which amended the prohibitory liquor law so as to prohibit the sale of malt or vinous liquors at retail within two miles of any municipal corporation, or within two miles of the place where and when an election is held. Another act restored capital punishment, which had been recently abolished. A commission was created to investigate an alleged defalcation of the Warden of the Fort Madison penitentiary. A joint resolution was passed to amend the Constitution of the State to render colored men eligible to seats in the General Assembly.
The Greenback party held its State Convention at Des Moines on the 10th of April, 1878, and nominated candidates for State officers. The resolutions adopted reaffirmed the principles heretofore declared.
The Democrats held their State Convention at Cedar Rapids on the 7th of June, nominated a full ticket for State officers and passed resolutions similar to those of their last convention. Later in the season a conference was held between the leaders of the Greenback and Democratic parties in which the following combination ticket was agreed upon which received the support of both parries at the election: Secretary of State, E. M. Farnsworth; Auditor, Joseph Eiboeck; Treasurer, M. L. Devin; Register Land Office, M. Farnington; Supreme Judge, J. C. Knapp; Attorney-General, John Gibbon; Clerk of Supreme Court, Alexander Runyon; Reporter of Supreme Court, J. H. Elliott.
The Republican State Convention was held at Des Moines on the 19th of June and passed a long series of resolutions, which embraced no new declaration of principles. The following candidates were placed in nomination: Secretary of State, J. A. T. Hull; Auditor, Buren R. Sherman; Treasurer, George W. Bemis; Judge of the Supreme Court, James H. Rothrock; Register Land Office, J. K. Powers; Clerk of Supreme Court, E. J. Holmes; Reporter of Supreme Court, J. S. Runnells; Attorney-General, J. F. McJunkin.
