The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-01-31
BURLINGTON WEEKLY HAwK-EYE.
rho ConGresslonal Election In the Fourth

IL XOX/AxNNQA w i
The CongressionaI Election In the Foursh
Hon. b. n. MARTlN-6ir As late candi
date for Congress in the Fourth District of Iowa,
you are fairly beaten By majority Of .37l
votes. By throwing ont known Translucent
votes counted for you, my msjorty would have
been 500. You now complain that larger
number Of votes than my majority in the Fourth
District we're inhibited from voting because they
were wholly unable to procure Democratic
tickets" and allege that the tickets after being
furnished, we're fraudulentiy concealed or de-
stroyed. will join you in bringing to light
any such fact yet will not accept as . fact what
you would make an Inference, that the soldiers
could not write their tickets if the printed ones
were destroyed. A graver charge is that the
soldiers we're precluded from voting "because
they would not vote the ballots fornished them
BY the commissioners appointed to receive
them. In behalf of the honorable and high
minded gentlemen who we're the commissioners,
I demand the specifications The officers Of the
army you impeach BY the declaration that the
soldiers were inhibited from voting "because
they would not vote in the manner and the
ticket as distributed by their superiors in ofice"
and deny that there was such dictation, and de-
mand your proof.
The honesty and honor of our brave troops is
further asssiled by the charge that one thousand
or more in the army who voted for me were mn
der the age Of twenty lone years. minors. These
are the young men who deserve an honorable
mention throughout the world for their intelli>
gence and valor With my consent this wicked
SANDER shall not be carried to the halls Of Con-
eress. The Adjutaut Generals Office and the
Dol list Of the soldiers will present such facts as
will prove your charge, ii persisted in, wanton
libel That all did not vote because detached
rom their companies, should be with you no
ground Of complaint, since these soldiers we're
Of my political principles in the proportion of
more than three to one. To relieve our soldiers
from what I, believe to be An unjust imputation,
also our Commissioners, and the army oficers.-.
propose an early investigation of these charges,
which involves the psrsonaiintesrity ESQ many
of our best citizens out of the State, and if
You can show that one.ha!f of my majority WAS
secured by the voting OF minors through the
influence Of State Commissioners or officers, or
BY any species Of fraud or deception, will re-
turn nv certificate to the Governor that there
may be new election next autumn.
By special enactment Of the Legislature our
soldiers we're permitted to vote. You were a
member of the Legislature, and of the Commit.
tee which framed the bill, and have since gloried
in the act. The Democratic State Central Com.
mittee sent an address to the soldiers congratu-
lating them on the fightful boon made theirs by
the Legislature, and urged them to vote. They
did vote, and now since they did not elect you
to Congress, you change your opinion and de-
clare il wrong and unconstitutional for soldiers
to vote. The Supreme Court Of the State is the
proper tribunal to settle the question of the con.
stitutionality of this law, and invite you to
meet me before this Court on an agreed case,
that there may be an early decision Of this
question, which involves las You desire) the
disfranchsement of 1000 patriots and heroes,
or the establishment Of their right of suffrage
on the just principle that those who are good
enough to fight for our country are good enough
to vote for it. 100 ti y p
! The eminent literary oracle of the party that
damns the deeds of our soldiers with faint praise
publishes the opinion that the common soldiers
have gone to the war tor pay; the officers for
honor and political purposes, and few, it any,
moved by patriotism. Of course it joins you
in doubling the policy or right OF soldiers vo-
ting. :,
am not the judge Of your motives, nor am
responsible for the consequences OF what
deem most unbecoming attacks upon our brave
Iowa soldiers and officers. The question Of SOL
diers voting is one of far-reashing and vital re-
lations, and If you have no heart to condemn
calumnies base es the inventions of the arch
traitors in arms, shall have no regrets that you
have openly chosen your company, but will
rather thank you, if disposed to make an open
issue on the rights of soldiers before our courts,
the army, our Congress, and the country.
| Respectfully, J. B. GRINNELL.
| GRIENELL, Iowa, Jan. l6, 1868.