The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1861-09-26
From the Iowa State Register, Sept. ltth.l
GOV. KlI;KWOOD.s SPEECH.

mittee Of Republicans Of this city wait. d
upon Hon. Charles Mason, Democratic
candidate for Governor, and invited him
to joint discussion with Gov. kirkwood
at Sherman Hall that evening. Judge
Mason urged as an objection to such joint
discussion. that the public mind was too
excited bat the committee, nevertheless,
informed him that Gov kirkwood would
speak, aud that the invitation to discuss
would be left open for any action Judge
Mason mi sht see fit to take.
The same evening an immense crowd
convened in Sherman Hall. On motion
Of Hon. j. W. Ca,telI, Hon. T. F. With
row was 2ppoiu,ed chairmau. The OBJ
ject Of t"e meeting was specified, aud an
opportunity was given to the friends of
Judge Mason to define the position Of
that gentleman with reference to the
proposed joint discussion. Mr.. Todd, on
behalf Of the Democratic nominee, stated
thstOther engagements rendered it i'm
possible for Judge Mason to take part in
the dc bate; but that another man, Hon.
James Baker Of Charlton, would be hap.
pv to discuss the issues with Gov. Kirk
wood 50 strong an opposition was man
!icsted by the audience to this last ar.
rangcment, that Mr. Baker, rising iu his
place, begged to be excused from taking
any part in the ccbate. lie was excused
Gov. kirkwood was then intrc ductd to
the audience, and spoke as follows:
Mr.. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENrLEMEN:
l hope you will do me the justice to
believe, that l did not arrange bis meet.
ing. | had nothing to do with it. |
was requested by some Of my friends to
say whether | would be willing to meet
Judge Mason, Que Of my competitors, to
discuss with him the National and State
questions involved in this canvas How
ever small my owu confidence IN my abiI-
ity may be, | have never felt myself at
liberty to decline any Invitation of the
kind, occupying the position | do; and
a'thuu ch 1t might be rash in me to meet
Jud ye Mason in this contest, would not
and did not decline. With the deter
minatlon Of the question whether Mr.
Baker should occupy the time Of Judge
Mason, l had nothing to DO; aud, IS YOU
have decided, | have nothing to do w., h
your action.
| propose now to dis ass briefly some
questions, not all, Of those which are up.
permost in the minds Of the people of
Iowa. When a speaker Ireterds to ad
dress an audience, he ought to arran se
bis thoughts beforehand, so that he lnay
be able 70 prcsen; tho subject in 2 lii
course which, even If it be indifferent,
shall be we'll arranged. | cannot prom,
ise you that | shall be able so to do
for, until this evening, Lave had no
time for preparation and hope You will
pardon what / know will be drsu.tory
speech.
| agrin find myself. what cncr
thought | never again would be, candi
date for the Office of Governor aud
coufcss find myself in peculiar aud un.
pleasant circumstances. The unpleasant.
ness of my position arises frcm two caus
cs: First, the country is in a condition,
such as it was never n before We have
had war before, but never civil war
We have had strife before, but never in.
testinc strife. And many Of the good
people W ho arc in favor of pressing this
war thoroughly, vigorously, ard triumph,
antly to an end, believe that an error was
committed in makin-a party nomination
at this time. They think that the gen
t'emen who have placed ne in nomina.
tion have erred That is one thing,
Aoother is, aud | am very sorry to say
it, that some of my own political house
hold think that am net the man, that
we should have had some other person
Now intend to address a few remarks
to each of these points Ishall certainly
make them as brief Us possible.
Did the R"pubIican party err in nomi,
natinc Republican ticket At this time
under .hc Surroundings? What was the
condition of the country in May last,
when your Legislature, convened in ex.
ira session, adjourned! What was the
condition of the State at that time? The
large mass of the people Of this State
were IN '"vor of sustaining the Admin
ls'ration, of prosecuting vigorously, thor
oughly and to a successful termination.
the war inaugura,ed by the South. This
was true of the entire body Of the Repub,
lican party, and large portion Of the
democratic party. And yet it was true,
and | am sorry to say it vas true, that a
portion of the Democratic party was net
in favor Of that course. Now you know.
and | know, that political nominations
are necessity in Government like ours.
Without political organization, you can
not concentrate public opinion. We
have always had political organization, or
parties since the foundation of our Gov
ernment. The common sense of the
country has accepted this truth, and act
ed upon it; and from that period until
this day, political organizations have been
the means of giving tone to .',e popular
will, and they always must be. They are
necessity in Republican form of gov.
ernmcnt like ours. Herr then is a po
litical party in this State, party which
is earnest, united in faso. of the prose
cution Of the war. Here was the only
other political party divided upon this
question. Now these parties act through
their party organizations, and when the
Republican Central Committee Of Iowa
called together the Convention, they cx-
ercised the power which was delegated to
them to exercise; no more, no less They
had not power to do aught more; it was
their duty to do no less. They had not
power to propose union Of PARTIES
They could only call a convention to