The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1861-05-25
SPECIAL MESSAGE
OF
GOV. SAMUEL j. KIRKWOOn

GOV. SAMUEL J. KIRkwOOD
pEIIEERrD TO BOTH HOUSES OF THE sIxxRa
ASSEMBLY, MAY 10, 1851.
Gess'smen Of As Senate
ca9 House Of Rsprrsea,s,ipe,;
i, The Constitution requires that sha.
state to you the purpose for which you hay
been convened in Extraordinary Session.
When little more than a sear a.o.you
regular session closed, the whole coun,r,
was in the enjoyment Of peace, and pros
periiy. At home, life, liberty, and propert,
were secure, and abroad the title of al
American citizen was claimed with pride
and full assurance that it was q sur,
guaranty OF respec. aud protection to al
who could make good the eiaim. To-da,
Civil War Is upon Us, and a wide. spreat
conspiracy against the General Government
which We now know has been maturing fo,
years, has been developed, and the Who'll,
country Is filed with the din Of arms. Or
the one hand, and from one section Of ths
country men who should be loyal citizens
If benefits conferred BY government, shoult
make man loyal to it, are mastering in armed
bands with the intent to dissolve the Union
and destroy our government, and on the
other hand partially from the same section
and as one man from the other, our loyal
people are rallying around our Union and
! our Government, and plsdging for their
maintenance, what our Fathers so freely
peri!ed to secure them, life, fortune and
| honor.
In this emergency Iowa must not ard does
not occupy doubtful position. For the
Union as our fathers formed it, and for the
government they founded so wisely, aud so
well, the People Of Iowa are ready to pledge
every fighting man in the State and every
| dollar of her money and credit; and | have
called you together in extraordinary session,
for the purpose enabling them TO make that
pledge formal and effective.
Those who, to crafty their mad ambition,
have brought upon the country this great
evil, seek to disguise their true intent, to
cover their true purpose. They say they do
not desire to destroy our Government, but
that it has become hostile to them, and they
only wish to peacefully withdraw themselves
from it, which they claim the right to do
whenever in their judgment their interest or
| safety may require such action. MANY
| loyal men, deceived by their professions and
| not perceiving that "peaceabe secessiono
was destructive alike Of the Constiton and
Union we're unwilling that any coercive
measures should be used TO bring them back
to sense Of their duty. How are the facts !?
Our government is based on these great
central, controlling ideas. The people are
the only true source Of power. In the exer-
else of their power, they have created our
present form of government, retaining in
their own hands its management and con;r OIL
| They have honesty enough to desire, and
Intelligence enough to discern the right, and
if at any time they should, Sy reason Of ex-
citement or passion misdirecs the action of
government and do wrong TO any portion of
themselves, their honesty and their nteii-
gence can be surely relied upon to correct
such wrongs. These are the fundamental
ideas of our form of government, and when
any section of our country or any portion
of our people, alleging that wrongs have
been done them, declare they cannot and
will not rely upon the honesty aud intelli-
gence of our people to right such wrongs. but
Will right their wrongs in their own way and
by their own hands, they strike blow which
if not arrested will crumble the fabric Of our
government into ruins.
Has the Government been hostile to them
AT the time this unnatural rebellion COM
mepced there was not on the statute books OF
the United States a single law that had not
been dictated, or assented to, by their Rep
resentatives. The recent election, of the
result Of which they so loudly complain,
had placed in the Presidential Chair q per-
son opposed TO their policy upon one i'm
portant question, but had left them in pos
session of two other independent and CO.
ordinate branches of the Government, so
that it was utterly impossible any injury
could result to them from the election Of q
President, who was not their choice. Under
these circumstances without waiting to see
what would be the disposition of the newly
elected President, without trusting 10 Con-
gress and the Judiciary yet under their con-
tro', without waiting for an appeal to the
honesty and intelligence of the People to
right anv wrongs that might be attempted
against them, they rebelled against the Gov
crument, and sought to destroy it by arms.
They have seized By force the forts, nrsenals,
ships, and treasure, and have set at defiance
the laws and officers Of the United States,
and they have sought to set up within the
Uni ;on another and independent government.
They lave for months past been levyIng
troops, buii,.ing forts, and gathering muui-
,ions Of war, wits intent to make war upon
our Government, ii it should attempt to
perform its lawful functions, and after
months Of preparation have attacked With
overwhelming numbers and captured the
troops of the United States holding fort
of the United States, and have so far ~ in
them lies dishonored that proud Gag, which,
,hroughous the world is tle emblem of the
power, the honor, and The glory Of our
nation.
What in ths meantime has been the action
Of our government towards these misguided
men2 The history Of the world cannot show
equal moderation and forbearancc by any
eoyernmen, tow ards portion Of it's people,
in rebellion ayain., its laws. For months,
some of these men we're allowed TO hold
h,sh positions in the Cabinet, and used their
of,cial power Only 70 betray the government
of which they were the sworn and trusted
servants. For months, many Of them were
allow ed TO retain their seats IN both branches
-,-s. and used their positions to
OF Congr.-. ,f wholesome laws
defeat the enaesm-n. - ="
necessary for the protection 0; ~. "o'e'''
men.. For moa,hs, many OF them we're per-
m,tted to hold high command in the army
and navy, and used their posis'on TO beiray
and d,.houor the fag they had svern to
rro,ecs and defend. Fer months the gov
eminent Welded, step By step, and had used
| only words Of kindness and good viii. But
forbearanee, moderation and kindness were
regarded only q. evidences OF weakness.
| imbec;l,,y and cowardice. until at last the
crouning outrage At Fort Sumter. eonvinced
ali men that further fosbearance hsd in
deed ceased to be . sirsoc, and would make
those charged With the safety OF the govern
us,t A criminal as those Who were seeking
70 des,roy il. At last the Government has
.nos en-. ana has called the loyal men Of the
| .aansry 10 to rally 70 iss support, and tss
sn.-er ha. been such - to show The world
~. ,trsn.th OF . Government founded %
the love Of free people.
On IN. ls.b day Of April last toe Pres.den
!, ;..ued hi. Proclamssioa. eaiting on sne io!A
states for aid sa enf0sse tie AVS Va 'n'