The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-04-07

warning note TO the Union members, IN dis
regard Of which every member Of the Union
party in that Assembly voted to extend
suffrage to the soldiers. aud every Democrat
voted against giving suffrage. and the Gov.
ernor vetoed the bill .rf a. bsrr;s ian a
In the State of Connecticut the Democrats
Of the Legislature Of 1852 opposed soldiers
voting, and in the Legislature Of 1853. on
the proposition for amending the Gonstitu.
ton to remove all legal objection. every
Democrat voted against its amendment
The Democrats in the Legislature OF the
State Of Pennsylvania voted against extend
ling suffrage to the soldiers in 1868 and the
! present year, while every Union member Of
the Legislature voted for the proposition,
and have gained the boon, every Democrat
Twas silent or voted against it. In the States
Of Michigan, Wisconsin. Ohio, and Mime.
sofa, where soldiers vote, the law was re.
sisted with the same Democratic una -imi-
Ity. In the State of Minnesota notice of
lcontest for the-sest of one of the Represen.
tatives in Congress from that State was
served IN the ground Of the illegalty Of the
soldiers vote. At the present session Of the
Legislature Of the State Of Ohio in contest.
ed-election cases every Democrat voted to
unseat members elected by the soldiers, and
= leader of the party opposed the law for the
reason that ''our liberties would soon be
destroyed if the Army should be allowed to
vote "7ss - + H s;tT
| The State Of New Jersey, being the only
northern State where the peace party pre-.
lponderates in the Legislature, scouts the
idea of extending the elective franchise to
her soldiers, and through oae of her mem
bers insults our defenders by the presenta-
Il - of. II A.
approach within mile Of any place where
an election is held in a city, or, within two
miles il held elsewhere, am not advised
of the action Of any other State on this ques
ton save that which [ in part represent
the State ofIowa AT the extra session of
the Legislature in 1862, there was but fee.
| BILE opposition to the soldiers voting, but al.
most the entire Democratic press deprecated
the action Of their party, aud boards Of sn-
pervisors in many cases refused to count
| the soldiers votes, depriving Union men
Of the offices to which they had been elected;
and against verdict of near fourteen hund
red votes the seat of a member on this Dor
from Iowa. has, up to very recent period,
been contested on the ground of soldiers
voting. To fiji up the measure Of political
infamy the following resolution of the Dem
4 UCTHuC OtdtS Ctuttdi SOiuutlttCO WAS ouOpt-
ed in $685. ss~.rr-,, .. r.t ,,ssss..a. f.rs ..r
"Resotped, That as a measure of mitiga.
ting the abomniable inequalities Of the un-
tconstitdtional conscription act by which
Democrats were sought to be forced into
an abolition war which they detest, it is
recommended that the ratification meetings
to be held through the State on or about
the 1st August, do petition the county au :.
Ikl -.ak> of d
public money to commute the military SER
vice, or in other words purchase our free.
dom (as the rich are provided to do for
imay be drafted IN Iowa, and upon whose
labor a family may be dependent for sup
port ,rs,-, .,-... --,-.-.. .....rr 4, "a -
The monstrous character and unmixed
treason of this resolution is seen in the de-
/ liberate attempt to keep soldiers from the
4 Army; that the rebels might triumph in
the field, and their quiet accomplices at
home triumph by the success of the DEM
ocrat party at the elections. 1t was moth.
ing less than pre- ,osition to tax the SOL
diers' farm at home; to detain men from
coming to their rescue who were dying IN
the southern mias,na and threatened t. be
overborne bv the demons of secession in
| as tuDuShuus vi tuOu COtuiduCo uau
been when outnumbered. ,~ ~rA sgt
The fall of Vicksburg and Port Hudson
fred anew the hearts of ths people, and
the sick and the wounded returning in
great numbers plead for men to fill the de.
pleted ra lks, and in most of our towns there
were ladies' societies formed to supply the
wants of the soldiers in the hospitals and
in the field. and county boards of super.
4 iy,c sxyafa1 frun1xy xvxan fn antai>rc
lilies, aud SO delicate were these attentions
that the, recipient felt no degradation in re,
ceipting for money while husband or son
was in the service of his country receiving.
the small compensation Of the common SOL
fdief. These efforts were met oh the part
Of peace Democrats by a system Of secret
Iganzat tions to discourage enlistments.
and while individuals aud counties were ex-i
hibiting such liberality and devotion, il was
reserved for the only considerable Demo-
cratic county in the State (Dubuque) to ex.
lhibita clmactaric Of baseness by a refusal
to vote a dime to soldiers families, and
give their pittance only as to paupers ask
| ing for food and for clothing as protection
from the ri gors of . northern winter.
Such is truthful chapter of the honors
bestowed and the love shown by the De-
I
public. 1t has passed into history, while
the undaunted ARMY like .s. Il,
"The mower moves on, though The adder NAV writhe,
| And the copperheads curl round the blade OF the
,f'T scythe." .lFTf L - 30
| LOSS OF TUE PRESS AND INSTITUTIONS OF
LEARNING TO THE DEMoCRAcY. H#
A few facts incidental will show that this
former party-holi upon public confidence
isa not lost wit hout reason. Democracy is
now controlled maiuly by caucuses and the
magic touch of political wires and cumb-
rous machinery, which must DO fabricated
by some Jew broker Of the house of Roths-
ehilds. fOnce the editor and the press we're
controlling, and, by calm discussion and
tns annunc'anon OF principles and approx
ed historic precedents, new leases OF power
were gwen to the party ruling so long.
How changed! That great lever, the press,
most effective in organising aud -consolda-
ting public opinion, has passed into other
handsome lobe OF the brain of the party
has been struck with paralysis. Three
fourths Of the issues of the press, in quar-
tihes, monthlies. weekly and daily isheets
are for minds that will brno no neutrality.
and abhor leaders in daliiance with an OH,
ga!chy. Thus to have lost welcome to
the shop Of the mechanic and the Kitchen
OF the farmer, such as the Democratic news
paper had SO long be n, tells at once of the
rising sense Of justcs with tn, people, and
furnishes striking commentary On party
Fservility. ~as T7H7 rs
In close relationship to the loss of the
press, that once powerful ally Of Democracy,
is its alienation of our scholars and loss cf |
control ovec the academies, colleges. anil