The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1862-10-04
Debate of MessrS. Kasson and
Finch at Des MOines.
Extract from Kasson's Speech
THE MAHoNY PLATFORM

The MAHONY PLATFORM.
Look at the platform which my competi
tor endorses, and upon which he asks tn
suffrage of the people. The Conyentio,
nominating him passed but one resolution
| and that was an endorsement of the Mahon,
platform, and he reaffir,ns it on the STUMP
The first resolution is insincere, ambipu
Gus and deceptive. It's phraseology runs
thus :-"* we are in favor of the employ
ment of all constitutional means for that pur
pose, [putting down the rebellionl not mere
ly by farce Of arms, but by such other meas
ures as common sense, reason and patriot
ism will readily suggest to the governing
powers" They do not positively affirm thai
war is constitutional means for suppress
ing it. They do affirm that they are in "a
vor Of other unknown means, but do not az
firm they are in favor of that, and this in.
definite and double-tongued phrase is the
only assertion in the whole platform tina,
can be twisted by the utmost ingenuity into
an endorsement Of the war. If 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 phrase.
ology. fla party should ever pursue an
open, manly, dignified policy, it is nop, 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 proved by the fact that they
did not make their purpose plain by emphat-
ic speech. But that their true meaning was
against the war appears also by other proof.
The preacher often reads the context to H.
lustrate the true meaning of his text. So |
turn to the platform of the same organiza.
tion, adopted at their Convention held at
Des MOines last year, on the oath of july.
The 9th resolution of that platform reads
thus: THAT our Union was formed in peace,
and can nerer be perpetuated By force of
arms, and that q Republican government
held together by the sword becomes a mill
tary 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 Sc
cede. 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
disloyalty is there, still, as truly as it exist
ed in the Hartford Convention OF Federalsts
during the war Of 1872
So. also, with the "other measures" which
the same resolution recommends, without
saying what they are, or to what they point
refer to the same contt xt. the platform
Of last year-and find in the 9th Resolution
these words: That tho Democratic party
is in favor ola fair aud equitable compromise
Of the unhappy difficulties that exist between
the General Government and the Conteder-
ate Statesr' 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