The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-09-03
The Coppcrhead Platform.
Opposition to the War Under Every
Policy.

N SoPPSheeu piosfotM VI 1oWa Is u
transcript of the Vallandigham platform
Of Ohio, got up especially for that ban.
ished traitor. The platform declares that
the party will oppose the war till the gov
ernment changes its policy. The Eman-
cipation Proclamation docs not suit the
Copperheads, and, therefore, they assume
the responsibility Of pronouncing it IN
constitutional, and Of proclaiming that
they will "divide the North" and resist
the prosecution of the war till the govern
mont changes its policy in the conduct of
the war.
The government don't choose to change
its policy, and hence, the Democracy, in
accordance with their platform is pledged
TO oppose the war, and to divide the
North. Division Of the North affords
aid and comfort to the traitors Of the
South, and is one of the most efficient
means of success in the rebel program
me.
So the Democratic or Copperhead par
ty Of Iowa present to the public the
strange Inconsistency Of running . Lin
coin Brigadier war candidate on plat
form constructed in opposition to the war,
for the special benefit of the great Ohio
traitor. Here is the resolution, which,
with all its verbiage, pledges the party to
oppose the war and to divide the North.
till the Government "backs out" from the
position which it 10 declared to have as
sumed
That TOE are opposed to the prosecution
of the oar for the purpose of carrying out
the emancipation proclamation of the
Presidents of the United States-and if
the Federal administration expect uni
ted North to attend its efforts to suppress
a rebellion, it must not only codae back to
the object OF the war as set forth in the
Crittenden resolution adopted by the
House of Representatives in July, 1861,
but it must in its dealing with the people
of the States infringe upon no one single
right guaranteed to the people BY either
the Federal or State Constitutions.
| The party not only make war upon the
governments on account of its treatment
of Southern traitors in arms, but it is
fierce in its denounciation of the treat
ment which it has seen fit to mete out
to Northern sympathizers who have been
endeavoring to obstruct the execution O
i the measures of the government for ths
suppression of the rebellion. The plat
form implies that the party is not onl,
the guardian of the constitutional right
Of traitors who have taken up arms Il
subvert the Constitution and the Govern
ment, but that it is also the special advo
cate of Constitutional immunity for al
sYmpathize.-s in the North who seek t.
aid aud abet ..hese open traitors.
/ The following, resolution is intended t
give immunity to the vallandigham AM
Mahony sympathiz,srs and opponents 0
| the draft and of the arrest Of deserters ::
4 That We declare the power which ha
recently been assumed ~ the President
whereby, under ,guise Of military neces
sity he has proclaimed and extended mai
tial law over States where war does nc
exist, and has Suspended the writ of Hs
beas Corpus it unwarrant.sd by tn
Constitution, and its tendency is to sub
ordinate the civil to the military author
ty, and subvert our free governm eat
Undoubtedly the Constitution Of Il
United States took i. for granted th'
the government had authority to suspen
the writ of habeas corpus in time Of ";
or insnrrection. And whether this pov
belongs to the President or to Congrel
is not materially, - both have concurre
, in suspeuding the writ, Congress BY a
thorixing..the President to do it, and Il
President BY actual doing it.
1t belongs to those who have the r
) sponsibility Of carrying on the Cover
q ment, to decide whether the exigency d
1 mands the exercise Of the power rsco
nized by the Constitution. At least su'
is the opinion of the Administration a
many who support it, and Of the army,
4 . man, We believe. But the Cope
q heads cam to think that Valian dighal
Mahony, Byington, or some Golden G
= Gle or Cnpperhead club, have exclusi
power an d jurisdiction over the discrsti
t of the Elk ecutive and Legislative depsl
/ ments of Government, and that pothi
should be done without their permission
a The truth is the Vallaadighammers a
"a the Mahonyites we're opposed to the y
IN from the start; the party in Iowa have
ii posed every single movement and me
1, ure for the prosecution of th . war, fr
% the day the President called out seven
Eve thousand men, until this hour. A
all their pretences, that this 8 that D,
cy of conducting the war has caused