The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-07-18

the authors OF these hereSles, SecessloiiAsh.
and abolitionism, which have culmlnated
in an armed rebellion. desolated our coun-
try. and brought sorrow to the hearts OF
every person in the broad land,
Letter from Mr.. Eastman.
ELDoRA, June q, 1868,
Hon. J. 3. GRINNELL-Dedr Sir: Your |
letter of the 23d inst, congratulating me on
nv nomination, by the loyal Convention
of Iowa. for Lieut.. Governor, has just been
received. thank you for the favorable
manner in which you are pleased to speak
of me and Of the ticket. ! receive the NOM
inatian of the convention, too, as very
high compliment, and particularly SO as l
was not at the convention and had no
knowledge that my name would be before
the convention for an office.
But YOU say there are some questions
upon which can enlighten the public
that by some it is said that l have ever
been a Republican, and by some others
that am still Democrat. And you add,
''where can you be but in the ranks OF the
War and Union men of Iowa in the canvass
of 1868 ?''
III can throw any light upon this sub
ject, shall be pleased to do so.
First, then, both of these persons are
wrong was once a Democrat, but now
Republican. I am the author Of the motto
ON Iowa's block in the Washington nonu-
ment, adopted, believe, in 1850, which is:
"Iowa. Her affections, like the rivers of
her borders, flow to an inseparable Union"
think there is no secession or modern De-
mocracy in that.
| In a conversation with you aboutthe Ne
braska bill, at Newton, l think, in 1854,
said to you in substance, that 1 regarded
the first introduction of that bill as an I'M
wise agitation, but the agitation was upon
us and would not be allayed if the bill were
defeated. ] thought it best therefore, to
support the measure as means OF remoy-
ing the subject from Congress to the peo-
ple.'' You replied that "there was no
honesty in the South in this matter-that
their only object was to get slavery into
the Territories" And you then said that
"if the people defeated them with sauatter
sovereignty, the South would not submit,
but would then declare slavery already in
all the Territories, and that it must remain
there until it was legislated out, and the
Democratic party would submit to it and
support it." / replied that when the party
did that, would leave it. Upon that you
and shook hands and parted.
Upon this very point / took bill of di-
vorce from the Democratic party on the adj
vent of Buchanan's annual message in De-
cember, 1858, in which he said slavery ex-
) listed in the Territories under the guardian
, ship Of the constitution, and so remains as
+ long as the territorial condition remained;
} to take slaves into the Territories and there
r be protected by the Constitution of the Uni
: ted States as long as the Territorial gov
eminent remained. In a letter to, my
: friend, the Treasurer of State, which was
e afterwards published, l said: II will nei.
/ trines, nor will / remain in a party which
does. / am going to shoulder my AK anc
e be off,
L Soon after this I received letter from
Judge Stone, who is now our worthy nom
y inee for Governor, in which he enquire(
y what would be my future political career
r replied that ''the Washington Union, tn
e organ of President Buchanan, and many
J, Southern papers and men, are now de
manding that Congress shall pass law t.
y protect slavery against the inroads @
: squatter sovereignty in all the Territorie
: whether the mass of the people desire it 0
j not. This is what they call Democracy
d This is the central plank of the platform
! of this Democratic Administration"
= then said 81 will not crawl on to this new
: tangled platform, but l will use my axe
# to split it down, and / will most hearth,
cooperate with any and all others who ar
n engaged in the same holy cause. l regart
It this as the only political issue between tn
: people"
This letter also found its way into tn.
D papers, and have no knowledge that an,
l., Democrat in good standing in the party
# has since then claimed me as a member o
: that party. Since then / have acted exclu
: sively with the Republican party.
: In January, 1861 before Mr.. Lincoln wa
e inaugurated President, / wrote series O
e resolutions which We're adopted and pub
: lished by the Republicans of this county
two of which are as follows:
= ''1st. RESOLVED, That we hold all the lead
e ing plotters and actors in this rebellion, to
t gether with their aiders and abettors, VIII,
: are or were holding offices under the gov
y eminent, to be guilty of high treason, an,
e all alike eminently deserving to hang.
9th. That by the act of secession, eacl
b and all the revolving States forfeit all CLAIM
i upon the loyal States for II return of fugi
r tive slaves, or of any protection or recog
y milton whatever of slavery"
It In these resolutions l think you will Sc
r the elements of both the confiscation &C
IS and emancipation proclamation.
l. In reference to your enquiry as to wher
l. l can be, except in support of the Unio
l. and the war, l answer that in my opinio
2 there is but one other suitable place fo
any man, IN these times in the Free States
= and that is where Absolom brought up i
d his rebellion, dangling by the neck be
Ie tween the heavens and the earth under tn
ir limb of a great oak.
ID the Loyal Union Convention which nom
o. mated me, and most heartily support til
ir present Administration and all it's effort
measures and proclamations to crush tn
r. rebellion.
a. Since slavery has risen against the Go,
id eminent, am DESTROYS of seeing our p:
a triotic and brave army march from col
rs quering to conquer till both secession an
n Slavery shall be swept from the land. An
to I am equally anxious to see all the traitor
nd at home squelched out and their propert
n. all confiscated by the same power.
all Hope there will be no more doubt abo
er where have been and where am now.
Ia Very respectfully, your friend.