Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1861-09-27
Let us be Vfgil0nl!

Let us be vfgilani!
There is no use in trying to disguise tn
fact that the Democratic party in this Stat
''still lives," nor that they are as watchfu
vigilant and determined upon a victory a
ever before. 1t is true that they pretend tina
''old party issues" have passed away, ant
therefore it is that they again appear befor
the "dear people," clad in the habiliment
and paraphernalia of war. The truth is
that the party leaders and wire -pullers-
those who lead the people by the nose upo1
Conventional platforms - have found tn,
country in new, strange and fearful ulposition
and have determined to take advantage o
that position, to regain the place and powe1
which was wrested from them, by the nov
dominant party. They know full well thai
no Republican can be justly charged with
having at any time, had any sympathy with
or for the present wicked rebellion They
know that the Republican party has from the
beginning of that rebellion favored such a
coercive policy as belongs and is incident to
every government and that no Republican has
been suspected Of anything else but loyalty to
the Federal Government and its flag. Find
ing the masses of the Democratic party, also
loyal and true, and nou in favor of vigorous
war policy, these leaders, would fein take ad-
vantage of the popular current, and upon its
proud crests strike once again for the loares
and fshss. Now, what have these Democrat
ic worthless discovered, in the distance, that
they should seem so very anxious to fill again
all the Offices of public trust, and still profess
ing that old party lines and ties have been
destroyed and oblitei ated by the blood shed
in Virginia and Missouri? A shrewd- hard
working Democrat, in the person of Judge
Thayer, has been nominated for State Senator
the strongest man the party could have
possibly nominated. What particular object
has Judge Thayer in seeking this seat in the
Senate? His party has no executive-it has
neither branch of the Legislature nor Rep
resentative in Congress. There can certain
ly be nothing in immediate prospect in the
line Of honor, and as for profit, none whatever.
But Judge Thayer and his party know that
at the coming session it will devolve upon
the Legislature to apportion the State into
Congressional Districts. The Judge may
aspire to seat in Congress. 1t would be very
fine then for him to occupy seat in the Sen
ate, secure place on the Congressional Com
mittee, and be instrumental in carving out a
good Democratic District, which should en-
brace Muscatine county. Thatthisis the present
policy and plan of the Democracy there can
be no doubt. With State platform con-
demning the war, they would gain the reins
of government. Unless the Republicans Of
this county and of the State wake from their
slumbers, and set themselves at work in
right down earnest, our Legislature will be
lost, our State gerrymandered into a strong
hold of Democracy, and two years from now
Mr.. Grimes superseded in the Senate by a
Mason or Mahoney. What say you-shall this
be so? The issues now at stake are as i'm,
portant to the State and the cause of freedom
as were those of the campaign of go. Lei
no man lay himself down confident of party
success. No victory was ever achieved with
out an effort or struggle.
ST. >s~-
A SELF-MADE MAN-Mr. Wickersham, SEN
ior editor of the Washington Qowa) Press
speaking of the candidates for the Legislature
from that county, says Mr.. 7. H. Stanton ar
oho,,f
from Appanoose county. He was then a poo
green-looking specimen of boy, being the
eldest of large family in no very comfortable
circumstances. He sought and obtained
work in printing Office, by which he earned
means to pay his way at school; and notwith
standing his rustic appearance made him the
brunt of many joke and jest, he persevered
in his studies and soon made himself one o
the foremost scholars in the school. Since
then he has been in active employment, mos
of the time connected with the Press office
compositor or editor, and always dischargin
his duty well, and showing rare discrimln'
ton and talent. He is therefore emphaticall
self-made man. Such men the people de
light to honor; and that they will honor M
s. by electing him to the post for which
has been named, we have no sort of doubt.
ANOTHER LEADING DEMOCRAT SPEAKS.
Benjamin F. Hallet, of Massachusetts, wi
has written about every Democratic Platfor
that has been adopted by the Democrat
National Conventions for twenty years pas
has Just written letter full of the most lof
patriotism, placing the writer squarely