Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-08-31
n% To tho Bell -Everetts of Muscat

county wo wish to say word. You al
about taking the preliminary steps toward
putting in the field an electoral ticket. 1t j
but fair to presume that every individual
every party, acts from motives which, to hir
or itself, appear pure and patriotic Wha
motive, then, actuates you in your presen
fixed purpose to act independent of all othe
political organizations? What do you propos
or expect to accomplish therebyi There i
no man among you who expects that Mr.. Bel
stands the ghost of chance of being the mex
President one. In case the people fai
to elect, you do not expect to elect Mr.. Bell
in tho House, without direct bargain ant
sale, which, in Congress, implies corruption
Or is it possible that you expect to cast your
votes, in the House, for Mr.. Breckinridge, il
consideration of Mr.. Everett's election as Vice
In our short-sightedness, wo cannot see wha
else you expect, in the House, from the Dem
ocracy. You surely cannot expect, In case
the House fails to elect, that Mr.. Everett will
be chosen Vice President by National
Democratic Senate. Has the Democratic
party ever done anything for your party in
times past which should give you any reason
to even hope for such resulta Then how is
it? Mr.. Bell has no hope before the people.
His representatives, like angels visits on
earth, are few and far between in the House.
In the Senate, on the 4th of March next, Mr..
Kennedy, like Mr.. Douglas, will be the only
representative Of his political school. What
will you do? Vote for Mr.. Breckenridge,
who, last W inter, defeated your candidate for
United States Senator from Kentucky, and
who now stands as the Representative of the
Davis, Toombs, Yancey & Co. wing of the
Democracy? Or vote for Mr.. Douglas, who,
time out of mind, has scorncd and reviled you,
but who now, in this, his hour of peril and
political dissolution, would pay you Srly for
your votes, hoping thereby to succeed
Your course, then, is to vote for Abraham
Lincoln. If we mistake not, we heard some
of you, prior to the Chicago Convention, say
that, should the Republicans nominate Mr..
Bates, you would give him your hearty
support. Since then, Mr.. Bates has given
the Republican ticket his hearty, cordial
endorsement, and yet you will not now follow
your fayorite candidate, but propose to throw
away your highest privilege as an American
citizen upon one whom you cannot elect
without corruption and fraud. You claim to
be Northern men. You repudiate thercreed
of slavery. We therefore submit to your
consideration Mr.. Bells Platform, which has
already appeared in the Journal, and ask il
your Convention is ready to endorse the same,
The following, Mr.. Bell says, is has Platform
l. A distinct reputation Of Wilmot Pro,
visoism.
Q. A distinct reputation of "squattel
sovereignty as long ago as lS4S.
8. A distinct announcement that the Ter
ritories are the common property of the States
composing the Union, and that the citizens o.
each State have the right to 60 into such
Territories with their property Of every
description, and, whilst there, to have
protection to property and persons.
4. That slavery, as it exists amongst us, is
civilly, morally and religiously right sanc
toned by the Constitution of the United
States, by the Bible, and by the practice O
men in all ages; and that it ought to bt
extended.
Or will you stand upon the broad principle
of Freedom, which underlies all our institu
tons, and which makes our country all she il
or ever hopes to be, and vote for the friend o
the Constitution. the Union, and our Liberties
unimpaircd- Abraham Lincoln?