Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-10-10
The Nlnhony Platform.

. point out the SecuOn or WORD III tne Nj
hony platform that gives aid and comfort
the enemy. 1t is impossible to point out an
:, section or word that gives any encouragement
;, to the cause Of the Union. The whole thin
is stepped in treason We cannot better sho,
this than by quoting an extract from recer
speech of Hon. John A. Kasson, at Desmoincs
, in which he refers to this subject We cin1it
: to this extract the earnest attention of all VIII
are supporting this platform under the belle
that it is proper document for loyal men t
endorse:
The first resolution is insincere, ambiguou
and deceptive. Its phraseology runs thus =
We are in favor of the employment of al
constitutional means for that purpose, [put
ting down the rebellion, not merely by torc
Of arms, but by such other measures as com
mon sense, reason and patriotism will readily
suggest to the governing powers" They Dc
not positively affirm that war is constitr
tional means for suppressing it. They do af
firm that they are in favor of other unknown
means, but do not affirm they are in favor OF
that; and this indefinite and double -tongued
phrase is the only assertion in the whole plat.
form that can be twisted by the utmost inge-
nuity into an endorsement of the war. II
that political organization had been willing to
endorse it, why did they not explicitly state
it? 1t was just as easy to say it clearly and
decisively, as it was to dodge it by ambiguous
phraseology. If party should ever pursue
an open, manly, dignifed policy, it is no,c,
when the national peril thrills every village
and every hut with patriotic alarm. The fact
that this organization was guilty of disloyalty
in this respect is proved by the fact that they
d d not make their purpose plain by emphatic
speech. But that their true meaning was
against the war appears also by other proof.
The preacher often reads the context to illus
trate the true meaning of his text So l turn
to the platform of the same organization,
adopted at their convention held at Desmoines
last year, on the oath of July. The 9th res
olution of that platform reads thus THAT
our Union was formed in peace, and can never
be separated by force of arms, and that a
Republican Government held together by the
sword becomes military despotism." There
is no ambiguity about that. 1t is point blank
against the war and for the dissolution of the
Union, whenever any State insists that it will
secede. 1t is the very language of secession
ism and treason. The people last year so
emphatically repudiated it, that this year it
was left out, and doubtful language used in
stead of clear and certain speech. The only
step in advance is, that while last year they
condemned the war openly, this year they are
silent and refuse to endorse it. But the dis
loyalty is there, still, as truly as it existed in
the Hartford Convention of Federalists during
the war of 1872
So, also, with the ''other measures which
the same resolution recommends, without say
ing what they are, or to what they point l
refer to the same conteXt,-the platform of
last year-and in the 9th resolution these
words: ''That the Democratic party is in fa-
vor of fair and equitable compromise of the
Mnhdppy difficulties that exist between the
General Government and the Confederate
States This infamous resolution was passed
in the Seth year of our independence, and
just after the disaster to the national troops at
Bull Run had reached the ears of the Conven-
ton, and when the traitors threatened the
capture of the national capital. I can only
interpret these "other measures" to mean
compromise and a cowardly peace with the
rebels. have time and again demanded of |
my competitor what these "other measures
proposed were to be. have asked him to
define and explain them. He has never yet
done it, | am in the situation of the boy at |
school who was told by his teacher to parse
the word egg "What part of speech is it ?"
"a noun, SIR" Very well, now tell me what
gender isit?' Gender!" said the boy. eyes
what gender is it, masculine, feminine, or
neuter?" "Ah," said the boy, 81 can't tell
you that till it's hatched" Laughter Nei-
ther can |, neither can mortal man outside the
I'll &o1I hat
this political egg is, till it is hatched. have
begged my worthy friend and competitor to
hatch it, ever since our canvass commenced,
laughter have implored him, as the old |
woman did the hen when she put four dozen
eggs under her, to spread herself Roars of
laughter. But he won't sit on it long enough
to answer the purpose and the doubt will re-
main until the people cast it out, and spurn it |
from them.
Well, take the next resolution, which de-
clares that s'po more war, or acts Of war,
should be prosecuted or done than are neces 4
sary and proper for the prompt and complete
suppression Of the rebellion" They still use
the negative style Of speech. If there was
any sincerity and earnestness in them, they
would have spoken affirmatively. They
would say, ''this war should be effectively
prosecuted by all the means known to the usa
ges of civilized warfare, until the rebellion is
suppressed" But they did not intend to
speak thus Their policy is to hold back, to
discourage, and to check the ardor and extin-
guish the patriotic fire that animates our
troops, and which sent them, like tempest,
VIGOROUSLY over the enemy's ramparts at Ft
Donelson.
But in the 4th and 5th resolutions Of this
organization, falsely called democratic, they
are explicit They denounce the schemes of
confscation and emancipation adopted by the
last Congress, and approved by the Presi-
dent, and the suspension of the writ of habeas
corpus in States where the civil authorities
are unimpeded, and call this unconstitutional.
He repudiates the cohfscation law. / en-
dorse it. Here is direct issue between us.
Democratic Renegade
Look out for him. Who is hes E.. H..
Thayer candidate f,r Congress. Here's cur
proof; man true to his party, will aim to ad-
vance its interest and secure its success A
true Democrat is one who labors to produce:
-, ~;ty of purpose and action in his party. E
p rb,- yer says that the Presidents Procla-
80. = ill divide the North. unite the Cot
..- S..+.s .no "fnfuse new lfe and ernergy
w. w. ,,,. ~.n. ;. of.h. Democratic party Not
wi4hstanding all which he =. '''' - Jpp 1Ip
condemns the proclamation = "a, -
against and denounces that which ;.
fuse new life and ernergy into his par., i
lThaycr also endorses the would-bs Adjutant's
letter, calling for au arming of slaves. Thay--.
er endorses the Chicago Platform. Demo-
Gratis, how do you like the picture? Beware
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