The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1864-03-31


every Union member Of the Legislature
voted for the proposition, and have
gained the boon, every Democrat was
silent or voted against it. In the States
Of Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio. and
Minnesota, where soldiers vote, the law
was resisted with the same Democratic
nnanimity. In the State Of Minnesota
= notlce Of contest for the seat OF one
Of tho Representatives in Congress from
that Sla'e was served on the g,ound
Of The illcgality Of the soldiers vote.
At the present session Of the Lcgisla-
ture Of the State Of Ohio in contested
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 it the Army
should be allowed to VOTE"
The State Of New Jersey, being the
only northern State where the peace
party prcpondera,es in the Legislature,
scouts tho idea of extending the cleo
tive franchise to her soldiers, and
through one Of her members insults our
defenders by the presentation Of bill
forbidding bodies OF soldiers to ap
proach within mile Of any place where
an election is held in a city, OF
within two miles if held elsewhere. ]
am not adv sel Of the action Of any
other State on this question save that
which in part represe nt-the State OF
Iowa. At the extra session Of the
Legislature in 1862, there was bu, feeble
opposition to the soldiers voting, bu'
almost the el tire Democratic press de-
precated the action of their party, and
boards Of supervisors in many cases re
fused to count the soldiers votes, de
Driving Union men OF the offices q
which they had been elected and
against verdict Of near fourteen hund
red votes the seat Of member on thi.
loor from Iowa, has, up to very re
cent period. been contested on the
ground of soldiers voting. To fill NJ
the measure Of political infamy the fol
lowing resolution Of the Democratic
State central committee was adopted
in 1868:
s'Rcsolrcl, Tha: a. measure Of MI
tigating the abominable inequalities Of
the unconstitutional conscription act by
which Democrats were sought to b.
forced into m abolition war which they
detest, it il recommended that the rati
tication meetings to be held through
the State on or about the 1st Of August,
do petition the county authorities to ap-
propriate q sufiiciency Of the public
money to commute the military service
or IN other words purchase our freedom
(as the rich are provided to do for
themselves) of each poor white man
who may be drafted in Iowa, and upon
wto4c labor faulty may be dependent
for support"
The monstrous character and unmix
ed treason Of this resolution is seen in
the deliberate attempt to keep soldiers
from the Army; 4hat the rebels might
triumph in the field, and their quiet &C
completes at home triumph by the sac-
cess Of the Democratic party at the
elections. It was nothing less ,han
proposition to tax the soldiers farm
at home; to detain men from coming
to their rescue who were dying in the
southern miasma and threatened to be
overborne by the demons OF secession
in arms, as thousands Of their comrades
had been when outnumbercd.
The fall Of Vicksburg and Port Hud.
son fired anew the hearts OF the people
and the sick and the wounded returning
in great numbers plead for men to fiji
the depleted ranks; and most Of oul
towns there were ladies' societies form
ed to supply the wants Of the soldiers
in the hospitals and in the field, and
county boards of supervisors voted
freely money to soldiers families, and SC
delicate were these attentions that tht
recipient felt no degradation in receipt
ing for money while husband or sor
was in the service Of his country re
ceiving the small compensation Of tn
common soldier. These efforts wcr,
met on the part cfpeace Democrats b.
system Of secret organizations to dis
courage cnlistments, and while indi
vidaala and counties were cxlibitin.
such liberality and devotion, i was re
served for the only considerable Demo
cratic county in the State (Dubulue) I