The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-09-11

III TIC present COnultlOn OF our country,
the citizen has two important duties to dis
charge, fighting and voting. The necessity
of the former, no one disputes; but we fear
the Importance Of the latter is not sufficient
ly estimated. The country has, two dangers
to contend against, one, the war directly
wagcd by Southern traitors upon the gov
eminent, the other the insidiom and poison
Gus wiles of Northern traitors to subdue the
nation through tie medium of politics. The
latter is the slower process, but it is by no
means the least dangerous. To avert this
danger should be the patriotic work of friends
of the Union from this time forth, until the
rebellion is subdued, and the nation saved.
Traitors hope to accomplish their Irpose
through politics by division among our
selves. The majority at the North, loyal to
the government, is overwhelming, but if that
majority split up and divide its strength,
secession calculates to step in between, carry
the elections, get control of the State govern
ments, and then proceed to recall troops and
stop supplies, preparatory to submission to
JEFF Davis, upon terms mutually satisfactory
The only question now is whether there is
sufficient patriotism in the North to defeat
this, the most threatening danger now i'm
pending over us. The forces to do it with
are the Republican party, true and faithful
to man to the constitution and the Union,
and Union or Douglas Democrats, constitu-
ting in some localities almost the entire de-
mocracy, and every where, we presume, en-
bracing large majority of that organization.
There is no difference in the principle be-
tween the Republican and Union parties, So
call,d. If language expresses ideas, the
platforms of these parties, so far as support
ing the government and putting down rebel
lion are concerned, are identical. The en-
quiry then should be, which party is strong
est The Republican undoubtedly, ten to
one On the supposition that one ought to
be abandoned, which should it bee There
can be no more improperly in the Union
man voting the Republican ticket, than the
Republican voting the Union ticket, so far
as consistency is concerned. The question
then, is one ofpropriety, whether the small
er number shall go over to the larger, or the
contrary, or whether by dividing their votes
. Secessionist shall be elected. At all events
the duty of the Republicans of Iowa in this
emergency, is plain. Whatever others may
elect to do, a common sense view of duty
teaches us that the Union cause, so far as
this State is concerned, requires, under ex-
listing circumstances, united and vigorous
support Of the Republican State and Con-
gressional tickets 1t is as clear as the sun
at MONDAY that either Kirkwcod and Will
son or Mason and Neal will be elected on the
I'd Tuesday of October. Every vote for the
former is vote for the Union; every vote
for any other Union ticket is practically half
vote for Mason & Co. So far as the Leg.
islature and County officers are concerned,
the case is different Where there is des-
potism there is yet time to unite, and we hope
it will be done universally. We trust the
motto will be, Secession and Treason must
be exterminated in this State"