Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-09-12
light Of suffrageis is therefore highly priced By

right Of s,ifrageis is therefore highly priced b
all good citizens, and should be exercised b
, them at all times and especially at time
8 when questions of grave importance are pr,
@ sented for solution, There never has beer
, perhaps there will never again be a. tim
g when questions so important, interests so v
tai as those now demanding action at tn
hands Of our people, were or will be submit
ted to them. lThe:very life of the nation
at stake, and may BE- as fatally lost at tn
ballot b0Ycas on the battle field. Under sue
circumstances it is not only the right but til
duty Of all good citizens to exercise the righ
of suffrage, and to see to it that the princi
pies for the preservation of which our peo
pie are so freely offering treasure and life, arr
not jeopardized or lost in the Halls of Legis
lation, Sta e or National. A very large mum
ber of the electors of the State are in tn,
army. Wesay but little when we say tha
these men are as good citizens, as intelligent
/ as patriotic, devoted to their, country, a, those
who remain at home. Under existing laws
these citizens cannot vote, and unless these
laws can be changed it may be that the cause
they are perilir.g life in the field to maintain,
may be lost az home through supineness OF
treachery. 8 I therefore recommend that the
laws be so modified that all members of Iowa
regiments who would be entitled to vote if at
home on the day of election, be allowed to
vote wherever they may be stationed in the
United States, and IL at provision be made for
receiving and canvassing their votes.
There are in this State some religious bodies
who entertain pecul ar views upon the sub
ject of bearing arms, and whose religious opin-
ions conscientlously entertained, preclude
their so doing. Their members are, generally
among our most quiet, orderly, industrious and
peaceful citizens, and their sympathies are
wholly with the Government in this struggle
now going on for its preservation, yet they can
not conscientously bear arms in its support
1t appears to me it would be unjust and
wholly useless to force such men into the ar
my as soldiers, and yet itwould not be just to
the Government or to other citizens that they
should be wholly relieved from the burdens
that others have to bear. l suggest, there
fore, that these persons who cannot conscien-
tiously render military duy, be exempted
therefrom in case of draft, upon the payment
of a fixed SUN of money to be paid to the
State
Startling rumors have recently reached me
of danger to our people on the North-W estern
Frontier, from hostile Indians immediate
ly despatched Schuyler R. Ingham, So, of
Des Moines City, to the scene of danger, with
arms and ammunition, ana full authority to
act as circumstances might require. have
not yet had report from him, but will imme-
diately upon receipt of such report, commu-;
nicate with you by special message, should
the emergency require your attention.
The condition of the country is such as Just
ly to cause anxiety and distrust, but not des-
pOndency to the patriot 1t is true the rebel
lion against the Government has assumed
and shown a strength we did not
anticipate, but it is also true the Government
has exhibited degree of power for its sup
preston that the most sanguine did not dream
Of. Our rulers and our people at last have re-
allied the extent Of the task before them and
have girded themselves to the work like men,
We have all, rulers and people, at last learned
On a page all blotted with tears and blood that
IN this war conciliation and kindness are more
han useless and that the enemy, whose whole
social fabric is based upon force, respects only
orce, and can be subdued by force alone. We
ire learning five have not yet learned that it
S wise to strike the enemy where he is the
weakest, and strike him there continually and
With all power, that Gods blessing upon our
cause will most surely bring Its triumph and
hat we cannot with confidence claim that
blessing until our cause, by being made in all
hings like Him, pure and holy, fully deserves
t. If we have fully learned these lessons and
shall fairly act upon them, we will soon tri-
lmph. If we have not learned them, we will |
ret do so, ard will then triumph. |!
SAMUEL j. KIRKWOOD.