The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1867-08-22
81 81 OTTUMWA IOWA, THURsD DAY, AUGUST %, 1867.

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{ 4 .uaiM MASON. s3G zax,
Read the following extracts from
the recent speech Of Chas Mason, at
Dubuque, which sre evidently inten.
ded to be understood - tho key notes
of the coming campaign. -
@ 4 Is from beginning to end an
elaborate attempt to prove the rsb-
els engaged in their mad attempt {, to
overthrow the government, as the
only true patriots Of the county, and
that the government and; its dsfen-
ders, from its late honored head
down to the humblest private in tho
ranks, were, responsible for the war,
its bloodshed, and the horrorso Lib.
BY and Andersonvllle:
Our antagonists LIN effect
to inculcate the maxim that rebellion
is IN unpardonable offense, involving
moral ttuI.pitude Of soIhideons q char
Acter that no. grace can ever reaeh
the criminal. This doctrine never
had its birth place ia America. tits
austrian, If not Asiatic, ia its origin.
Tyrants who rule by fear alone, and
who tremble on their thrones at cyf
cry exhibition of independents
thought and action among tho peo-
pie, may well endeavor to instil such
maxine into their minds; but they
will never And favor with . free
people who prefer liberty with all it's
necessary inconvcnicnccs to the
calm Of dcspotic peace. -
Why, our nationality was conceived
in rebellion. The free institutions
which are our glory and our de-
light. are ell Of rebel pedigree. The
greatest names adorn our history,
and which cause tho heart Of every
trueAmerican to swell with patri-
otic pride. were oil rebcla Of the first
water
& alt fs,trse that, ebellioa in that
case was successfnl.I This ] admit
makes wide difference politically and
historically, but does il do 70 moral
II Z 1fthe revolution Of lS76 had
ultimately failed through the neg
lee. of France and the 9superhuman
efforts Of Great Britain would that
hive rendered the declarntion Of in
ope ndsnce aa unpArdonNble crime I
4 =
He then goes on to I practical as
we'll as theoretical justification of
rebels as follows; stl aaa 9sl lEiss
"But wo. hear It .oftcn said that, the
late rebellion was wantonly wicked,
and without the least shadow Of OK
cnsc or palliation. This is not true.
They who make the assertion de-
coive ths nselves. or they knowingly
attempt to deceive others 9oj
And again: ..s,..
"Under 1 fall soennse ofmy reeponsi-
bility ia 50 doing, ! hereby deliber-
ately declare that IN my firm opinion
the Dissatisfaction out Of which this
dreadful war arcse, WAS not without
some solid foundation. Tho wrong
was not wholly on our side" 81
And here is his defcnoc of the OK,
ploded hereey Of State Rights, which
led to tho rebellion. We question
ifJon' Davis could surpass this apol
ogy for going to war.
'There is another Wow to be TAX
en- of this matter, which greatly
strengthens the duty Of liberation
on our part. The right Of State
secession has long been tho received
doctrine in most of the Southern
States. IfI.they are right in, THE
they were fully justified in tho course
thy took. For although exception
has been sometimes taken in regard
TO tho manacrin which they attempt
ed to carry, out that principle, still
as no technical rule had ever been
adopted. all that was lreqnisite was
for tho people to expressi their wish
es in some unmistakable method
which they certainlydid inthis case
HssAad then comes this most infamous
attempt to saddle the rcsponsis sility
for the suffering Of our prisoners il
the enemies hsnds upon our own su
thoritics- sss 5oflH
ABut tho grsatsirFitatiRg cause
which moro than any other has beer
used to excite our animOsities against
tho leaders and people of the South
10 the alleged inhuman treatment o
prisouera e*l@ astff II a5
Throughout the war, ,statsmsnts o
tho blackest atrocities on the part o.
the rebels were profusely circulated
in the north, orally and through thu
public prints; and counterstatement'
Of equal snormitics on our part wer,
made Ia like manner q the eSouth, an(
their believed 20. These charges OF
Ous side were morc Aathoritatively
made ina formal report ofthe Join,
communications the conduct Of the wal
ID May, l664. They were just - au
sthorita tativoly denied and counter char
ges or equal atrocities were made t.
the confederate oongreesin February
1866, BY : joint committee which hat
there been raised for that purpose
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