The Political Rebirth of an Insurrectionist
Repentance “in front of God and everybody” is rare in American politics. In recent times, Alabama Governor George Wallace renounced his segregationist, white supremacist ways in the late 1970s. He…
Tiptoe on the edge of an abyss: A review of The Eve of Conflict: Stephen A. Douglas and the Needless War
A parable: Joke-telling Abraham Lincoln (Republican) in a stovepipe hat; sober-minded Jefferson Davis (Ultra-secessionist Democrat); and diminutive Stephen A. Douglas (national Democrat) stood at the top of a cliff. Davis…
The politics of pain: An 1871-style Iowa stump speech
Six years after Appomattox, the Civil War was an emotional “live wire” in Iowa. Republican candidates for office tapped into the continuing agony, and they condemned Democrats with great vigor…
Gifted doctor, unpredictable man, Part 2
In Part 1, W.H. Farner left Iowa and became a Denver city councilman and physician to the 1st Colorado Infantry. After he accused the soldiers of misdeeds in the field,…
Gifted doctor, unpredictable man, Part 1
Politicians today are accused of flip-flopping, but Dr. William H. Farner fit the bill. He jumped careers and political parties with ease. He first practiced medicine and was active in…
Son of Former Iowa Governor goes bad: “Rebel Son” becomes Campaign Issue
Iowa residents who served the Confederacy were never completely forgotten, especially during campaign season. One such man was 18-year-old Junius L. Hempstead, a Dubuque resident whose father had been Iowa’s…