The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1856-09-27


Il is not my custon 70 tAks nuoA int1r-
est II politics. Tho quiet pGnsaits u 80
snee have always ocenpisd ~ larger shars
Of my time and study. And psrhaps even
now may be blamed for stepping aside from
my usual labor, in order to give my views
Of our national politics. ] tsast however
that the Importance to The country Of the
present contest for President, will be sun
cient excuse for the course have taken. For
after all that may be said to the contrary, it
Is the people and not the politicians, who
ought to decide what shall be the policy Of
our government. am one Of the people
and therefore claim it both a. right and
duty to have political opinions, and when
necessary to express them.
The question upon which the people will Be
called to vote in November next, 10, shall
Freedom or Slavery be supported BY the
federal government in the territories. There
may be other side issues, but this il the main
question. The party for Freedom in the
territories have nominated a. their candid
ate for President, John G. Fremont, man in
every way worthy Of the noble cause in which
he 10 enlisted The party for Slavery in the
territories have nominated a. their candid
ate james Buchanan, man altogether &C.
oeptable to those who maintain the divine
right of Slavery to occupy the whole coun-
try. With IN issue 90 fairly before the peo-
pie, one would suppose there need be no diff
6culty in deciding il almost without debate.
Wherever Slavery il predominant the ques-
ton will be so decided. There 10 - little
freedom Of speech or Of the press in South
Carolina Is there 10 in Austria or Italy.
What do the free people OF the Yves. think
Of cursing the fair land Of Kansas with an
institution which leads to such tyranny
! am Southerner, born at the South.
love our people, and have had an oppor-
tunity Of comparing them with those Of 9th.
er states. But Southern ~ am, will use
all lawful means to exclude Slavery from al
the territories. Slavery has now three times
as much land ~ she can cultivate and man
age well. 1t may be that shall be called
traitor. But would rather have that term
OF reproach while holding to the views Of
such statesmen as Washington, jefferson,
Henry, and IN fact Of nearly al the leading
spirits Of the revolution, than to be called
patriot in the gang Of sscsssionists Of which
2. s. Brooks is chief. have no doubt thu
lore Of tho Union is stillstronx in the heart.
OF the people, but nevertheless there 10 quit.
. number at the South who are openly 70,
disunion. II they are less clamorous 70,
that measure now than they we're few year,
ago, It is because they hope bya pretended
love OF the Union to the better effect thei,
purposes. All the secessionists and MULTI
ers Of the South are for Buchanan. A few
who had preference for Fillmore, are ont
by one abandoning him, 40 ~ to give the en-
tire vote Of the South to Buchanan. hav,
not the least doubt that they will succeed
In North Carolina there is tho greatest indif
ference among the masses tn i I have eve,
witnessed. And while the secsssionists viii
be sure to send up great howl, large par
OF the people will be rejoiced to hear Of tn,
election Of Fremont. And IL the true stat,
Of the case were fairly before the Southern
people still more Of them would come ou
openly for the Republican candidates. Tha
the Slavery -extensionists fear that q Ere.
mont ticket will be run in all the Southern
States, is plainly seen by the mobs which ar,
resorted to, in order to put down and 81.
ence Republicans. Thus far no n.wspspe,
in this state has had the manliness to publish
the Republican platform.
There is class Of people at the West and
North to whom would appeal more espe.
chilly in this letter. Il 10 those who are cup
porting Buchanan under the impression thai
by so doing, they are supporting the South
The intentions Of such persons arc no doub
good, but they are lsboring under the great
cot mistake. You can not do the masses o.
the Southern people greater injury, tina,
BY permitting Slavery to enter the terrific
ries now free from that curse. But perhap,
some one will reply that to exclude SLAYER,
from the territories now free, would not b,
!, No"S Ju0say W shc nA1vouOlO0I0s Dut u
must be recollected that the shareholders
few rs they are, have already spread thcil
pet institution over the lone share Of tn.
country. According to the las. census, min,
millions Of people in tho Slave States hsd
J eight hundred and 6fsy one thousand squar,
miles, whilst in Free States thirteen million,
OF people had only six hundred and tweiv,
thousand square miles. And yet SLAYER,
still cries, give, give! There il another i'm.
portant fact TO which would call the atten.
ton Of our fellow citizens Of the West
According TO the census Of 1850, there wer,
nearly ffty-eight thousand persons born il
North Carolina, who were then living IN
Free States. One hundred and eighty three
thousand virginian. were then living in
Free States. Let these people who hava
witnessed the evils Of Slavery Be appealed to,
and see il they are ia favor Of cursing any
more states with such an institution. There
is no fact better ascertainsd than that free
labor 10 degraded wherever Slsvery exists.
Whilst all the Free States have advanced ia
intelligence, wealth, and general prosperity