The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-09-12
MIR. COLES LETTER.


subject of National Politics. Until the
commencement of the War, he WAS an
bonored member of the Democratic party.
He was its candidate for Judge of the Su-
preme Court in 1859 and its candidate for
Congress in this District in 1860. Like Mr..
Rippey, however, he refuses TO be led into
the position Of semi-trcason which the
Party now occupies, and will stand gal
lantly by the Union Party and the Union
nominees in this State:
DEs MONIES, Iowa. Sept 5, 1868.
II. c. RIPPEy, Eso.-My Dear SIR
Yours of the I'd inst is received, in which
YOU make the inquiry as to the duty OF
foyal Democrats in the pending election
for Governor, &C., in this State. / under
stand the term loyal Democrats" to in,
clude all those who believed and acted
with the Democratic Party up to the break
ing out Of the rebellion by the attack upon
Sumter, and who, upon the happening OF
that event, still adhered to the pTtncsPtes
of the party, as avowed and vindicated oy
Madison, Monroe, Jackson, POLK ana
Douglas; and in obedience to those prlncl-
pies give hearty and cordial support 10
eve,y measure adopted by the Government.
TO suppress the rebellion, without regard
to the fact whether those measures are
such as they would have aoop,eu,
if they had been entrusted Win the gov
eminent themselves. or, In oUner woius,
to the principles of the party, but also
faithful to the Scriptural Injunction, LET
every sonl he subject unto the higher pow
arc For there is no power but of God; the
powers that be are of God. and VINO adhere
to the same sentiment more fasclhatlngly
paraphrased, and so often loudly proclaim
cd nv Democrats during the war with
MEXICO in lS45-6-"My country, may she
ever be right; but RIGHT, or pr0Rg my
country
there is but one fact to determine, and that
is, What is our duty TO our connt1ys There
is no party question involved, and there
can be none, it is purely a question Of duty
to our country, not to party; and 1t must
therefore be entirelyi material as to what
have been the forme, .,artizan associates Of
those who are nor recogniZedly and unre-
seryedly for the CO .ntry.
There are but two candidates for Gov
ernor, and between these we must choose
Colonel VIM. NJ. Stone, who was nominal
ed on the 18th of June, by Union Con-
yention," so-called, and Brig. Gen'l James
NJ. futile, who has become the candidate
of the Democratic Convention, so-called,
held on the Sth of July. 1t has been my
good fortune to enjoy personal acqualn-
lance with both candidates for several
years. Col. Stone has not acted with the
Democratic party since my acquaintance
4 L
ed with that party. Both volunteered ear
" in the war, one entering the Second, and
the other the Third Regiment of Iowa Vol
unteerS, and both have alike faithfully
served their country, and confessedly, have
qualifications sufficient for the discharge OF
the duties of the office. Col. Stone is the
candidate of party which adopted in Con-
vention platform Of principles pledging a
cordial and unconditional support of the
Government in every effort for the sup
preston of the Rebellion. Every delegate
to the Convention, who spoke at ALL utter
ed sentiments consistent with the platform,
and fully avowed a determination to stand
by the Administration in it's vigorous pros
ecution of the War; and Col. Stone himself
in his acceptance, stands pledged to every
principle and sentiment thus adopted and
ayowed. Gen. futile is the candidate OF a
party which adopted in Convention plat
form of principles, avOwing opposition to
the means adopted by the Government to
suppress the Rebellion, and every resolu-
ton that speaks of any such measure, de-
clares an unqualified opposition to it, and
there is no word of commentator or APP
prevail of any measure. Every delegate TO
the Convention, who spoke at all, uttered
sentiments of hostility to the Government,
and of unqualified opposition to every
measure Of the Administration, calculated
TO aid in the vigorous prosecution of the
War The President of the Convention
was, in 1860. opposed to the Democratic
party, being then "Breckinridge Demo
crat, and now, still consistent with him
self, a "Peace Democrat" and openly and
avowedly opposed to the war for any and
every purpose, and whose bitterness in the
denunciation of every act of the Admins
tration, is only equalled by that which he
and his associates heaped on the Patriot
Douglas in 1860. The President, in this in.
stance, as in most Conventions, was the
representative of the views Of a controlling
majority Of the body, as was abundantly
shown by the speeches of delegates made
both out of and in the Convention.
One other fact in connection with the
Convention, shows the unanimity of senti
ment of hostility to the Government, des
pite the difference of preferences for candl
dates, and that is, that the Committee
on resolutions, although majority were il
favor of the nomination of Gen. futile, We
with perfect unanimity, they reported
platform consistent with the views of thei
President, and identical in sentiment will
the platform which the convicted and ex
lied traitor Vallandigham of Ohio, stands
upon and approves.
After the Convention had adopted tn
platform, there arose bitter strife between
the friends of the candidates for nomina
tion--Le Grand Byington and Gen. Tuttl
the former being recognized as the mos
open, persistent and bitter opponent in tn
State, of the war, the Administration ant
the Government; the latter being alike re
cognized as the gallant leader of the ''bra
vest of the brave at Donelson. The friend
of Byington denounced futile for bein!
engaged in the war, and declared he wa
guilty of having imbrued his hands in tn
Blood OF our brethren OF the SOUTH ant
that no true Democrat could support maj
"whose hands We're wet VIII, the gore o
his brethren or who, like Gen. Tutue
was either playing false to the Govern
ment or TO the Democratic party"-Uhat 4
hold 81 commission {as Gen. Tuttle does
under the President. to secrete fugitiv
slaves, and send negroes to Illinois in vic
lation OF the laws. and assist in the armin,
OF negro brutes for the butchery of tn
women and children of the South wa
wholly Inconsistent with being II candidate
of the Democratic party. The friends o
Gen. futile, in reply 10 these assaults, sim
ply apotoGiseG for his being N the service
that he could not resign because of tn
difficulty IN procuring :. proper certificate
and finally that it was policy for the Dem
Ocrats TO stay with the soldiers, to proven
their ever being used against the Demo
~, oT Int