The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1863-03-05
SPEECH OF GOV. KIRkWOOD.
DELIVERED IN THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, IN
IlProN, FEB. 2OTH, 1868.
BY HENRY SMITH, Esq,


REPORTED HENRY SMITH, ESQ.
In ordinary times, such gathering as
this would not, under the adverse circum-
stances which surround US, have been
likely to assemble. 1t is, iu itself, the
evidence of unusual feeling-and the
sentiment which prompts it is right
The very live and existence of the nation
is at stake. The question is as to wheth-
cr we will have government or not
not whether We shall have this set of
men, or that, to rule over US. The ques-
tion with man sick with fever is not
whether be shall 90 to Muscatine or not,
but whether he shall live or die. just
so the question is not as to minor con-
sidcrations, but whether this government
shall live or die The important ques-
! ton is-"Is the Government worth pre-
servins?" The world has never, since
the creation seen so good government
as our own-a government which asked
so little and gave so much 1t leaves
every man to pursue whatever lawful av-
ocatlon he chooses and protects him in it.
1t rernits and fosters such competi-
tion as will enable the lowest to seek for
the highest. position. Our President
was once poor boy. The government
offered such protection and encourage
ment as enabled this poor boy to rise and
secure the highest position in the world.
Previous to the war we have never known
what it is to support the government -
Since the commencement of the war we
have paid one war tax. Before, the gov
ernmcnt had derived its entire revenue
; from its impcst taxes You have paid
State and county taxes; and many have
com plained of them. But out Of every
seven dollars you pay, six is spent in
your own county Six scvenths of your
money is spent to carry out your own
: purposes.
/, If | am right in my assumptions, ev-
cry man should support his government.
What is the present condition Of our
country? The government has an armed
force of nearly million Of men in the
field, composed of those who have gone
out from our own fircsides-our nearest
and dearest friends and relatives are un-
der arms. Arrayed against them is an-
: other army from another section. What
is the object of these respective armies:
{ 1t is not to elect Republican or Dem
ocratic President for the next four years
: No; the rebel army seek to destroy The
government; the Union army to preserve
it, One army is under the lead of jeff
Davis; tho other under the legally con
sttuted representative of the people
Abraham Lincoln, our President and
Con mauder-in. Chief Every man throws
, his influence on one side or the other OF
d this contest No man does or can occu
py neutral position. He has influence
at home on his friends and neighbors,
whether he wills it SO or not. You are
, either backing up our friends and broth
, ers in the field or you are discouraging G
them.
: Some men say that this is Mr.. Lin
coln's war-that it is an Abolition war
), But they can neither deceive themselves
or others in such declaration. The,
- know that this is a war to preserve tn
+ government which their fathers left them
r They know that they are lying when the.
y, N say that this is Mr.. Lincoln's Abolitio
:" war. An Abolition war? l ask you t
find in the history of the world 90,
ernment that has manifested as muc
- forbearance as our own. You all kno'
that it was not until Sumpter was taker
and the old flag trailcd in the dust, tn;
Mr.. Lincoln called man into the felc
ID a, then he only called for $4,000 men
a, tho nfiapal honor
IS Was it the Abolitionists who struc
that blow at Sumpter? Were Beaur'
gard and the other men who devised an
directed this attack Abolitiouists! NJ
n, W they were tho reverse-they were slave
t. holders, and were aided by the poo
Id whites who were taught that you wer
Abolitionists. These are the men VIII
have brought this war on the country
The country would have been the laugh
ing stock of the world if they had nc
resisted these encroachments.
. These men find their sympathizers an
upholders at the North. l am going
say something concerning them. and
am not very particular whether | pleas
them or not.
N What do these men say? They sa
ly that Abraham Lincoln has deceived tn
he pcople-that he proclaimed this to be
war for the preservation of tho Unor
- and he has now turned it into an Abol
ton war. He kept upon the right tract
they say until the 22d of last septembe
when he announced his intention to frs
TN the slaves and that on the lst of Januar
Ids he issued his Emancipation proclamation
nd in defiance Of his constitutional right
sn af They contend, that since that time tt
war has been waged not to preserve tt
nation but to free the negro. Is tn
not mere pretext? Think Who al
, the men that are at the head of this pa
~ ~ ty? Are they not men who are ban
'aI al. ,upt in property, bankrupt in charact
and bankrupt in political reputation!