The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1856-04-01

excluded, should again be opened to it's intro
duction, by their assisting in repeating the
laws to exclude Slavery. They did this in
passing the Kansas Nebraska Act. which nf-
Ger all its provisions are examined confers no
rights upon the people that the first settlers
Of Iowa did not possess. The only difference
appears to be that while in Iowa the North
and South could meet on equal terms, IN
Kansas the South can take their negroes
there also, and thus introduce an element in
furious 10 the interests of freemen, free
States and free labor. Their motive in doing
50, while claimed by Stephen A. Douglas in
Illinois to be TO advance and aid the cause Of
freedom, il claimed by David Atchlsun in
Missouri to be to enable the owners Of slave
property in other States 70 emigrnte there
aud take their slaves with them. When this
oil was in It's passage, we find almost MI the
Wing party ana many OF the Democrats Of
the Free States voted against II; all honor To
them for such action.
The passage Of this bill showed the people
Of the North that if they would save the Ter
ritores from Slavery they must merge every
o her secondary question, and unite rs one
man against the party and its abettors, which
has thus attempted by stealth to sacrifice the
and untrammelled possession of the free soil
of the nation, on which TO erect their homes
and affairs and enjoy free institutions. The
party having the extension of freedom in
view, and who make il their leading and
main principle of action, are now perfecting
their organization throughout the nation
They have adopted the name of Republican,
and have declared their principles TO the ma
ton in the platforms they have issued in
county. State and National meetings through
out the North and some Of the more southern
States.
The leaders of Democracy of Iowa, in ls47.
openly took ground against slavery extern
sion, or acquiring territory for that purpose,
as shown by an address issued by Hon. Vim.
Thompson, who ran as candidate for Con-
gress on that ticket, in July lS47, which ad-
dress is now in our possession, and when
Stephen A. Douglas introduced his Kansas
Nebraska Bill the Democracy Of Iowa almost
universally, through their party presses,
openly opposed his course of action, and none
more so than the s'Lee County Plaindealer,''
who characterized it rs an unwise and i'm
proper measure, and breach Of faith If il
was passed. We also find that the Burlington
Telegraph, Iowa Capital Reporter, the Pro-
gressive Fra and others in Iowa, the Galena
Jeffersonian and others in Illinois; and the
st. Louis Intelligencer, Southern paper at
that time, said $ But In reference To Terri
tories covered by existing legislation, LET Is
STAND BY THE CONTACTS AND OBLIGATIONS THUS
IMPOSED UPON Us BY OUR own ACTION HERETO
FORE THROUGH orr REPRESENTATIVES," A
mention Of the papers now in our possession
which took the same ground then, would tire
the patience Of most any reader; we therefore
desst.
While most of the leaders of the Democ-
racv and all of the prominent oficehoIdcrs
have turned their backs on the principles they
advanced before the passage Of the bill re-
ferred to, we are glad we can say that inuny
prominent Democrats, and many OF the rank
and file Of the Democracy still stand where
they did then, and are determined TO main
tain the cause of freedom. Some Of them
have already seen it to be their duty to unite
with the Republican party, while others are
still in doubt which course to pursue TO do
most for Freedom in the present emergency.
10 all such and every other American citizen
we would say, act as duty dictates after YOU
have had your judgments nlghtened as YOU
should on the subject.
We cannot close this address, already long.
or than we intended, without referring to
other candidates nominated by the Pierce
Democracy Of Lee County. They are gem
tlcmen whom we respect, and they are our
personal friends, but they were nominated
and will he supported by men who sustain
Pierce, Douglas. Atchison and their allies.
in all they have done lately to extend slave
ry, and if you vote for them you to some
extent sustain their anti Democratic course.
We nfe nominated 10 represent the opposite
principle, viz; Freedom for al the Territories,
and as such We ask ~ support 81 all tie
friends of this principle. We consented to
let our names he used as candidates at this
time, that the Republican Party of Lee Coun-
ty might rally around US ut the polls, and
commence the sklrmlshng that will intro
duce the great National Political Battle that
will be fought in November.
We remain your fellow citizens,
VIM LESLIE,