Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1860-02-07

full we'll the late attempt OF Gov. Xix
wood in his message to foist upon the
Democratic party Of the Union all the
aims of omission aud commission with
which the country has been cursed fer
the last five years, and particularly did
his Excellency attempt to make the
Democracy responsible for the llarpers
Ferry outrage, and the "rrepressiblc
conflict" generally. The great impro-
priety Of the Governors leaving State
matters in the minority and attending
particularly to National affairs has been
noticed by every Democrat, aud not a
little surprise has been manifested by
the public that the Democratic portion
Of the General Assembly did not pub
licly protest against the wanton attacks
of his interruptions Excellency.
We are glad to be able to announce
that the base charges contained in the
Inaugural" have been publicly con
demned and protested against. The
Des Moines journal Of the Cd inst con-
tains the following protest:
PROTEST..
We, the undersigned, members Of the
House Of Representatives., Of the State
OF Iowa, regarding the resolutions OF
this body, authorizing the printing Of
1900 copies Of the Inaugural Message
of Gov. Kirkwood, injurious both to the
public and inviduals, and firmly i'm
pressed with conviction that portion
of the said message is calculated to i'm
pair the harmonious relations which ex-
list between the citizens of the several
States, do, under the right secured to us
by Art. 8, Sec. 10, Of the Constitution,
earnestly bat respectfully PROTEST
against the said resolution, and the pas
sage thereof, for the following reasons,
viz:
FIRST, WE PROTEST against the reso
luton calling for the publication Of this
message, for the reason that great por-
ton OF the message rclstes to the Harp
cr's Ferry invasion by John Brown, and
details at length the private opinions OF
the Governor as to the causes thereof,
which we believe to be direct depart
ure from the plain duty of the Execu-
tive, as prescribed by the Constitution,
which defines that duty in this respect
to be-'sto communicate to the General
Assembly, at every regular session, the
condition of the State, and recommend
such measures as lie shaH deem scpeai
ent" The obvious intent Of this pro-
vision is, that the suggestions and rec
concentrations of the Executive shall be
restricted and confined to the internal
affairs and condition of the State'-to
those matters alone, which the General
Assembly can regulate or remedy by
legislation. The conduct Of John Brown
aud the individual opinion Of the Cover
nor, as to the causes which prompted
that conduct, can have 10 possible con-
nection with the duties of the General
Assembly. The omission Of the Gov
ernor to suggest or recommend any &C
ton by that body, in respect to that part
| of his message, assures US that he re-
garded it as not within the range of
State legislation. We therefore most
earnestly insi.t that We can only view
the discussion of these topics in his
message as an attempt to circulate
among the people political speech, at
the expense Of the State, under the COW
er of public document; an object
which We deem unworthy of his digni-
fed and responsible position, and an ex
ample which no consideration Of policy
can justify.
SECOND, We PROTEST. against the
resolution, for the farther reason that
We are constrained to regard the mes
sage to which it relates, SIS . palliation
of the course pursued by Brown, and as
an attempt to cxtenuate and excuse his
conduct. He expressly declares that,
'The mass of our Northern people fell
and express admiration and sympathy
for the disinterestedness of purpose by
which taey believe he was governed."-
While 1t may be true that this sympa
thy is cherished by the Governor, aud a
fraction of his partv,we have the strong.
est assurance that it finds no response
in the feelings and sentiments of the
large body of conservative and patriot
ic men OF all lpartes, both North and
South, who deeply regret and bitterly
condemn alike the furious madness OF
Northern Abolionists and the unreason-
able and disloyal fanaticism Of Southern
fire-eaters. We cannot believe that the
:" mass Of our Northern people" enter
tain the slightest admiration aud sym
thy" for that "purpose" which Brown
himself declared to be ;'to freq the ne
groes of the Southern States by force,
and put arms into their hands to protect
them against their masters" or, when
properly interpreted to incitc internal
war and insurrcction among a servile
popula Ion, and bring OH crisis by trea-
son and murder. We cannot believe
that any such Admiration and sympathy
Tor the disinterestedness of purr ose" Of
man who, at the dead hour of night,
, with his myrmidons, had called from
their slumbers defenceless and unsus.
,, Pecting citizens and murdered them, can
ever exist among the mass of oul
Northern people," And We Go sincere.
~ believe that the same la,cless pnr-
pose which prompted his incursions
upon the property Of the citizen, Of Mis-.
L souri, dictated hir foray in Virginia; and