Mr. STUBBS At Sioux City

STUBBS, WILSON

Posted By: Richard K. Thompson (email)
Date: 8/28/2010 at 22:20:31

Fairfield Ledger
October 21, 1869

MR. STUBBS AT SIOUX CITY

We noticed last week that our fellow citizen, Hon. D.P. STUBBS (sic. Daniel Parham STUBBS, a lawyer based in Fairfield, Iowa at this point in time who often traveled around Iowa and the country giving speeches of political and social commentaries) had spoken at Sioux City on the 6th, inst. Since that time we have received the Journal of the 7th, containing a synopsis of Mr. STUBBS' speech. The synopsis is so good and truthful that we cannot forbear publishing it, even if the election has passed:

Mr. STUBBS made an able speech, replete with solid fact, and entirely devoid of all slang and vituperation. He took up the charges of the Democratic party against the Republican party and exhibited their utter lack of foundation in truth. He told his hearers what the condition of the State was, under Democratic rule. Then there was but twenty-five miles of railway in the State; then there was but one public institution in the State, and that the prison at Ft. Madison; then there was no sound currency; thou the State was in debt - Now, after twelve years of Republican administration, during five of which years we had been at war, the State is supplied with two insane asylums, an Institution for the blind, a deaf and dumb asylum, a State university, an agricultural college and college farm; now the State is spanned by four east and west lines of railway and is soon to have another, while the north and south roads are making rapid progress; now we have a national currency, good the Union over; now the State
has 1,300,000 population; and now the state is out of debt and has a large surplus in the treasury. He then adverted to national politics, exhibiting the unsoundness of the Democratic party, and laying bare their various schemes for the requdiation of the public debt. If we had room and time it would please us much to synopsize this portion of Mr. STUBBS' able address; we must satisfy ourself with one point. He showed that over $600,000,000 of our National bonds were held by foreign capitalists, who had purchased them in the gloomy days of the Republic on the pledge of the Government that they would not be taxed and that they would be liquidated according to contract. After asking how it was possible to tax those bonds held by foreigh capitalists, he proceeded to show the effect of their repudation. The Governments of England and France, he said, would demand the just payment of those obligations, and would unite in resorting to arms to compel such payment. With a depleted treasury, a watered currency and a lost credit, how was this Government to resist that demand? The result would inevitably be against us, and possibly result in subjugation to a foreign power.

The attendance was good, and the audience listened with the deepest interest to Mr. STUBB's clear and able exposition of political issues. The speaker reflected credit and honor upon himself, and upon the practical good sense of our State Central Committee.

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes. I am not related to the person(s) mentioned.

Transcriber note: The Hon. Daniel P. STUBBS was a law partner in Fairfield, Iowa with the Hon. James Falconer WILSON, who in his own right went into political life and became Sen. James F. WILSON, representing Iowa in the U.S. Congress. Both men were active in community (local and statewide), legal, and political affairs and they were both sought after to give speeches from time to time in Iowa and the nation on political and social issues of the time.

The story told in this entry was found in a microfilm image of the Fairfield Ledger on file at the Fairfield Public Library, Fairfield, Iowa.

It is transcribed for the benefit of those interested in perspectives of the condition of Iowa and the nation in 1869.

The views expressed in the text were chosen by the editor(s) of the Fairfield Ledger at the time of publication.