Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-05-22
For the Journal.
Ignorance and Treason.
TlPToN, May 70, 1868.

| Upton, May IL, 1868.
Mr.. EDITOR 1T hurts the feelings of som,
to be told Of their faults, especially at thi
time. If men who are intelligent be found
in bad company, the fault is theirs. There
may be some excuse for those whose opportu
mites are limited. The fact of the matter is
just this. The principal cause of our present
troubles is pure ignorance, South as well as
North. Slavery and the desire of power may
be the immediate moving cause, but the want
of knowledge is the basis. In the South the
system of free schools, as conducted in the
North, is comparatively lille knoaon. AS a
matter Of course, the rich only can give their
sons classical education, while many are de-
prived of the chance of even the rudments.
Such being the case, the political aspirants
are able to work on the minds of the masses,
and so mould their actions as to accomplish
almost any scheme they have in view. The
same party in the North take advantage of a
class of foreigners who land on our shores,
who, having been kept in subjection at home
by the iron rod of tyranny, are deficient even
in the first rudiments of learning, thereby be-
coming fit subjects, after being here few
years, to be worked up like dough, into any
shape the political aspirants choose to mould
them. To speak plainly, the leaders of the
X. Il. C., in many cases. are those who have
held important Offices under Democratic rule.
Their followers are poor ignorant men with
no education, who are governed solely by
what their leaders say-if it was necessary,
testimony after testimony could be produced
even in this small town, to prove the asser-
tions. Holy writ teaches us to search the
scriptures that We may know our duty. Why
will not the same rule apply in political mat
ters. ask is man fit to vote, who does
not know upon what principles our govern.
ment is founded. Can a man who cannot
read, and who probably has never heard the
Constitution read, exercise the franchise pri-
vilege Alright? | am aware this is broad asser-
lion and question, but think every sensible
man will bear me out as right. AS many
parts of Germany have laws compelling pa
rents TO send their children to school, SINH
lar law would result in good in our own land.
The more the masses are educated, the less
danger there is TO such trouble as we are
Witnessing at the present time. do not wish
to be understood as pointing the finger of con-
tempt at any particular cass of foreigners,
far from it-but do say there is class
who land upon our shores, wherein there is
one intelligent and educated, five out of six
are not. When you find one who is intelli-
gent, you witness the display of the highest
order of intelligence. Two instances will
suffice to show how ignorant some voters are;
one says Lincoln is censurat lie for issuing the
proclamation of habe,s c.rpus-another one
says, Gen. Andrew jackson could not read or
write his own name. Both men belong to
the K. G. c., and such, sir, find to be the
majority of those belonging to the Copper
head party. No wonder the Government is
threatened by a fire in the rear; and if such
was not the case, how could the Chicago Times,
Courier, and a host of others, keep
a1oat as long as they do. Many of the party
take there paper, who could not point out A |
from Bit IS democratic, and their leaders |
order them to take it. Where they are not |
able to take the paper, those who can afford |
it, take it and pay for it for them, it being
furnished at one-ha'f the usual price, an agree
ment existing between the leaders of the party
and the publishers to that effect. As every
act done by the Administration is unconstitu-
tional with some people, if Stoneman, in his
raid had been successful and taken Richmond,
the Copperheads of this town would have
held an indignation meeting, condemning the
act, because some county squire had not had
the opportunity Of issuing proper paper no
tifying Jeff. Davis Of the intended raid in
time to get out of the way. l. X.