of New
Jersey for vice president; James
Buchanan was the democratic candi-
date, with John G. Breckenridge OF
Kentucky for vice president, and Mil
lard Fillmore OF New York, wnig can
didate, with Andrew jackson Dom
nelson of Tennessee for vice presi-
dent.
Iowa was then comparatively
young state and considered a frontier
geographical division of the union. 1t
has been democratic state in its
earlier days, but many Of the demo
Gratis and wings, the prominent par
les at the formation of the state,
were mildly anti-slavery in their ten
denotes and in the presidential cleo
ton OF 1856 many of the members OF
these parties, some of them leaders
in the old parties, broke loose from
their former party afIliations and
Joined with the Fremont party
The result was7the popular vote In
the state resulted as follows:
Fremont, 1916; Buchanan, 37863;
Fillmore 9,e69.
The popular vote in the United
States resulted as follows:
Buchanan, 1,sSs,169 Fremont, l.,
s41 ,2s4: Fillmore, s74,5S4
The electoral vote in the United
States stood: Buchanan, 174 Ere
, mont, la; Fillmore, s.
1t was notable contest and It hat
!. to be Witnessed, even though through
boyish eyes to be fully realized.
was a strenuous campaign, and ye
in this far west country, this thinl!
f populated pioneer land, It was con
r Quoted with far more saneness thai
the presidential contests Of the pros
ent DAYS of what is called advance
civilization. CAMPAIGN polls wsr
: raised In almost every township b
the enthusiastic followers Of each q
the candidates. Among the man
speakers In this locality was the lat
James w. Grimes who, accordini
to memory, was governor of the stat
at the time and afterwards Unite
States senator from iowa. Accordin
to best memory he had been demo
crat, but always with antislavery lear
~ ~ a ffy,ur ~ n
waves composing the masses and tn
i large vote of Fremont and the sma
vote for Fillmore tells the wondrou
u story OF how the POLITICAL tide wa
q turning.
There was large influx of EN-
u grants to this young state and fartn
u er west passing through the state 1
s all kinds OF covered wagons and nea,
u ~ all these wagons were emblazone
with the names Of the presidents
> favorites of the mover. Buck an
!. Breck," Fremont and Dayton" 18th
q Wcolley horse meaning Fremont
"Buchanan and breckenridge" wit
q other legends, some humorous, other
serious, and these wagons would b
B seen almost all hours of the day
8 passing along the public roads
their objective points.
There were no spellbinders in thos
days, all the orators and people kee
. ing themselves in due bounds of pa
H riotisri, practicability and the couI
II try's welfare es they saw 1t, from a
\ honest and uncorrupted viewpoint.
They are memorable days even WI
n riessad nv boyish ewes IL was a sire