The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1856-07-31
IFor he Gassus.



On Monday mex. the people Of Iowa will
Be called upon. not merely to express their
opinion a. to the comparative ability or NOR
al worth Of the candidates presented for
their acceptance or rejection, but they are
to decide whether the principles avowed
and defended by these candidates are and
ought to be the sentiments Of the majority
Of the citizens Of this State.
The contest is pre-eminently one Of prin-
ciple, and ss such ought to be considered
by every Intelligent citizen. On one side
are those who are openly and avowedly oP-
posed to the extension of slavery into ter
ritories now free. They make no assaults
on the rights of the States, but place them
selves firmly on the Declaration Of Indepen-
dence and the Constitution, and insist that
this government shall be conducted in strict
conformity with the principles contained in
those time-honored instruments. On the
other side are those who would have the
whole administrative force Of the United
States exerted to extend and nationalist a
system Which is wholly 1t variance with
and anita gonistic to the principles Of liberty.
Thesc are considerations that bring this
subject right home to the people Of Iowa.
| Immediately on our western border, sla-
very is extoled and defended, while liberty
ia crushed, freedom Of speech no longer ex-
lists; the press is placed under censorship
a. rigid and unrelenting as that Of Rome;
and the descendants Of the pilgrim fathers
have been murdered and plundered and
driven from the homes which they had
chosen on the fertile plains Of Kansas.
In view Of these facts, what has been
the course of the so-called Democratic par
ty in this State-in this county. Their
principal speaker, G. s. c. Dow, has. been
canvasssing the county, hoping thereby TO
secure the election of himself and his CO.
adutors. To do this he has defended the
course of the Pierce, Douglas and Atchison
administration, wilfully misrepresented the
facts of history, reviled the sons of New
England, made light of the wrongs OF the
people of Kansas, thereby adding insult to
injury, and then coolly ssks the people of
lows to endorse his views and support
Messrs Pierce & Co. BY voting for the greet
Democratic party,
Citizens Of free Iowa, the issue 10 fairly
before you. Let no amount of sophistry
or Political intrigue drive you from it. Ii
you want the curse Of slavery nationslized
and extended everywhere under the Consti-
tuition, if you wish to give "aid and comfort
to those who are now expressing Kansas,
vote for Letter, Dow and Co. Blu, if you
value liberty above despotism, peace and or
der above anarchy and bloodshed, if you
love freedom of speech, freedom Of the
press, and wish to continue free people,
vote the ticket presented for your accep-
lance by the Republican party. He who
fails to do this, either through neglect or BY
voting for a third party, will inevitably cast
his influence in supper, of the so-caiied
Democratic administration. The people Of
Kansas are waiting for your verdict; the
friends OF freedom everywhere are looking
for your approval; and Pierce and Douglas
are anxiously looking on hoping that By
some political trick, some division in the
ranks Of their opposers, the vote of this
State will be given in their favor. Let ev-
cry voter use his utmost diligence to secure
by an overwhelming majority the election
of those who are in favor of free speech
free presses, free men and Fremont.
AGKIcoLA.
LIE CLAIRE, July 80, 1856