New Oregon plaindealer. (New Oregon, Iowa) 1859-1866, 1865-09-22
iii NOWJN r. F0' Z. " >RS<,R M
THE SOLDIERS 'CONyENTION.
His Letter OF Acceptance.

! A'fi i'S. I'd, aug 20. 1000
Cart GEo. W. CLARK. Capt. A r
AuLT md Rev A J. BARTcN.
GENrI EMEN-> | nave just received
your favor of the 2G:h instant, alviSin .
noe "f my nomina'ion as candidate f.,
He office "f governor, >y 'hp snl,liers'
Convention, hs Id at Des M"ines on the
<3rd instant. Having known and
said but little Of the recent progress
and development Of political events in
our s'ate' L was ,otaa'y unprepasca e.,
this announcements. Engrossed with
public duties and resp nsibilities, and
wear'ed by the tolls and priyntions
OF the camp and the field for the las,
three years, had returned home with
the settled purpose Of manently re-
sumlng the pursuits Of private life aaa
were | DOW to consult my personal feel
ings should adhere to such determin-
alton; but having fought side ',y side
wlFh you through the most eveutf.i and
perll;us period Of our c,uniry's histo-
ry tor he preservation f the union,
and fully c"ncurring in your vi ews up-
ON the vital issues forced upon US IN
the present political Contest, sense OF
duty to the country, to you and to my
self: 'mpe's me to fnrego my individual
preferences and accede to your wishes.
| therefore accept the nomination.
| must confess that | do 20 with re-
Ipcta.ce. | regret to be placed in
even partial anita gonism to portion of
my pnh,.ca; and personal friends; but
he clear convictions Of duty and the
great interests at stake, rising far
above the circumscribed rules and usa.
ges Of party politics, render this sac,i-
flee Of personal feelings unavoidable.
The extension Of the elective fran
chise to the colored race is the only is
sue involved in this contest. Believ-
IN" thar the period has Nos arrived for
gau'Z.;inl., ai,h that such change under
existing circumstance ) would f. owe det-
rimeulal rather than Deueiic.Ai 10 ihe
,,c@, an opposed 70 tue nea,ura.
n opposition 8 nog ne result d., pr.j
U!.o~ IT.. IS G"ulael Oh pr.u>p.e
" osc l s"'tsihet ts:uJ i: W uit p,Vln.ne
thc!g best Interests, afford lnaierlal aid
in re ganiZi"s civil government IN IA
prlunett AID eQul'ahIe basis ~ the
sta cs recently Ii, rebellion, aud III les
sorins; peace and tranquility to the
county, | should hot hesitate 10 a
vocate its irnu ediate adoption. Bur
nssty believing that it will i'm
pcde lhe consummation Of these great
ends, I cannot consistently do other
wise than cast my vote against it.
To extend the right Of suffrage to
the freedmen of the south at this par
ticuIar period, and in the uanner pro-
posed, would create deadly hostility be-
tween the white and black races, and
lead to continued acts of violence and
harha,ity against each ether, which
nothing but the presence Of an armed
force could prevent. Blu. recently re-
les,svd fr.m bondage, they arc as get
| ilf,nts. far as freedom and elective
frm,ciise are conce rred, and while they
shonld he protected in the e'j 'yr ent
If tn" f,rmor, [ lo not c c'nsi le: tn IN
qualified for the exercise nf the latter.
TO bring the matter directly home,
should the 100000 freedmen Of Genr-
gia he transferred to Iowa in their
present condition, would We inv es.
them with the right Of suffrage? ]
think l hazard nothing in asserting
that the most radical friends Of the
measure would say, no. Why then
fnrce upon other states that which We
would ignore for ourselves2
The supporters of the measure say
that the limited number of colored per
s,ns among US renders tie issue tri
vial one 50 far az lowa is concere,l
. that it is a matter Of no consequence
whether the right to vote is extended
l or withheld. Ifs". why force the issue
> conceded by its advocates to he uuim
: pnrtan,, upon the people at this time