Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-09-23
THE CHICAGO CONVENTION.
sr,r,4u, ~ ,;,e Natto:sa. Onion COMMITTEE,
10 .h. Epon,p OK tg.n United States.
HEAuKrAerEKS NArloNAL UNION Com EE, |
NEW YORK Sept. q. 1864. (


HEAIkUAgrEKS NATIONAL UNION Com EE,
NEW YORK, Sept 8, 1864.
The great rebellion, which for more
| than three years has wrapped the nation
| in the flames of civil war, draws near its
crisis. Its armies have been beaten, its
| territory has been conquered, the forts
and posts which it treacherously seized
have been occupied and held by the SOL
diers of the Republic, it's foreign allies
have been detached from its support,
and its hostile arm, paralyZed by eX-
3haustion, and discouraged by defeat, is
| upheld solely by the hope of political
victories to be achieved by its allies in
the Presidential election of November
next.
| If the people in that election sustain
the Government, il they re-assert its
lust authority and re-at1irm their pur-
pose to maintain it by war so long as
! war assails it, the rebellion will speedily
end. If they falter in this determine
| ton, or leave any room for doubt on
this vital point, the rebels will take
fresh courage and prOlong the contest.
Every utterance of their organs and
their agents at1irms and confirms this
position. Every rebel in arms and eve
nv rebel in Of1ice-every rebel organ Ill
| the rebel States or in foreign lands-eY-
cry hater of Democratic freedom ana
| the rights of man, longs and labors 1ol
the overthrow of the administration and
the expulsion of Abraham Lincoln from
the Presidential chair.
In the Northern and Western States
this hostility has been embodied and or
caniZed in the acts and declarations OF
the Chicago Convention. That Con-
vention gave silent approval of the re-
| bcliOn itself, and an open condemnation
of the war waged for its suppression
| Without Il word of censure for the con-
spirators who plotted the nations death,
| it brands with unSparing Remuneration
the patriots and heroes who defend its
| life While it passes in utter silence The
! gigantic uSurpatlonS OF Jefferson Davis
and his confederate traitors-Whlle 1T
ovcrlooks entirely, and thus, by just
and necessary Inference, approves their
abrogation OF political rights and per-
sonal liberties over all that portion OF
the United States in which they have
been nble thus far to sustain the usurped
authority, it pours out It's wrath, with
out stint or measure, upon every act by
which the Constitutional President of
| the United States has sought to defend
and protect the life and liberties OF the
nation. whose executive Lower is placed
in his hands.
That Convention had no words of ex-
ultation for our victories no thanks
and hOnors for the soldiers and sailors
who have shed their blood to achieve
them. While it denounces our Govern
ment for neglect of duty toward our
" fellow-citizens who are now, and long
have been, prisoners OF war in a suffer
ing condition. it has not even sylla-
bic of censure for those rebel authorities
| tlap &c apiInltN
and in utter disregard of every dictate
OF humanity, as well as OF every usage
of civilized warfare, have deliberately
and with systematic purpose inflicted
luDon those prisoners all the tOitures OF
exposure, of neglect and starvation, and
have offered premiums for their murder
to the brutal guards to whose grim GUS
tody they have been consigned. And,
on the eve Of the most glorious victories
that have ever crowned our arms-after
three years Of bloody, costly and sue
cessfui war, when threefourths Of the
territory originally held by the rebels
has passed into cur hands; at the very
moment when the rebellion itself is tot
tering TO its fall, and the flag of our
country is rapidly advancing To its old
supremacy, the party represented at
Chicago demands that "nnnediotc e.
forts be mate for Il cessation Of ho&t(ti-
INes'-a step which would instantly ar
rest our conouering armies and snatch
from them the glOries OF q final tri-
umph; repeal the blockade and throw
the whole rebel frontier open to the sup
plies they so sorely need, secure the re-
coenitiOn of foreign powers, and either
accomplish their independence or give
them the ability to fight for it four years
| longer.
Weappoal to the people of the United
! States-lovers of the Union and friends
of Freedom-aGainStth contamination
of the foul crime against both which the
acts and declarations of the Chicago
| Convention involve. We invoke them
not to sanction these principles and sen
timents by electing the candidates put
| forward to represent them. We linpi0re
| them, "a they love tneif country, as
they seek the renewed integrity OF Its
territory. as they desire the peaceful
protection OF its flag, and the blessings
of its free institutions and its equal laws
for themselves and their pOsterity, not
to arrest the blow which is just ready
to descend upon the rcbt ion now tot
tering to its fall not to give the rebels
time to renew their strength for fresh
c0nflicts not to aid those who would
aid them in overthrowin@ or Co.,
ment, in destroying Union, in
pIunging into a chaos anarchy the
| great communities of W.. the Consti-
tuition makes one great 4 IA glorious ma
ton, and in thus eNtinguishing, finally
and forever, the hopes Of all who have
| faith in Freedom and the Rights OF
| Man,
We call upon the people to bear in
mind that, by whatever sophistries tl.ey
may cloak their purposes, the Chicago
Convention neither condemns the action
OF the Richmond rebels. nor proposes to
expci them against their will, or by any
exercise offorce, from the seats Of power
! they hove usurped. In all essential re-
spects the action that Convention took
accorlls with the results the rebels seek.
! Both desire q cessation of hOStiiitieS.
Both denounce, with unsparng bitter
ness, the Government of the United
, States, aud both alike seek its over
throw Both demand that the attempt
to conquer armed rebellion by force OF
arms shall be abandoned. And both
demand that, when the Government OF
the United States have passed into the
| hands of men opposed to an armed de-
Tense of the Government against rebel
lion the war shall end by peaceful con-
terence Of these allied powers. What
more than this could the rebels ask OF
need for the consummatiOn of all theiI
plans? We call upon the people to beau
in mind that. if they elect the candi-
dates of the Chicago Convention, they
arrest the Government in the execution
Of its plans and purposes on the very
eve OF their fuifillment, and one-third
of year before any new administration
can take its place. The interval will be
ono of bona and con fiIpuca for the reb.
els. and of exultation for their allies in
the loyal States. In the Western States
armed preparations have already been
made by the deciples and advocates OF
secession to follow the example OF the
South, and sever the West from the Fed
erai Union. The success of the Chicago
nrogIa.nme in November, viii be the