The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1868-08-14

you these words Of acceptance in a
letter, as is the customary form. I
see no reason upon reflection to
change or qualify the terms of my
approval Of Che resolutions Of the
Convention. D<EE n-.g..
have delayed the mere formal
act of communicating to you in writ
ing what l thus publicly said, for
the purpose Of seeing what light the
action Of Congress would throw upon
the interests Of the country. Its
acts since the adjournment Of the
Convention show an alarm lest a
change of political power will give
to the people what they ought TO
have, a clear statement of what has
been done with the money drawn
from them during the past eight
years. Thoughtful men teel that
there have been wrongs in the f.
nancial management which have
been kept from the public knowledge.
The Congressional party has not
only allied itself with military power
which is to be brought to bear d.
rectly upon the elections in many
States, but it also holds itself in
perpetual session, with the avowed
purpose of making such laws as it
shall see fit, in view of the elections
which will take place within q few
weeks 1t did not therefore adjourn
but took a recess, to meet again if
it's partizan interests shall demand
it's assembling. Never before in
the history Of our country has Con-
gress thus taken a mcnacing attitude
towards its electors. Under its in
fucnce, some of the States organ
lied by it's agents are proposing to
deprive the people of the right to
vote for Presidential electors, and
the first bold steps are taken to de-
stroy the rights of suffrage. 1t is
not strange, therefore, that thought
full men see in such action the proof
that there are. with those who shape
the policy of the Republican party,
motives stronger and deeper than
the mere wish to hold political pow
err that there is dread of some
exposure which drives them on to
acts so desperate and SO impolitic.
Many of the Ablest leaders and
journals of the Republican party
have openly deplored the violence
of Congressional action and its ten
dency to keep up discord in our
country. The great interests Of our
Union demand peace, order, and a
return to those industrial pursuits
without which we cannot maintain
the faith or honor Of our Govern
ment. The minds of business men
are perplexed by uncertainties. The
h ours Of toll of our laborers are
heightened by the costs Of living
made by the direct and indirect cx-
actions of government. Our people
are harrassed by the heavy and fire
quent demands Of the tax-gatherer.
Without distinction Of party there
is strong feeling in favor Of that
line Of action which shall rest ore or
der and confidence, and shall lift off
the burthens which now hinder and
vex the industry Of the country.
Yet at this moment those in power
have thrown into the Senate cham
Der ana Congressional Hall new cle-
ments of discord and violence. Men
have been admitted as representa-
tives of some of the Southern States,
with the declaration upon their lips
that they cannot live in the States
they claim to represent, without
military protection. These men are
to make laws for the North as we'll
as the South. These men, who, a
few days since. were seeking as
suppliants that Congress would give
them power within their respective
States, are to-day the masters and
controllers of the actions of those
bodies. Entering them with minds
filed with passions, their first de :
mands have been that Congress shall
look upon the States from which
they come as in conditions Of civil
war that the majority Of their popu-
lations, EN- bracing their intelligence,
shall be treated as public enemies !:
that military forces shall be kept up
at the cost of the people of the
North, and that there shall be no
peace and order at the South save
that which is made by arbitrary
power. Every intelligent man
knows that these men owe their
seats IN Congress to the disorder in
the South; every man that they not
only owe their positions to disorder,
but that every motive springlng from
the love Of power, Of gain, of de-
sire for vengeance, prompts them to
keep the South in anarchy. While
that exists, they are Independent Of
the wills or wishes of their fellow
citizens. While confusion reigns,
they are the dispensers Of the profits
and the honors which grow out Of
government of mere force. These
men arc now placed in positions
where they can not only urge their
views Of policy, but where they can
enforce them. When others shall
be admitted in this manner from the
remaining Southern States, although
they will have in truth no constitu-
cnts, they will have more power in
the Senate than majority Of the
people of this Union living in nine
of the great States. In vain the