n a Member of Congress from 1843 to 1847 as a Democrat, but
early took decided ground against the extension of slavery. He
was the reputed author of what is known as the "Wilmot Proviso."

On the 8th day of August this famous proviso was offered as an
amendment to a bill authorizing the President of the United States
to employ $3,000,000 in negotiations for a peace with Mexico, by
purchase of territory, by David Wilmot, of Pennsylvania, a Member
of the House. "That, as an express fundamental condition to the
acquisition of any territory from the Republic of Mexico by the
United States, neither slavery nor involuntary servitude should
ever exist in any part of said territory." This proviso was adopted
by the House, but was rejected by the Senate. It was the basis of
the organization known as the Free Soil party of 1848, and of the
Republican party in 1856.

The other candidates on the ticket were fairly distributed.

The canvass of 1855 was conducted mainly by Senator Chase and
Colonel Ford. I participated in it to some extent, but was chiefly
engaged in closing my business in preparation for the approaching
session of Congress. The result of the election was as follows:
Chase, 146,770 votes; Medill, 131,019; Allen Trimble, 24,276.

The election of Senator Chase, upon a distinctly Republican platform,
established the fact that the majority of the voters of Ohio were
Republicans as defined by the creed of that party.

In the summer of 1855 I made my first trip to Iowa, accompanied by
Amos Townsend and James Cobean. At that time Iowa was a far-off
state, thinly populated, but being rapidly settled. We passed
through Chicago, which at that time contained a population of about
50,000. The line of railroad extended to the Mississippi River.
From thence we traveled in a stage to Des Moines, now the capital
of Iowa, but then a small village with about 1,000 inhabitants.
The northern and western parts of the state were mostly unsold
public lands, open to entry. My three brothers, James, Lampson,
and Hoyt, were living in Des Moines. James was a merchant in
business. Lampson was the editor and proprietor of a newspaper,
and Hoyt was actively engaged in the purchase and sale of land.
With Hoyt for a guide we drove in a carriage as far north as Fort
Dodge, where a new land office had been recently established. The
whole country was an open plain with here and there a cabin, with
no fences and but little timber. W