, 1865-09-12


them. think We can trust the men who as
sisted your armies in finding ont the position
OF: the enemy, telling you where their forage;
their cattle, and horses and mules were j.
without which you could neve have main
.tafucd .yorr armies 80 far from
think We ean trust the men WHO took our
stnrycd prisoners from A1dersonrllle and
Libby, filthy, and covered with yermin,
bowed down With disease, and almost upon
the verge Of The grave; took them to tleif
homes, wished them, clothed them, fed them
and nur<ed them as fond mother would her
babe then tock them by the hand and led
them through the swamps, detylns rebels and
rebel bloodhounds, until tley set them down.
safely. within the Union lines, asking not one
cent fol all their labor. I think that the men
who did all this can be trusted with a vote,
aud Tint you will give him the ballot now a
you gave him bullets to fight his rebel master
During the progress Of this war, many
dnsky form has been stretched 1iron the.
ground by rebel bullets, and many q black
mother to-day weeps over her orphan chill
dren. Yet, am told that these men. ought
to be disflnnchised7T Tbaund hand and loot
while these men WHO have been traitors and
political power Of the South. That IL Cop
perlead justice, but not Gods Justice. / 10
not ass this measure for the sake Of Justice
now, mean to ask you to compel your Con-
gress to give the Tree ballot, not alone for the
sake Of The freedmen themselves, but as q
measure o. natlonal Rafety aud security as q
measure Of reconstruction Ipoint out to you
the material 10 put into this ,l1sordercd tenn
Die, and ask you to see to 1t that none but
sound loyal material Is used by tho workmcn
in the construction Of this building, and
then Of its falling down either on your heads
or the heads Of Your children, there will be
little d1nger. o.. 49,. 81.
But Il were. to ask II on the ground OF.
common Justice, humanity, md national graft
tuie; would You dnre to refuse It to them
theny Did you not, ut the Lust Presidential
election, when you ratified the Emancipation
Proclamation OF President Lincoln, ngrce, ~
they ehould not only have their freedom, but
have nll the means necessary to protect their
freedom against their former rebel masters,
and Is moi this nation pledged, before God and
the wosll, that we shall give and secure free
dom to these mens 1prcss the equestion upon
you. God will hold yon responsible for your
conduct. He did not forget tho two hundred
years Of wrong and oppression inflicted on
this race. lie has punished LIZ for It by -four
years of tears and blood and if yon forget
your duty now, lie will call you to fearful
account lor it hercnfler- And Il yon full In
your duty to these men who rallied to your
support amid the storms Of wnr, whut will tue
future, what will postc1ity say oiyou:
Upon all these grounds Of safety to tho
| Government and common Justice you are COM
| pellcl to give the freedmen Of tie South the
ballot, with which to defend their liberty and
their rights, as you gafo to them tho musket
| aud The bullet to deitnd yours, (App'ausc. ]
| Awonp TO rnE DEMOCRATS. 81
Now, ny friends, see some Democrats be-
this country that when you sec theulyou eau
not mistake them. [iteuewcd laughter.l 1
would tsk them what they intend to do this
Falls What is their political status? There
uscd To be. mn old Democratic party In this
co,mtr:, to which belonged. / do not say
It by xny Of bcastiny; ! only say It by way
Of Showing how great d reformation there has
been inny case, and to comfort you with the
assurn1ce that there Is some hope for you.
fLaug1tcr.1
Theposltion in which you stand to-day Is
this lou have got US q caud}tlaie for Gov
cruov, Col. Thomas II. Benton who i ashamed
to owI you, on account Of your infamous To-
cord, md is yet asking for, md expects your
votes ht the approaching election. You Ind
| not TIE courage to nominate q candidate OF
your eWn, but put forth a small squad Of SOL
:dicrs, Forty-sf1 in number, on the ed day OF
!Au.aa lust, Mt Des aIotnes, tonomnatc can
.ltdatt Tor You, and stunl between you and
the p7blic; this same body -glard OF soldiers
that aow surround Col. Benton, are called by
you Coppcrheads, and by him, the soldiers
| partynt Iowa; While, in tho convention that
Nominated me were over l0o officers mud sol
dirrs-hmong them tho brightest and
nos1 i:.a ssa e.ia t - ~. I,.oNe,,d .,,e3
men ~ Curtis, HERON, Rice, -Dclknap, Van
deycr, Busy, Williamson, Reed, and u host
Of Other lnnrclled names, and ,une-tcnths o
the men Of Iowa who have fought the battle
Of tlis war, arc now giving mo their cordta
and cheerful support. 1ou na4e ny party'n
na:ne, no candidate, that "atns; 10 ,as. ac
rom siaess as soon as possible, make an as
signtuent Of your political estate, and call oI
your high priest, Henry Clay Dean: 70 pseasi
! yonr. funeral sermon. Your candidate, hA
yourselves, has got niger on lhe ptain, ~ \
pill, and Is unable to comprehend there. I
any other question before this whole countr.
except the slngle one Of giving free negroes tn
. 1lgh: to vote Ii the State Of Iowa.
L1BEnyr-IorA1rr-sus
I,aye presented to You, At more length
than / intended, tie questions now before III
eo,,ntrr1 / Inys iold ynu. frankly nnd plaIu
+. ~ Eic,ss sNomjil MT haTe kent baci
~ Tnrtl~ # hv utter}ur Il I should layc bee,
j fsat+n this c,li nv IOO do votes. It Is q mat
| trr ~ f,rcat consroueuto what pArty succeed
: and: what principles arc carried out, but 1t /
unly.i,nportant TO me as icing the Representa-
tit,,uf III. marty Wi,fch il figGtinu this thln.
| out On Lie Tl!TFnL llne- S0u}G ELEVEN years "
/ Lett The Democratic party and took position
/ inm ::nnfl ,yl,ethcr f,si,tinl, iu tho open fcl
;. u .ns,,1S I.1r,!1rs ~ r., Tia n m1nnr
SaaI,1 ts.eacb cpnec; ~ stand thnrc NM
r | ~; sy-.t et.nr,rjn a. ,ou,I;f,. u orcr
ths4 g1eat s.suGgse FL 1os eahanIS a;n,as Gssa:
! Snan etana " the nnnutAos ptaup -,
n elthsr sink Or swim. When stood by th
~" ts.o,. wifi, H,s hIoniI en', ~ fail,xe
= :, nls remains tntongh tne clnes ano SsAtes
t, thu pIairies OF Illinois, l determine
q that "live or die, sink Or sW IN, survive or Pc
d ishn would sustain the principles Tor Wnic