The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1866-09-20
REPLY.


"AAL"A ohEE, CepI. III, 1880.
Il. M. Thompson, Esq, and others.
GENTLEMEN Yours of the Sth, in regard
to public discussion between Senator boo
little and myself is received and in reply
would say, that on any day after the 25th
instant and before the election it will give
me pleasure to comply with your request.
| am principally induced to accept your
invitation, because | regard it as a matter
Of justice to Senator Doolittle. The loyal
Union men of Wisconsin, who elected Mr..
Dooittle to the Senate believe he has be-
trayed them; while he claims, believe,
that he has not changed. but the people haze
deserted htm. A public discussion. before an
audience composed of all shades of political
sentiment, is the best and fairest OCCASION
Tor determining whether the Senator, or the
people have taken the Side-track in politics;
who is true and who is false to the pripci-
plies we all advocated during the war. There
fore. should Senator Doolittle desire such a
discussion-aS 1 haze no doubt he q05U-I
should feel boun.i to accommodate him, under
the peculiar circumstances.
Again, | regard discussions, where differ
ent speakers are brought face to face, as the
flrest method of conducting any canvass. =
1t is necessary for the people to hear and
consider both sides, before they can form an
intelligent Judgment. The issues presented
during the war were not more important or
even vital to our national existence and t.
civil liberty itself, than those which consti-
tute the problems of peace. The people
must settle these questions /; they hold the
destinies of the Constitution and the Union.
1t is for them. to say whether unrepentant.
uupardoned rebels and traitors are the safest
repositories of the power of the Government
or whether they should be invited-pay,
compelled-'' to take back seats in the re
construction of civil governments 1t is for
them to say whether the Congress shall re-
main the law making department of the
lGovernmeut, and the President the execu-
tor of their will, as expressed i'll the laws
passed by Them or whether Congress shall
hereafterbe regarded as a voluntary cenven-
ton of individuals & on the verge of the
Government, Whose acts are ouly valid
when they echo the will aud perform the
bidding of the President.
| 1t has been the American theory that
power was more safely lodged in the hands
of the many, than the few; in. the Congress
than with the President But all this is
now questioned and the President in his
late tour, i'll which he has seen fit to turn
the sad solemnties of funeral into the vi
olence of political raid, thus giving the
people fresh cause for regretting the death
of Douglas, which has furnished
such an unfortunate occasion-the President
is cautioning the people against the danger
of tyranny and despotisIn from the repre-
sentatives OF their own selection asserting
that nothing but his virtue has prevented
his becoming dictator long SINCE and assu-
ring the people that he is their friend and
the only safe repository Of public confidence
and political power, So Augustus cousum
mated the usurpations that his kindness had
commenced, with the sword, end overthreu
the Liberties of Rome, under the forms OF
law. So Cromwell first declared the par
Ii ment an illegal body, son the Uerge Of The
goUermmsmt,'' and then dispersed them with
bayonets. So Napoleon, as First Consul,
gradually acquired all power, and subverted
the liberties Of France. 1t is for the people
to consider whether the President in his pro
testations that the people are erslaved aud
he is their friend, laboring for their emanci-
patton is acting sincerely and wisely, or
playing the role that all usurpers have play
ed since Caesar crossed the Rubicon. These
are mighty considerations, pregnant with
good or evil for us, and for all generations
By all means give the Senator chance to
satisfy us that what we believe to be truth
is really falsehood That what we deem Sc
curity is really danger that Congress can
not be trusted, and that the President can
be; that loyalty is unconstitutional, and
traitors entitled to seats in Congress and the
Cabinet. 1t is due to him, due to ourse ves
due to justice and civil liberty, to hear all
that can be said The Senator is the Pres-
dents special representative !: he will speak
by authority 1t will therefore be in his
power to allay a painful public apprehension
of future danger, if the fact is otherwise :;
aud ifsafter full hearing and fair chance
he fails to do this his foilure will he of pub
lie service by tending to arouse the people to
guard against, or meet and overcome future
troubles.
Very Respectfully
NJ L N