The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1863-09-16
For the Times.
Gov. Kirlxwood.

Gov. IKirlxwood.
The people of McGregor and vicinity, on
Saturday were entertained by speech
from Gov. KIRKwooD. The Gov. com.
menced by saying that he should give facts
and not his opinions, and let the audience
draw their own conclusions. AS this was
understood by all to be speech made for
the purpose of securing votes for tho Re
publican nominees, and as the Gov. made
pretensions to honesty and straight for
ward dealing, let us examine some of his
positions: la
The burden of his speech was to show
that those who lived under the Govern.
mcnt and enjoyed its protection, owed it
allegiance; that that allegiance was para
mount to every other claim; and that when
the Government was assailed it was the
duty of all honest men to support it. Up
on these subjects we will not take issue
with the Gov. but must cheerfully accord
with him, in every particular, ard we assert
that that is not only now, but has ever
been the true Democratic doctrine,
notwithstanding the Gov. would have had
his audience believed otherwise. We defy
him or any other man to point to any re.
spectacle portion Of the Democratic party
in the northern states who hold, or ever
have held otherwise
sThe Gov. urged. that, in our present diff
culties it should be the first and only pur.
pose Of every loyal man to- first put down
the rebellion, the terrible rsbeiion,, which
is now devastating the country; leaving all
minor issues to be determined, afterwards;
comparing our present condition, to a
town, with terrible fire raging in it's
midst; saying that i: would and should be
the first business Of all to first pat out the
fire and do it in the most expeditions man.
ner; save as much Of the exposed property
as possible, leaving the questions, how the
fire originated, or what means should be
taken to prevent second one, or how the
burnt premises should be rebuilt, to be set
tied afterwards and at more convenient
time. We think the Governor made an
apt illustration and if he was "honest' in
his views as then advocated we cordially
agree with him in every particular relating
to these subjects, but let us inquire how
stand the political parties Of to-day on these
questions. The Democratic party emphat-
caly affirm that they are for ''the Union
as it soas and the Constitution as it is''
without an if; for vigorous prosecution of
the war, and the use Of every available and
legitimate means to attain that end: it has
been affirmed and rcafiirmed in all the
State conventions, and by very large ma
jority Of all its representatives, and wher.
ever and wherever there has been any differ.
ent senti:aent expressed by them it has been
done under the conviction that from the
nature Of things and the manner in which
our national affairs are conducted that it
was impossible and utterly useless to ex.
pect that end to be attained; hence, like
man with his house on Ere he woHd try to
put out the fire, and when he saw that it
was hopeless case we would then endeav-
or to save as much of his furniture as DOS.
sble.
Can the republicans say as much? Can
they, in the language of Gov. Kirkwood
honestly say that it Is their first and only
purpose to first put out the fire and leave
| all the questions as to how it originated or
what Shall be the particular status of the
premises, to be settled afterwards? Can
they say that they are for the restoration
OF the union without an If and are willing
to leave the other minor questions Of who
caused it or what shall be the peculiar
status OF the rebellous States, after the
war is ended, to be settled afterwards?
They pretend to style themselves "Union
men, II they are for the Union as it was
before the rebellion, without an if, why
don't they say SO! If they mean so why
why don't they say so and say so plainly
and not not 60 beating about the bush
about it?
Gov. kirkwood did not enlighten us on
that point: he was careful to have it un.
derstood that he was in an official position
and man of marx and we very naturally
supposed that he could have informed us
upon this point; he told US very plainly
what he had done, what he should do, and
what he thought about various other mat
tiers. Why did he leave us so much in the
dark about this? The fact is that Gov.
kirkwood is not in favor of any such thing,
nor is the Republican party o: which he Is
a representative; he was not honest enough
to own it but 'beat about the bush" and
avoided the vital question which divides
the political parties Of the Nor,h. The Re-
publican party to day is not in favor Of the
Union Of all the states as of old, without
any conditions being annexed, and the
more honest ones OF the party will tell you
plainly ard emphatically that they are not.
President Lincoln, by all his official acts,
conduct speeches and letters NEST en-.
phat:cally says so; all the leading journals
OF their party say so; they tell us that
they are not in favor of the restoration of
the Uiion until slavery is first abolished in
all the rebellious States and various other
conditions be first complied WITH that, be-
fore they will consent that 'the fire shall
stop they soiU haze the cause ascertained
and removed, and determined what kind Of
buildings shall be built upon the burnt
premises.
GEN. PORE Below is an important and
sensible order of Gen. Pope. 1t is num-