Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-07-29
speech of Hon. S. j. KirkwOod.


Our worthy candidate for Governor made
his debut at the Court House, Monday eve
ming, before, if not the largest, certainly one
Of the most intelligent audiences we eve,
remember to have met anywhere. 1t is to bt
regretted that prudential reasons relating tc
the health Of Mr.. X. must for the present
prevent him from speaking in the most pop
ular way-that is, in the open air. The SEN
t,ments which he proclaims are such as should
reach every ear, and callous must be the heart
Of that man who can refuse to acquiesce in
and applaud them. Gen. Dodge, for pruden.
tial reasons of another Sort has not yet con.
scented to address the people at all. His
presence is greatly needed in direct opposition
to Mr.. K, to give the calm, logical reasoning
of the latter gentleman a still keener force
still more convincing effect. So far as the
people Of Iowa arc concerned, it would have
been quite q matter of indifference whether
Dodge had remained in Spain or gone up to
Wisconsin until after the Ito him) melancholy
event of the October election. The maternal
attentions of Her Majesty, the Queen of Spain
might have proved some solace to him under
the political decorations he is doomed to
undergo in the present campaign. But enough
of the fugitive.
The meeting at the Court House was
organized by placing Judge Woodward in the
chair. The Judge introduced Mr.. kirkwood,
who spoke for something more than an hour
upon the political topics of the day. After
stating the inseparable connection that does
and will exist between State and National
politics, and comparing the present distracted
condition Of things with the harmony and
tranquility prevailing over our entire country
prior to the mischievous measures of "a, he
traced out the men and the party upon whom
the gdilt must attach, and held them up to
the righteous condemnation of all candid,
truth-loving, liberty loving men. He advcrted
to the practical workings of popular sover-
eighty" as advanced in the famous Kansas
Nebraska Act, and pointed out the glaring
stupidity and woful wrong of converting the
homes of settlers into the battlefield for
adjusting the question of slavery. In the
views maintained by Mr.. X. on this subject
it may be gratifying to know he is sustained
by Gen. Dodge himself, who was made to
confront his image, as exhibited in his
Nebraska bill of '53, to which he furnishes at
present very striking contrast Judges
Mason and Wilson, also, in decision from
the Territorial bench, affirmed in most explicit
terms the power of Congress to regulate
slavery in the Territories, as was shown from
official documents.
The treachery and corruption of the last
few Democratic Administrations were exposed
and scathingly rebuked, and the only true
safeguard of political integrity and national
prosperity shown to rest with the people
themselves, and their expressed will at the
ballot-box. Corruptions will not cease so
long as the people Of this or any other State
sustain the Administration that re,oards-I
systematically rewards--the representatives
that most disobey their WILL And such is
becoming the settled, invariable rule of
modern Democracy, as the people of Iowa
have especially good reasons to know.
Mr.. X. spoke in warm and thrilling terms
Of the degrading influence that slavery exerts
when brought into competition with white
labor spoke of the dignity Of labor, and the
me1b Of perpetuating it in feeling and
manner
The Democratic State platform came in for
! share Of cutting criticism. In spite of its
'pread-eaglepretcnsions of liberality, it stands
Eorth in exact resemblance to the foul, double =
headed bird Of Austria, saying smooth things .
rom one mouth, and gnawing the flesh of its !
deceived victims with the other. !,
Mr.. x. spoke only in complimentary terms :,
II his opponent as man, and Of himself he
sas modest to fault The people, however,
viii show their appreciation Of his own merits G
y man;'no less than the eternal truth of the Is
principles he advocates, by placing him in the p
hair Of State by . majority unprecedented in Al
he history Of Iowa. Al