| 204 | HISTORY |
part of the Whigs. Their rallying cry was “hard cider” and “log cabins,” and with songs, public meetings, and rallies throughout the country, General Harrison was borne into the Presidential chair on a wave of popular enthusiasm. Party feeling ran high and extended into the new Territory of Iowa, although its citizens had no voice in the election. The two parties in Iowa now organized and made strictly partisan nominations and the enthusiasm of the national contest spread over the Territory in the pending election.
The first call for a Democratic convention in Iowa, was written by Edward Johnston, in January, 1840, and is as follows:
“Edward Johnston, Shepherd Leffler, Laurel Summers, Jos. T. Fales, G. S. Bailey, John B. Lash, Jacob L. Meyers, Daniel Brewer, W. G. Coop, S. C. Hastings, J. M. Robertson, Jacob Minder, H. Van Antwerp, Thomas Cox, J. W. Parker.”
“January, A. D. 1840.”A Democratic convention was accordingly held, and General A. C. Dodge was nominated for Delegate in Congress. The Whigs held a convention and placed in nomination Alfred Rich. General Dodge was reëlected by a majority of five hundred fifteen.
A proposition had been submitted to the people of the Territory at this election to call a convention for the framing of a constitution, preparatory to the admission of Iowa as a state. It was defeated by a vote of 937 for the convention, to 2,907 against it.
The census of the Territory taken in 1840 showed a population of 43,112, of which 172 were negroes. The
