New Oregon plaindealer. (New Oregon, Iowa) 1859-1866, 1860-03-30
81 PER ANNUM
NO 3ss3s,

A AZ" u@yS a8o received tLeSlnan-
tc5ural address" of Governor Kirkwood,
of Iowa, and the paragraph relating to
the rcccn: occurrence at Harper's Fer
ry shows most clearly that his feeling,
and sympathies are warmly enlisted
On the side of John Brown and his
criminal associates. While he uuouali-
hedly condems the act, yet "hc cannot
wonder at the recent unfortunate and
bloody occurrences at Harper's Ferry;
while ne does not justify it, he yet de-
c'ares it was relievedto some extent of
its guilt, in the minds of many, by tho
fact that the blow was struck for free
dom and not siavery.' And he further
says "While the great mass of our
northern people utterly condemn tho
act Of John Brown, they feel and they
express admiration and sympathy for
the dlsinterestedness of purpose by
which they believe he was governed,
and for the unAinching courage and
calm checrlulness with which he met
the consequences CT his failure" @ .
The denial Of this requisit;on, and mn
merous other evidences of unfriendly
feeling whichare being exhibited daily
by q large portion of the Northern
people, and their representative men to-
wards the South and the institution Of
domestic slavery, ought to impress up
on US thenecessity ofadopting a prompt
energetic and decided measures to pro-
tect our rights, secure direct trade, es-
tabllshins manufactures, and thus
achieve Southern independence. When
men h,lilng the highest official posi-
| ton IN the free states 'feeln and s'ex
press admiration and sympathy" for
those whose characters arc biackened
with crime, and whose hands are stained
with the blood OF innocent and unonenl-
ING citizens ofthe slaveholding States;
when they solemnly declare that they
''cannot wonder at the recent unfortu-
nate and bloody occurrences at Harper's
terry"-we must cease to ibe surpri-
sed when we see the constitution, and
the laws enacted for the protection Of
liberty and property, disresarded, con-
5enlned and tranpIed upon. We must
meet this spirit of aggression upon the
slaveholdlng States sternly and reso-
lutcly; and to this end union and harmo
ny are indispensable to success. We
must hayea united South. Necessity
and duty to ourselves. and to those who
are identified with us in interest and
sympathy, alike demand it.
The Union, as formed by our fathers
has always commanded the respect and
affection of the people of Virginia.
and they have always been and still are
ready to sustain and defend it. They
have ever been loyalto the constitution,
and willing to render prompt and
cheerful obedience to all laws passed
III pursuance thereof. Their oblica-
tions to their sister states in the surren-
der Of fugitives from justice, and in
discharge Of all essher duties devolving
upon them, have, been faithfully CON-
piled with. The Southern people ask
for nothing beyond their constitutional
rights, and l trust they will be salts
fed with nothing less. It is time there
fore, that our Northumberland should
understand that the only means of in
suring the perpetuity Of the Union is
to exhibit proper respect for the
rights of the States, to observe the con-
stitution, execute the laws and deal
justly with their brethren of all sections
Of the country. Such a course on their
part will restore peace to distracted
country, will re-unite the severed ties
Of affection, and revive the reign of fra
ternal feeling. Respectfully,
JOHN LETcHER.
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