Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/44

to $71,880.97, for which suit was instituted against his sureties. Of this amount he had loaned to the builders of the temporary State House a sum which, with interest to this date, amounted to $53,733.61. The Governor recommended the purchase of this building now used by the State but owned by private parties and the canceling of the mortgages standing against them.

The special commission, consisting of John A. Kasson, J. M. Griffith and Thomas Seeley, appointed to examine into the affairs of the various State offices, made an elaborate report showing many defects and irregularities in the manner of transacting the public business. Their recommendations in the manner of transacting the public business. Their recommendations for radical reforms were warmly approved by the Governor and by him commended to the General Assembly.

A large part of Governor Kirkwood’s inaugural address, delivered to the Legislature on the 11th of January, was given to the consideration of issues involved in the Kansas and Nebraska struggle over slavery and John Brown’s raid in Virginia. In speaking of John Brown’s invasion, the Governor said:

“Is it strange that, maddened by recollections of wrongs inflicted upon them in Kansas because of their love of freedom, should lead men to the conclusion that they should do and dare as much at home for liberty as those who have oppressed them were doing abroad for slavery? While I deeply deplore and most unqualifiedly condemn, I cannot wonder at the recent unfortunate and bloody occurrence at Harper’s Ferry. While the great mass of our Northern people utterly condemn the act of John Brown, they feel and express admiration and sympathy for the disinterestedness of purpose by which they believe he was governed and for the unflinching courage and calm cheerfulness with which he met the consequences of his failure.”

The Governor attempted a solution of the troublesome negro problem and threatened dangers from American slavery by advocating a system of colonization of the negro population in some South American country. He argued that by such a plan both slavery and the negroes