The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-08-16


field, thus giving the new regiments the advan.
tage of commanders Of experience.
cannot now consent 10 abandon this course,
even to obtain the services Of Mr.. Dodge. Bat
sm well satisfied that the War Department
will gladly accept an additional regiment from
this State, to DO commanded by him, and If be
desires the position, and will enclose TO me IN
application to the Secretary Of War to raise
another regiment in this State, will endorse
the application, and upon its acceptance, will
commission him and render him al the aid il my
power to raise the regiment.
Very Respectfully,
SAMUEL ]. K1RKwooD.
.elN FAny1ELD, Iowa, August Z, 1862.
G. DURHAM, Esq, Editor of Hawk Eye:
Sir: have received your letter of the 9Th
inst, inclosing ono from Gov. Krkwood to you
Of the I'd inst rs h
! You state, "the command of regiment to be
recruited from the State at large is sendered''by
Gov. K. to me, and Gov. Kirkwood says, elf he
(D desires the position and will enclose to me
(him) an application to the Secretary of War to
raise another regiment in this State, (he1 will
endorse the application, and upon lite acceptance
will commission him" (me), &c. & a1
2 Waving the patent discrepancy between the
language of your letter and that Of Gov Kirk
wood, or any comment on your joint and perse-
vering efforts to make q political issue with me
intended for the benefit of party, rather than
the promotion OF the military service-may
not hope that your immediate purpose will be
fully attained BY repeating what I said in nv
first COMMUNICATION to you, dated the 18th ulti-
mo, in which then declined your proffer of q
Colonelcy and said, "You are pleased to speak
of me as a military man; distinction to which
I regret-snd especially at this timc-that nei2
ther my education OR training will justify me in
laying claim" 1ai ia7Za7 u ER = g
/ will add, that in no event, and under no cir.
cumstances, would I accept Of the command of
q regiment, or any other military Office, unless
conferred by the direct and voluntary choice of
the private soldiers-believing a. / do that the
spirit, if not the letter, of our State Constitu-
tion requires that all officers Except staff of
volunteers as we'll az of the militia, should be
selected by the men whom it is their province to
lead. 4 stsf + .ssss d aaass5tyf y''l IS .,.,r
o As the object sought to be accomplished by
your letter, and that of Governor lKirkwood, is
political, and intended to aid tho Republican
party at the approaching election, will 80 far
lend myself to the promotion of your design,
% to ask that both, together with this note, may
be published in the Daily Hawk-Eye. :.
Very respectfully, s -
.i'di atls s3as aa. 30 A. G.. DODGE.
= 49, BURL1NGroS, Aug 18th, 1862.
: to SR:-I have read your note of Aug. 7th,
With much surprise. You decline engaging in
this war in any capacity You will neither 20
% 3 private, ~ you yourself proposed, nor as
Colonel, after have procured. the tender of .
Commission to you BY Gov. Kirkwood., The
reasons you give are 40 frivolous as to impress
the reader with1the belief that these are but
the dimsy pretexts for refusal to serve the
country in its greatest peril. Do you suppose
patriotic people viii excuse you from the psr.
Torrance of manifest duty because you pretend
70 think army officers should be elected instead
Of sppointedl When the people Of Iowa dis.
carded you in 1854, you we're not 90 thin-skin.
ned as to refuse the Spanish Mission With outfit
and salary, amounting altogether to about 1884,
600, because the people had not voted, upon
your appointment! Had you waited for their
sanction, Jon never would have gone to Spain.
Z The pfetext that political capital has been
sought to be made out Of this matter, is set up,
also, as reason Why you will not do what men
OF oil parties agree in saying il your plain duty!
You will neither serve in the rsnks, nor in the
honorable position of Colonel-you not only
refuse to do either, but you will not e1hort
your friends to enlist nor give any sort Of coun.
tenance or encouragement to the War for the
Union. because you believe Colonies should be
elected instead Of appointed and because YOU
assert Gov. Kirkwoord and the writer Of tbi.
desire to make political capital out Of this mat.
ter DO you suppose any one will believe these
the real reasons for your negative petition p
What win postsrity say to such ..bosb," should
posterity interest itself enough to recolec. that
ysuEevsrihad an existence. Gen. Jones tells n.
that ii IL fights IL will be on the aide Of ,s6d;on
\ good many people Who have read this CORES.
pondence, and Who will zee with wonder the
small hole through which your honor has %.
capsd, will earnestly inquire if you have not
come 70 similar conclusions It il eertai nlv
very apparent that If you fight at al it win not
b on the side Of the country, unless forced TO
do il BY q draft. afs q a.a ..7as1 -
] Bat am 1t . loss to know how. political can !.
ia! could Be made out Of your acceptance Of !.
Coioneps Conmission, unless we sre to con.;d.-
the present war contest between the Cover,
uent and the Democratic party. and in th.. IL,
consider your seesssion just 20 much loa. - -.
rebel cause and gain 70 the Governnent +.
that what Jon mean? You cay, in one Of Won,
letters, that for Ill you have had, you ere in
debted 70 the Denocratio party, aud that von
viii adhere to il in sdversity, thus leaving r.,
public to infer that to accept Commission and
aid in putting down this rebellion, 10 to apost.-
tie from the Democratic party! Il this VIA,