The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-07-27
To Our Anti-NegrO Suffrage
Friends.


Friends.
There are some of our Union friends with
whom we have held counsel and battled side
by side for years past against Copperheads
and rebels, that are now much troubled and
almost disposed to part company with their
old friends, renounce the Union party and
unite in the Possuna Copperhead movement,
on account of their opposition to negro suf
frage. With such persons we propose to
have little friendly family talk on the pres
ent % situation :"
We regard the action of the Union State
Convention as impolitic and uncalled for in
raising an inmaterial issue three years in ad-
vance of any possible solution, calculated to
distract and divide the Union party, in the
face of pending questions Of infinitely greater
Importance to the countrythan whether three
or four hundred colored citizens of Iowa shall
have the right Of suffrage three or four years
hence. But that issue must necessarik
''hang FIRE, and when the proper time comes,
every voter in the State viii have his own
individual pop at it, and in the meantime no
harm can possibly come Of it.
Have not the Union men of Iowa differed
in regard to many political questions during
the last four years, and held those differences
in abeyance for the time being. while we
marched on in united phalanx to crush the
rebels on the battlefield, and rout the Cop
perheads at the polls. And can we not CON
tinae this policy in the future, now that reb-
els and Copperheads are uniting to obtain the
control of Congress and of the Government,
and to inaugurate reactionary policy under
the lead of the Nalaudighammers of the
North and the JEFF. Davisites of the South
Surely there are more points of difference,
and vital points, too, between you and the
reunited Copperhead-rebel party than there
are between YOU and the Union friends with
whom you have acted for fonr years past Il
cannot be that you have more sympathy anc
harmony of sentiment with MAHoSY, JoNEs
SUMMERS, CLAY DEAN, MASON and BYINGTox
than yon have with CRocKrR, Curtis, Dopek
GRIMES, HARLAs and WlLsoS. You ART
opposed TO negro suffrage in Iowa, but doe,
that reconcile you to the aid and com
fort = TO traitors, % FIRE in the rear
on Union soldiers, s'armistiee ant
peace with rebels, and "four year
of war failure policy and platform Of Cop
perheads7 You cannot prefer the com
bination of traitor and Copperhead leader
proposed by the programme of MAsos's Ma
iional Democratic Association, to the tries
men and true who have led our armies in tn
Held and shaped our war policy in the coun
cils of the nation.
But goa are not going to join that party
you say, but operate independently. Neithe
did the Copperheads join the rebels, but yo'
know that their opposition to the Union par
ty, to the Government and 10 the var, CAV
aid and comfort to the enemy, and encour
aged them to prolong the contest at a cost o
months, if not years, of sacrifice of life ans
treasure to the country. And will not you
action. even if it be separate and independ
ent, give aid and comfort to the Ccpperhesde
just as the Copperheads by their independeu
!, organization rendered aid and comfort to Ii
Hebels during the war; -
We said there were many me- upel
vR Union men did not agree, sM16e tie
ontinued to stand together for tAe 61ase
I not agree upon the question Of en-
kegroes to fight for the country, an
Did not agree upon the still create
hon Of emancipation, and yet they cam
practical agreement on those subjects il
course Of three years fighting asainst RET
e1sin the South and CopperhsaAs IN tn
n64- Suppose you had besa eSIled upo
II the opening year Of the war to proclair
~ you would mot support any man that "
= fivoe of these measures, what kind Of
nion party would We have maintained unde
~ policy9 Why, then, should you max
= ! psoehtntisR and sn& : deelarato
- knov thax eircsumssahcss csnnt
szias = - oss.tzy iAaE NH speras
1n1p your vieus - e ehep@ the yis~
t6t 40 - i fs@ q ~ = sQlhAe
ne sksss ysassst tAaAnsnst slapaa hsfSal4 ~
nsutioa en- b DECIDED ~ - IilIsea ~
Asans ysesg - ~ sstlgln - -