Iowa Republican Reports on Favorable Elections

October 19, 1862

“Our election is over and we have the State — and all six of the members of Congress,” writes Iowa Republican Francis H. Springer in a letter that finds its way to President Lincoln.  “The canvas on the republican side has dragged, not because of the emancipating proclamation of the president, but because of the lamentable want of vigor and energy in the conduct of the war. All sensible loyal men heartily approve of the proclamation, and bless our worthy president for it again and again — but these same people out here in the North West on whom the burdens of the war have fallen more heavily than on the people of any other section of the loyal portion of the country, are heart-sick at the manner in which the war has been conducted– They are fast losing all heart, and all hope– Within the last year the loyal states have lost hundreds of thousands of their sons and hundreds of millions of their means — and with the exception of the proclamation are apparently no nearer the end than when we were then. And with such generals in command as Grant, Buell, Halleck and McClellan, what good will the proclamation do? Oh, if Mr Lincoln could see as his best friends see, and seeing, would himself be the commander in chief, and would tolerate no treasonable inactivity on the part of his subordinates — in other words would discard, dismiss (is the better word) from the service — the generals I have named — and place live men in their places — such as Banks in Hallecks, Hooker in McClellan’s, and give Rosecrans the command of the West and South-west — he could end the rebellion in 90 days.”

Unfortunately for President Lincoln, most elections in the fall of 1862 would not be so favorable to Republicans.

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