The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-08-06

KUKWo( Ard D0DGR
s1Re llsa u 81 Il OsIuloosa- Dodge
gets e.raed angry Dodge avosos
Ais si32ngH - Aslp . catch tagitips
sles Ded3t gsts 6ellscosc and bellid-
efes Dodes 1Sts 0gfally used up;
Dst., ~, 90.
0skaloosa. July 80, 1859. !.
Friday. the 9esh Of July, will long b remedh-
bered By the eitissns Of this county = one Of
the memorable days o. this political campaign.
Il witnessed the first Discussion betwssn The
two rival candidates for Gubsrnatorial honors.
The whole 6ssns was one q rars interest and
amusement 4ssssssssls.ss
NJ. Kirkwood's regular appointment was y
two o'clock, and at that time Union Hall was
filled BY large and respectable audience. Mr.
K. spoke for nearly three hours, and was lis
tened TO with marked attention, and frequent
demonstrations Of appreciation. His speech
was characterised by calmness, earnestness,
clear statements Of facts and principles, and
solid arguments founded thereon. Il was .
thorough exposition Of questions both Of State
and National policy.
Gen. Dodge had been invited to meet Mr..
Kirkwood, but - he had not accepted the in
vitation, the people we're both surprised and
pleased when he came into the Hall. Mr.. KS
speech being At the time about two-thirds de-
livered. NJ. K. was at that moment speaking
upon National politics, having already spent IN
hour aad half on questions Of State policy
He alluded to his competitor, Gen. Dodge, in
most respectful add complimentary terms, and
In the whole cousse. d his Subsequent remarks
said not q word that could be possibly con-
strued as personally offensive towards his antag.
onisa He did, however. talk very plainly in
regard to the bred Scott decision and the gen
ersl policy Of the sham-democfacy.
When Mr.. K. had concluded his remarks,
Gen. Dodge strobe up and on to the platform,
with an air Of pseudo-dignity and ultra POM
posity that would have excited the admiration
of her Majesty, the Queen Of Spain. He COM
menced most furious and incoherent declsma.
ton. He fairly boiled over with rage and in
dignation. The audience was taken completely
by surprise, and the scene which followed beg
CARS all description: For half or three quar-.
tiers of an hour the General continued TO walk
backward and forth on the stand, to swing bis
hands, toss his head, sway his body to and fro,
and all the time splitting forth disconnected
sentences on variety Of subjects. His excite
ment and passion had . complete mastery over
him. In speaking of the admission OF Kansas
under the Lecompton Constitution, he declares
that his ''sympathies we're all in favor Of
Slave State" He said "the Fugitive Slave Law
of 1850 was part and parcel Of the Consttu-
ton Of the U. S." This is but specimen Of bis
loose and unguarded expressions.
In the course Of his wild harangue, be asked
Mr.. Kirkwood if be (Mr. K. } supported the COM
promise measures Of 1850? Mr.. K. replied that,
in common with great majority Of the people
of the country be accepted those measures as .
settlement of the slavery question. Gen. Dodge
then said: ''Mr. Kirkwood, would you obey the
Fugitive Slave Law?" Mr.. x. replied Il would
not resist the enforcement Of that Law, but be-
fore would aid in capturing fugitive slave !
would suffer the penalty Of the law, but would
not aid in carrying it into execution"
Mr.. K. returned the compliment, and asked
Gen. Dodge if he would assist in catching a
fugitive slave. Gen. Dodge replied ~ aoould
1 could do scAateuer tie lar requires me to do"
Mr.. Kirkwood subsequently remarked that he
had, in fifty-six, made speeches in sixteen DIFF
fereut counties in Iowa, and that he had put
this same question to more than a score Of diff
ferent audiences composed Of both parties, and
in not single instance had he found a man,
not even a postmaster, who would stand up and
say that he would help in capturing runaway
slaves. Gen. Dodge did not qualify or modify
his answer, but proceeded to defend the Fugi-
tive law of 1850, and said that its present pro-
visions were necessary in order to make it
effective. Let the people Of Iowa remember,
let the people of the whole Union remember,
and especially let the people Of the South re
member, that Gen. A. G. Dodge, the Democratic
candidate jfor Governor, openly arous his ,cil
himsness to lend his personal aid to capture fugi
tire siases.
The Gen. ranted and rsved, to the great cha
grin of Democrats and to the indescribable
amusement of Republicans, until he seemed
exhausted, and then announced that he would
make speech in the evening.
y Evening came, and with it crowded audi. |
ence. Gen. Dodge took the stand and spoke
for about one horr and a half His speech was
made up of desutory defamation about the |
Court Of Spain, the Democratic party, the COM
promise measures Of 1850, and particularly
about himself. He eulogized Clay, Webster,
Douglas, Buchanan, Soule, and other distin-
guished men, and took good care to tell the
audience frequently that they were his blossom
Friends" While speaking he walked constantly
back and forth in front Of the audience, putting
On all the dignity and courtly airs that he is
master of. As speech his effort was as total
D failure az one would need to witness. It was
Hat and pointless, without single redeeming
qualification. As specimen of pomposity, self
Importance, and self-laudation, it was hard to
beat. He apologized for his excitement in the
but charged Mr.. K. with appealing
10 the lowest and basest Of the human passions.
After the General had finished, Mr.. Kirkwood
was called on and spoke for an hour in his usual
earnest and effective style, literally demolish-
ng the proud and pompous ex-Mnster. Mr..
<, Notwithstanding the harshness Of his oppo.
,ent's remarks, was perfectly fair and courte-
rus. When he had finished the General took
he stand again, apparently under the greatest
possible excitement and Indignation. He de-
,lared that Mr.. had painted slavery in its
darkest colors. He said that Slavery was a
'ivilizDg and Christanizing institution. That
he poor negroes were taken from the heather
angles of Africa. enlightened, civilized, and
inally saved in heaven! He said that IN old
lines when a ship arrived from Africa with q
DAD Of blacks the people welcomed them with
'pen arms because they would now be enlght-
med, Christanized, and prepared for heaven!
lie smoke for fifteen ny fwanlv ,n;pptac raan, |