Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-10-09
MCsCATINE. Oct Sd 1915:

E. h. THAYER, ESQ.,, Chairman Dem. Co.
Central C'amittee-DEAR SIR: am just
in receipt Of your letter of Oct 1st, 'propos-
ing that there be held in this County previ.
Gus to the October election, Eve or six JOINT
discussions of the political topics Of the day,
and requesting my agreement to the same"
Your letter leaves the inference that th.re
are 1.-TWO parties,' and the inference was ear
lier made BY the Hon. S. A. Douglas, who in
HIS great Union speech at Chicago, in the
Spring of 1861, said sin this great struggle
there are, tn re can be, but two parties
Patriots and Traitors" The party | have
the honor to repre- sent in this county proudly
claims to be the Patriots party. Our claim
to this recognition is based upon our hatred
OF Treason Our desire to see Traitors over
thrown and punished-our votes to furnish
men and money to suppress rebellion in the
land-our support to the Administra' ion now
at the helm of our ship of State-our appro-
val of every measure of the Government. in
tended for more vigorous prosecution of the
war our opposition to any Peace that is not
made by those who made War-our hostility
to any amendment of the Constitution of our
Fathers our refusal to recognize the perm
cious doctrine of States R ghts, doctrine
that has already cost the loya States 200, 900
noble lives and millions OF treasure Indeed,
Sir, from the Inauguration of this rebellion,
this rarity has not been arrayed against the
Federal Government, its Administration, or
its measures. This is the evidence, in part
of our patriotism
You communicate with me as the repre-
sentative of another Party, falsely assuming
to be Democratic AS your party is arrayed
against mine, l have no hesitancy in calling
it the Traitors party, and for the following
reasons
From the day that the President called for
$4,000 men, to aid in the work OF suppress
sing rebellion and insurrection, your party
has not given its approval to ONE of the mea-
sures of the Government to accomplish that
work. You have denounced any ''coercive"
policy toward the rebels-you have opposed |
and denounced the law providing National
revenue by taxation, knowing that money
was indispensable to carry on the war-you
have denounced the law confiscating the prop
erty of persons guilty of Treason-you have |
denounced the arrest, within the loyal States, |
of spies and those who openly and boldly ad-
vocate the right of States to secede, and coun
Sci revolution-you have denounced the bonn |
bardment of cities in rebellion, filed with |
armed foes-you have advocated the giving Of
no more men or money until your tenderly-
loving policy toward the rebellion was adopt
ed-you have urged men not to volunteer
you have denounced a law, the faithful exc
cution of which would soon fill up the deci-
mated ranks of our veteran troops-you have |
opposed the use of slaves belonging to rebels,
in relieving our Write soldiers from their ar
duous labors in the camp and the trenches
you have denounced as barbarous the arming
OF negroes willing to be shot by their mas
tiers in their heroic efforts to restore the
Union and punish treason, but have had no
word of condemnation when the rebel author !
tiles propc sed similar policy to destroy the
Union-you have called the Northern soldiery
"minions," "hirel ngs," "brutes," ''6enas,"
and "murderers," and their armed enemies
by the more congenial appellations Of SWAY
WARD sIsTERs," MISGUIDED FRIENDS" and
SOUTHERN BRETHREN" you have asked
Peace from our enemies who inaucurated
war, upon generous and magnanimous
terms, you have advocated the amendment
of the Constitution of our Fathers for the
purpose Of giving additional security" and
"new guarantees" to those who have tramp
led that Constitution under their feet and
defy its authority-you insist that the Gov
eminent, fighting for selfpreservation, should
lay down its arms, and that the 'further