The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1860-09-10
Gov. KtrRwood 40 mr.. Hyangson.

Iowa CRY, Sept. 8, 1860.
lie Grand Byington, Esq:
SiR--In your letter to me in the State
Press Of the goth August, you make speech
and give me a challenge. Courtesy requires
! | should reply to both.
OF the Wing party have only this to say.
Ii is not living organization. The time has
not come TO write it's history, nor 10 either OF
as it's proper historian. Its name and the
names of the statesmen and soldiers ii has
given our country will be cherished in our
State, when your name and mine will be for
gotten. The Republican party is a living
organization. You either misunderstood or
misrepresent it's purposes and history. 1t is
not thoroughly aboltionised " unless - alb
olitionism " consists 10 an earnest and deter
mined but peacsab!e and constitutional OPP
position to the extension Of Slavery into
free territory. Its Cow ention was Ma
sional" and not sectional one. True, all
the States were not represented in that Con-
ventlon, not because any were excluded by
the call, but because some did not choose 20
send delegates, yet more States were repre-
scented by full delegations than in either of
the remnants of the Convention at Balsi.
more, that nominated Mir. Douglas or MIR
Breckenridge.
Its candidate, MIR. Lincoln, 10 not nor ever
has boen an abolitionist,' unless the term
il to be understood as above stated; nor did
he exhibit "factious hostility in Congress -
| TO the Mexican war. / may not properly un-
derstapd what YOU mean by the assertion
that Mr.. Lincoln [" acknow lodges bis obliga-
tion'' to the higher law" but If you mean
that If be shall find himself commanded by
the law OF man TO do or not TO do an act un-
der penalty, the doing or not doing OF which
is expressly prohibited to or eDjoined upon
him by the Law of God, he will, in such case,
50 obey God rather than man." and suffer pa
tiently what penalty mans law may infiot,
hope you define bis position truly.
You say in substance that you and acted
tegethcr, politically, 10 .Si8, as members OF
the then Democratic party; and that now,
while You are still member OF the same
Democratic party, am member of the Re-
publican party. You err somewhat in this.
You are member of but faction of the
Democratic party, and the members of the
other faction Of the same party, apply to you
and your associates the term " aboiitionist,"
as fippantly, as unotuously, and as Justly ss
you apply it TO the Republicans. You are q
Dougasite and not Democrat.
Why | am not the one or the other will
state briefly. believe that the men who
made the Constitution, and the men who re-
ceived ii from their hands and put it in mo-
ton, understood the meaning of that instru-
ment better than Mr.. Pierce and MIR. Bnch-
anan, than Mr.. Douglas and Mr.. Breokin-
ridge. know that those men and the men
who for many years followed them in the
control OF our National Government, believ-
ed and acted upon the belief, that Congress
had power to prohibit slavery in the territor-
les, and therefore cannot accept the teach
ngs of the new men of the Democratic par
ty who deny to Congress that power. The
Brecki bridge faction directly favors the in
PRODUCTION of Slavery into all the territories,
while he best that can be said for the Dong
las faction is, that it "don't eareo whether
Slavery be so introduced or not. Ia nv
judgment, neither fe elton occupies the ground
held by the Democratic party in l848 on this
question, nor does either faction occupy the
right ground, and therefore cannot act with
either bnt can and do cordially sympath-
ise and act with the Republican party
which, while earnestly depreeating and op-
posing the extension of Slavery into free
territory, seeks to use no means to that end
not sanctioned by the fathers of the Consti.
tuition and the Union.
So much for your speech, now for your
, challenge. very much regret that cannot
; accept il. My entire time for the next tive
weeks is already engaged. | have also &C.
cepted several invitations TO attend Republi
: can mass meetings after that time, at point,
J quite distant from each other, and with sew
eral days between their dates. Besides dt
! not desire to eonfpc myself wholly to eoun
ties south Of the line of the NJ. l. Nj. Raj
Road" nor would | be willing to waste 81
? much time, as would result from allowin.
as an interval of at least forty eight hours be
!, tween the meetings, west of keokuk county.
For these reasons must respectfully declin
! your challenge. Very Respectfully,
. SAMUEL j. KIRKwoop.