Benjamin F. Gue

“ In pioneer times, gold and silver were for the most part used as money. The Miner’s Bank of Dubuque was the only one established in Iowa in early days, and when that failed, the people lost confidence in paper money, and in the first Constitution of the State prohibited the establishment of banks with power to issue paper money. The object of this provision was clearly to rid the State of bank notes and every form of paper currency, recognizing gold and silver only as lawful money. ”

“ No great victory had been won by a Union army in any department to compensate for these failures and heavy losses. Early in June, General Lee, with his army largely reënforced, and flushed with victories, marched northward, threatening Washington and Philadelphia. Never before had the Union cause seemed in such peril. President Lincoln hastily called upon the Governors of Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia and Ohio for 120,000 militia to repel the invasion. Not more than 50,000 men from the five States responded to the call. ”

“ The title remaining in the State, the lands were exempt from taxation, the person leasing with the privilege of buying, was neither required to improve nor to live upon the land, as in the case of one taking a homestead, and the amount that one person could lease and buy was not limited. These conditions made the college lands the most desirable investment to a large class of people who had confidence that in the future there must be great increase in the value of Iowa lands. This plan of disposing of the college grant met the approval of the General Assembly and was promptly enacted into law. ”

“ Consequently no act of the Board could become effective which required the expenditure of money unless it met the approval of a majority of the members of both branches of the Legislature. While the members of the Boards of Education had usually been men well qualified to enact educational laws, and their acts had met public approval, the people could see no necessity for a third legislative body and the additional expense and delay involved in the new system. ”

“ It was impossible to fill these most important positions with officers educated for the profession of arms, for they were not in the country. Selections had to be made largely from men engaged in civil pursuits, who must acquire a knowledge of military affairs in camp, on the march, or amid the carnage of the battle-field. ”

“ That all official acts of the Executive should, at the time, be entered in a journal. He should keep a military record, on which should be entered every act done by him as Commander-in-Chief. An act prohibiting the circulation of foreign bank notes in Iowa and an act abolishing the State Board of Education, and providing for the election of a Superintendent of Public Instruction were also passed. ”

“ The labor and responsibility have been very great. The labor has always been well and promptly performed, and the responsibility cheerfully borne. ... It affords me great pleasure to say that whatever of success has attended the raising and organizing of troops in this State is due to the efficient services of the present incumbent of that office.” At the close of Governor Kirkwood’s term, the report of the Adjutant-General showed that these two officials had raised, organized and put into the field, forty regiments of infantry, nine regiments of cavalry and four batteries of artillery. ”

“ The most important acts of this session of the Legislature were the following: an act to organize and discipline the militia of the State; an act for the relief of the families of soldiers and marines in the service of the United States, which required the collection of two mills on the dollar of all taxable property in each county for the benefit of such families for the years 1864-1865; an act making an appropriation for the erection of a building for the State Agricultural College ”